The National tribune., 1900-12-06

through the apartment in solemn, meas
ured tones. and as the twelfth stroke was
still vibrating in the air, all the doors, even
those communicating with the ante rooms,
were promptly locked, no one being ad-
mitted after that hour.
The meeting was opened after the reg
ular form, and the business disposed of
without interruption. When the time
which was set apart for addresses arrived.
Webster was called upon for his speech.
He assembled the platform with a serious
expression on his face, and after thanking
his fellow knights for the honor conferred
upon him. he launched forth into stirring
address, the reasonable nature of which
was calculated to fire the Southern blood
of his hearers, and to add much to his own
popularity. As the speaker appeared to
warm up with his subject he lifted his
voice and exclaimed:
THE dissolution of the Union is one of
the inevitable necessities of LiDcoln's cleo
ton, and it will be our mission to strike
directly at the heart of the Abolition
party, and bury its foul carcass beneath
the smoking ruins of Washington city,
This was the signal. The words had no
sooner passed the lips of the speaker, than
a startling noise, like that of battering-
ram being applied to one of the antc-rOOm
DOORS cut short the speech, and caused
every man present to spring to his feet in
establishment and alarm. Bangi bangi
bangi sounded the heavy blows. The door
burst open with 4 crash, and a stream of
blue-coated soldiers, all fully armed, came
pouring into the council-chamber, and
quickly deployed around three sides of the
room, effectually cutting off the retreat of
the inmates before they could make
movement.
The sudden and unexpected appearance
of these intruders had paralyzing effect
upon the cOnspirators. Had so many
ghosts confronted them they could not
have been more surprised. CONSERVATION
was depicted on every blanched face;
startled eyes looked wildly around for
some avenue of escape, and EXPLANATIONS
of terror or baffied rage broke from many
white lips. Some of the most desperate
seemed for a moment to entertain thoughts
of breaking through the line of soldiers
and reaching the door, but no such mad
attempt was made. McPhail stepped for
ward with revolver in each hand, and in
a low, thrilling voice, said
Gentlemen, you are our prisoners. l
advise you to give in gracefully. We are
too many for you"
His advice did not go UNDECIDED. They
surrendered as gracefully as possible I'M
der the circumstances, and resigned them
selves to the custody of their armed foes
The chamber in which they had malicious
ly plotted the overthrow of the Govern
ment became the scene of their own down
fall, and it was with detected counter
ances that they submitted to the ineyita-
bic, and permitted themselves to be march
ed in body before the Provost-Marshal.
1t was not observed, however, until they
were being removed, that Timothy Web
ster had somehow contrived to make good
his escape.
The leading spirits of this conspiracy
those who did the actual plotting, and who
were known to be the arch traitors and
prime movers in the secret enterprise
were taken to Fort McHenry. The rest,
after taking the oath of allegiance, were
released
My two operatives disappeared from
Baltimore Immediately after this occur
renee, as well they might, for of course the
suspicion of the defeated conspirators fas-
tened upon them at once.
CTo be cOntinued.)