Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1900-08-19
OF
PRESIDENT M'KINLEY
PLANNED IN ITALY
Plot Is Frustrated by Secret
Service officers Who Ar
rest the Anarchists.
FOURTEEN MEN DETAINED

y " " IL Il AGN AA44S IA - 1444N 41O
They Came On Various Steamers to
New York, Where They Were Taken
In Charge BY Oficers-Lots Drawn.
Details of the Plot In Possession OF
the American Officers.
NEW YORK, Aug. 18.-Instead Of two,
high government official states that
there are ID anarchists under arrest at
the detention prison Of the bureau of
immigration. They are all charged with
being in q conspiracy to assassinate
President Mckinley and have been
taken singly and in pairs from incoming
ocean liners within the last ten days.
United States secret service agents
learn that an anarchist circle in Naples
had cast lots to see who would be the
assassin. Eleven Italians and three
Austrians were selected. Closely fol
lowed, they sailed for different ports.
Their object was to strike individual
blows at the president at the same time.
That would make success sure.
AS fast as the men arrived secret SER
vice agents, disguised as emigrants,
went among them and they were ar
rested. Maresca and Weida, caught
yesterday, were two of IA.
"The conspiracy was made on a night
early in August. BY working with the
italian police the secret service agents
got wind of great meeting of the circle
in Naples. The men selected for the
work in this country were quickly noti-
fed what they were to do, separated,
going singly or in pairs to different
ports in Europe. Some went to France,
others to Germany, while still others
crossed the channel to England. Step
by step they were followed to the gang
plank of steamers.
"The IA are now detained by the emil
grafton authorities and are either at the
barge Office at the battery or the deten-
ton quarters at Quarantine.
zone report is to the effect that some
are in Ludlow street jail, having been
taken there from Ellis island in order to
thwart any attempt to rescue them by
Paterson anarchists. "
Details of the Plot.
So far as known the plan was for each
man to proceed to Washington at once
on certain date. They were to sur
round the president and wait for an op-
portunity to strike. The blow was to
be by pistol and knife. One Of the
number, it was certain, would be sue
cessful. The question of escape was not
considered, the mon being willing TO
sacrifice their lives for their principles
The two men who did not meet their
fellow anarchists were Maresca and
Weida. Chief Wilkie Of the secret SER
vice division Of the treasury department
had his agents at the pier when the
steamer locked. The two men did not
come in the steerage as did the others.
Maresca came as a steward in the
steerage and Weida as a coal passer
They could have landed without going
through the formality of the barge Office.
When Maresca boarded the Kaiser
Wilhelm Ii at Naples Aug, a secret
service agent was close on his heels.
Maresca professed to have no money
when he boarded the steamer, and made
application to be taken as cook. Fail
ing in that he asked for stewardship.
There was a vacancy in the storage
cabin and he secured that. It was not
known that he had companion. He
and Weida did not come aboard to-
gether. AS far as known no one saw
Weida come aboard and he was not dis
covered until six hours after the vessel
sailed. When found he was secreted as
stowaway. He was put to work in
the hold with the coal passers and kept
busy until the boat reached Quarantine
The Kaiser Wilhelm touched Gibraltar
Aug. 8 and then sailed for New York.
Two Taken Into Custody.
On Wednesday morning last the ship
sighted Sandy Hook light, came up to
Quarantine and was there boarded by
secret service mon, who asked to see the
Storage and cabin lists and the ships
roster.
First Officer LAM took the detectives
forward where they could see the crew.
Purser Meyer remembered recording the
name Of Maresca at Naples and Maresca
was identified by Meyer when the for
mer was brought out for Identification.
Maresca professed to be unable to I'M
derstand English. After looking Ma
resca over w. III. Hazen, in charge of
the secret service bureau of this city
said:
81 think that is the man."
Maresca was sent below when the
ship was locked. When the liner tied
up at her pier Maresca was informed
that he was under detention. He was
asked where his baggage was and re.
piled in Italian:
"Weida has II"
This was new lead and Wei6a was
summoned from his work at the furnace
and questioned. He professed not to
understand English, but admitted that
he had trunks on board. So quietly
were both men taken from the liner that
none Of the crew or passengers knew
that an arrest had been made.
About 10 o'clock Antonio Weida, who
says he is q brother of the detained
Weida, and who lives in this city, called
at the barge office, accompanied by a
lawyer. and asked TO see his brother
He said:
Weida's Brother Talks.
"My brother, father, mother, sister
and myself all lived at Sorrento, near
Naples, until four months ago. My
brother and had been soldiers in the
Italian navy. When came to America
four months ago he was In the navy. ]
did not expect him on this boat, al
though / knew he intended following
me to America. | do not believe he ever
belonged to any anarchist, socialist, po-
litical or secret society. He was never
imprisoned nor arrested to my knowl-
edge. We have no relatives in this
country, except an uncle in this city.
am positive nay brother knows no an.
archist in Paterson or New York"
Chief Hazen admitted that the two
men were supposed to be anarchists and
confirmed the story Of the plot hato&at
in N1DlaG I'm AuCuct RI Hill E~a,i 90