New-York tribune., 1900-08-19
ANARCHIST PLOT DENIED.
CHIEF WILKIE OF THE SECRET SER
VICE SAYS THERE'S NO TRUTH
IN THE REPORTS.


Moresca and Guida. the two italian immigrants
who were arrested on the North German Lloyd
steamship pier in Brooklyn Friday upon
picion Of being Anarchists, sent to Ellis
Island last night by immigration Commissioner
Fitche for safekeepng while their antecedents are
being looked into Chief Wilkie of the United
States Secret Service said yesterday in Washing
ton while speaking Of these two men and also OF
the report that they and twelve others had been
detained on suspicion of being implicated In plot
to assassinate President Mckinley:
The whole story is purely an inyentiOn. No
Guida are detained by the fmmigraton AUTHORITIES a
for depoTt9ftti9na ftd a have absolutely no knowedge
No agents of the Government have been abroad
quested. Moreover. as stated yesterday, the
investgati.o95 made mad by this service when advised
this c.. country failed TO show that he was an An
United States It was ascertaped that fbe rsnor3
that Moresca was an Anarchist prompted by
initely established however, that he had been a
convict and on this ground and this ground only
Commissioner Fftchie told Tribune reporter late
yesterday afternoon that since the assassination
of King Humbert there had been watch for per-
sons coming from certain European localities.
There was nothing to show. however. that there
had been any conspiracy or plan Of assassination
on the part of Moresca and Guida although the
Commissioner did not know what evidence against
them might be in the possession of the Washington
authorities. The would be detained at Ellis
Island until further information about them had
been received from the Secret Service
Antonio Guida who said he was a fruit dealer
at No. S64 Third-ave. and brother of the
detained Guida, called at the Barge Office yester-
day morning He was accompanied by Max c.
Wndnauer. lawyer. of No. 800 Broadway whom
he had retained TO act for his brother Antonio
asked to see his brother but permission was re-
fused: He said:
My brother. father, mother, sister and myself all
aEo n NJ SERENE, near Napies until four months
navy, but l came to America four months ago
ToRr On h hsn boat h0gh df fne% a9t be @
tended following me to America. do not believe
political or secret society He was never in
knowledge We have no relatives IN this county 90 y
sxTSSept sTSt;p an uncle who lives in Third-ave near
as Well as myself. know no Anarchists in Paterson
Mr. WiIdnauer said:
| don't know anything, about the matter as yet
detained do not know whcther I shall oppose
his deportation or agree to II. I have been un-
Local Chief Hazen, of the Secret Service. said
that the arrests were made on information received
from Washington. He refused to give the technical
charge saying that he was ordered to make the
arrests. and followed instructions. He was asked
concerning the report that fourteen men had been
arrested He said that he knew nothing of it, He
called II absurd.
It is said that the information which caused the
arrest Of Moresca and Guda came in the form Of
an anonymous letter to Consul Boynton at Naples
1t was postmarked at a small town in Southern
Italy and said that Moresca and Guida two An
archists. their way to America 10 execute
a design to kill President Mckinley. 1t further
said that the men would sail an Italian tramp
steamer, the Villa Franco. Consul Boynton ap-
parently believing this communication contained
facts teegraphed its substance at to the State
Department at Washington, with the result that
the men were caught.
1t was reported that an Italian swan ashore at
Bedlow's Island yesterday in exhausted condi-
ton. He arrested and turned to the
immigration authorities He told contradictory
stories Of how he came to be in the water and he
was finally recognized as an immigrant who arrived
here Friday from Genoa on the steamship
Trojan Prince, of the Prince Line. and had been
ordered sent back by the Board Of Inquiry Of the
Immigration Department He was sent. prisoner,
to the Narragansett. which is anchored within a
few hundred feet of Bedlow's Island.
He refused to reply to questions as to his object
in coming to this country. and only laughed deris-
lively when asked whether he was an Anarchist
Senator N. B. Scott member of the Executive
Committee of the National Republican Committee,
was asked yesterday what he thought OF the capt
ure OF the suspected Anarchists, who, 1t is alleged,
plotted the killing of President Mckinley. He said:
think that our immigration laws need reform
ing. They should be so changed that all persons
in their hearts should ind 1T impossible to enter.
l welcome all good immigrants who come here for
come American citizens do not believe that those
immigrants who come TO these shores 10 amass
fortunes to return home should be permitted 10
have any voice in Government.
The object of the immigration laws is to furnish
an opportunity to the poor and dOwntrodden OF all
lands to find home and become attached to their
edopted country This country is not an asylum
for murderers, Anarchists and thugs. The immi-
ehe 8ndesirabie people Of foreign lands TO make
this country rendezvous for their evil purposes.
we do welcome the honest immigrant, however;
the immigrant who comes here to establish q home
to rear his family educate his children and become
a factor IN this free goVernment. Such immigrants
not only add to the wealth. but bring vigor and
character TO the population.
The immigration laws should be reformed
that none but honest well intentioned persons of
nrevious good character should be admitted. I do
not believe in allowing contract laborers to be ad-
mitted to the country. l have always favored
union labor and it is unjust to permit contract
Ia bor to come in competition with the protected
wage workers OF this country.