The Washington times., 1902-01-22
Audience Sworn to Secrecy
An Address on Anarchy Said
to Have Been r1ade-Ambig-
uOus Statements.
WOMAN SAID TO COME FROM ROME.
Those at Meeting Decline to Ex-
plain It's CharacteT--Reporte Re-
fused AdnittaRce - Efforts to
Elude Pursuii1

meeting or decidedly mysterious
| character, in which nearly fifty we'll
| dressed men participated, the head speak
| er of which was an elderly woman, hand
| somely gowned, but who wore a thick
| black veil, was held last night in a hall
occasionally occupied by the Anti Saloon
League at 623 Louisiana Avenue north
| west.
No one was willing to take the great
risk and suffer what appeared to be a
penalty to make public the nature of the
session, almost everyone stating that
they had been sworn under oath not 10
dlvulge the character of the proceedings
Address by n Yelled Lady.
The fact that meeting of such a mys-
terious character was being held was first
given out by gentlemen who attended the
session and departed early. One of them
stated that, as near as he could learn
the session was held for the purpose of
listening to an address which would be
made by a-"veiled lady She was to
speak, he claimed, on anarchy, and had
lately returned from a trip to Rome, in
which city, it is said. she claims the plot
to assassinate President Mckinley was
first started.
The meeting did not take place until
after o'clock, owing to the Iateness of
the ''veiled LADY, in making her appear
ance, and the session lasted until almost
1890 o'clock. The lights in the building
could be seen plainly from the street, but
only those recognized by man who was
cd hab ;ain
head OF the steps leading into the hall
were admitted
When reporter for The Times Iues-
toned ore of the men leaving the hall
as to the nature of the meeting the lat
ter became very nervous.
Ambiguous Statements.
why, it's only meeting of the Plate
Printers Union. You know, l am presi-
dent of that organization" said lat in
dividual, tapping his foot nervously ON
the ground and eyeing his questioner
closely. When questioned further, how
ever, he said ii was a meeting of the
employees of local insurance firms who
| wanted to band themselves together in
order to join the American Federation Of
Labor. and were taking the necessary
steps toward that movement in secret
because they were afraid If their en-
ployers were to hear of their actions
trouble would ensue.
We'll, cant you tell me something
about the session. asked the reporter.
The stranger said he could not and that
| the meeting was OF secret nature. When
informed that the reporter intended visit
ing the hall he said he would go over to
the hall and see the president.
His excitement increased when the
M MAJ rod x.-ith he
finally broke into run. Just as he
reached the door of the hall the audience
was coming out, and he was careful to
murmur word or two in each ones ear
as he passed. Two gentlemen whom he
failed to warn were overtaken and asked
regarding the meeting.
One, a man possessing a dark beard,
said:
Now, my man. We are strangers in
town and would not like to state what
the meeting was. You see some OF the
other people"
stopped in the Hallway.
In the meantime the excited individual
had posted nearly all of them. and when
an attempt was made to go into the hall
an elderly man blocked the way. saying
that admission TO the hall was Prohibited
Admttance was finally gained, however,
but the reporter had hardly reached the
top of the stairs when two men came out
and stopped him.
You can't go in here" said one put
ting his back up against the door.
He had scarcely finished talking how
ever, when the door swung back, and out
come short, haired woman. She
was tttired in a dark dress. while across
her face hung a dark veil. On either side
of her were two elderly men. When the
reporter endeavored to ask the ''mysteri-
Gus woman a question he was uncere-
monously pushed back.
The fact that the meeting had become
known evidently caused great excitement,
for outside of the door groups of men
stood talking In whispers. The two
elderly men and the woman first started
toward Seventh Street but changed their
minds later and followed by the reporter
and the rest of the congregation. who en-
deavored in every way possible TO take the
mysterious woman" out OF the sight OF
the newspaper man. the little procession
moved up Louisiana Avenue toward Sixth
Street. The woman and her escort walked
very slowly, looking back now ana then
to see if the scribe was still dogging their
tracks.
Evnded Pursuit.
When the Baltimore and Ohio depc-
was reached the assemblage split up,
some going one way, and others 20 differ
ent directions. The two men and the wo-
man stood on the corner for a few mo-
mcnts. as if debating what to do and fin
ally walked up New Jersey Avenue north
west toward b Street. When B Street
was reached they quickened their pace
and upon arriving at the corner of North
Capitol and b Streets, just around the
Kenmore Hotel they disappeared into
house. The party of three were soon
visible in rooms on the third story, now
and then peering through the blinds at
the newspaper man and the policeman who
stood watching them below.
What the meeting was held for is
question yet to be solved. But the hard
est proposition to solve in the minds of
those who attempted to ferret out the