Evening journal., 1903-05-11
PLOT TO BLOW
UP THE UMBRIA
Internal Machine Found on
the Steamers Pier at the
Sailing Hour
HELD 100 POUNDS OF DYNAMITE


Ing Letter to Police Commissioner,
Saying Mafa VIII Destroy All Brit
Ish Ships Sailing From New York.
New York, May 11.-An Internal ma
chine connected with a hundred
pounds OF dynamite was found IN a
box on the Cunard pier. According to
the expert opinion Of the superintend-
ent of the bureau Of combustibes, the
box was found and put into the river
just in the nick of time TO prevent It
exploding and demolishing the pier
and the Umbria. wsich was alongsids
and about to sail The box was LETT
at the pier in an apparent attempt to
have il placed aboard with the baggage
Of the passengers. The umbria sailed
few minutes after the box was dis
covered and all on board were in igno-
rance of the attempt to place an infer
nal machine aboard the vessel.
The discovery Of the box was due
to the following letter received at po.
lice headquarters. addressed to Com
missioner Greene;
Dear Sir: The Malta greets you and
wishes you well. At the Cunard dock
is a box containing 100 pounds of dy-
Mantle. Inside also is a machine, prop
erly set. and explodes itself any time
within 36 hours.
"The society has declared wal
against England and has ordered tina
destruction Of every steamer flying the
British fiag that sails out of New YorR
harbor.
-.The undersigned received orders to
begin operations by sinking tho
Oceanic, but so many women and chill
dren took passage by that boat that
the society's plans were changed at
the last minute The machine in the
box, the first made. and a crude affair.
is inclosed simply to show how easy it
is to sink a steamer and to convince
those interested that the society is not
making idle threats.
THE society has undertaken TO clear
New York harDor Of British ships ard
it will succeed.
This is the society's first and last
warning, and those who propose to
patronize British steamers must. take
their chances in the future.
"The society asks and gives no quar-
ter, so lay on, lay on. MacduG, and
damned be he that first cries hold,
enough.
"PIETRO DEMARTINI."
Detectives were at once sent to the
pier and the search for the box was
begun, arrangements being made that
the Umbria should not sail until the
box was found or 1t was proven that it
was not on the pier or in the vessel.
After a search of the passengers bag
gage the box was found in the middle
Of a large pile Of baggage near tho
gangway Of the first cabin passengers.
Two detectives carefully picked up the
box and carried Il to the end OF the
pier. The passengers had no intima-
ton Of what was going on and there
fore no one was frightened. The box
was opened and found to contain
clockwork that was in motion. A rope
was fastened about the box and it was
gingerly lowered into the water.
After the Umbria had sailed the pier
was cleared of every one except the
men from the bureau of combustibles
and the officials Of the line and the
box was raised and carefully placed on
the pier. The box was found to be 40
inches long, 20 inches wide. and 20
inches deep, made Of new pine. un-
painted Of good workmanship and
strongly built. the top being fastened
with a heavy staple and paddock. A
slight examination OF the box at the
pier showed that it contained a hun
dred pounds Of dynamite. SO half
pound sticks. and that the fuse in the
box had been ignited at some time