The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-11
PLOT TO WRECK KAISER'S Gift
NEGRO COT LITTLE BONE AWAY
IN TINE TO SAVE STATUE.
Exploded on the Ground and Ploughed a
small furrow Wan Niih a Van DSke
Heard Brought II IN a Cnb 10 the war
College GroundS-GOt Away In safety

'ue use OF dynamite, was maze To-Day
That tho statue was not injured appears to
have been due to plucky negro laborer.
The man who attempted the outrage
escaped, but the driver Of he cab in which
he went 10 the War College was found
The dynamite was removed from the im-
mediate vicinity Of the statue before the
explosion. which smashed much glass in
the adjacent barracks, hut inflicted no
other damage
Naturally the Government is greaty
concerned over this evident effort TO pro-
dnce strained relations between he United
States and Germany The statue was the
gift Of Emperor William 10 the American
Government. and was sent here mainly
mark of his appreciation Of the official and
personal courtesy shown his brother Prince
Henry OF Prussia during the latter's visit
to this country in 1902. and also to show
cordial friendship for the American nation
and people.
At the time the Emperor notified President
Roosevelt Of his intention TO present tho
statue considerable suspicion existed in
America as TO the good faith ofGermany's
professions Of friendliness toward this
Government, and while this had appar-
emily disappeared when the statue reached
the United States in October 1904, 1t was
carefully guarded by order Of the Wash
ington authorities. who feared that some
hotheaded person with mistaken patriotic
motives, or some group Of Anarchists,
might attempt TO harm it out OF resent
ment for Germany's supposed attitude
and for the purpose Of causing severance
of relations between the two governments
From the time the statue reached this
country until after its unveilng, on Nov 10
last. it was guarded by regular soldiers of
the United States
About 10 o'clock this morning Arthur
Carter, negro cab driver, was standing
beside his cab on the Sixth street side Of
the Pennsylvania Railroad station, when a
well dressed man. about S feet 10 inches
Isall. with light hair and sandy, close
dropped beard, cut Van Dyke fashion. and
Ayearing dark clothes. with or without an
overcoat-Carter' recollection is indistinot
on this point out OF the station and
engaged Carters cab =.
Wait here q moment while / fetch my
bag, said the man with the blond beard
When the man appeared he carried what
appeared TO be diminutive suitcase made
Of imitation leather. The man directed
Carter to drive down Pennsylvania avenue
After Carter had proceeded a block or
80 he was stopped and asked If he knew
where the Washington Barracks were To- /
Gated and was directed 10 90 there II |
am not In any hurry at all said the man /
with the Van Dyke beard, as do not |
wish TO reach there before noon" Carter,
being engaged by the hour. took his own
time
The Washington Barracks or the Arsenal
Us It is moro Familiarity known, occupies a
triangular point Of land between the Poto-
mac undA nacostia rivers. The entrance is
in the middle of the base OF t. triangle;
The War College is almost at, the apex.
A. the fbot Of the broad esplanade Of
what is to be the war college, facing the
base Of tho triangle stands the statue
Of Frederick the Great. Entering the gate
in the middle Of the base, Carters cab
passed slowly down the avenue and hi,r I
within hundred feet Of the statue II was
then few minutes past noon. In the imme-
date foreground was the statue and
near by the foundations of the War College.
upon which rested the tools Of the work
men. dropped at the sounding Of the noon
hour Apparently the bearded man was
familiar with the ground either through
personal observation or from information
from confederates
Telling Carter TO await his return the
stranger aGhted and FASTENED toward
the statue. In his right hand was the small
black case. His head was to one side, as
though carefully watching IT, and behind
him there was a trail of smoke slight
but perceptibe
Private Albert Rieger OF the United States
Engineer Battalion was at this moment
standing NJ the door Of one OF the barracks.
Rieger is of German birth and in times of
excitement has difficulty. in mastering the
English language. Reger decided that
The man was a blacksmith or a tnsmith.
carrying under his arm a miniature stove,
put thought the mans actions suspicious.
The whiskered man passed between the
statue and the foundations Of the War
7oiiege. Here he was sheltered from obser-
5ation except that Of curious Private
Rieger and, as it developed. Of George c
EHis. a negro laborer who was at that
line in the Office Of Engineer Wilmarth
.wenty yards from the statue.
The stranger hung his little case on tho
Ealing fence which surrounds the statue
BY means Of a wire in the shape Of the letter
'S".
b leave the grounds "a hastily a. possible.
When the vehicle reached the entrance
10 the grounds there was the sound OF a
nufIied explosion, to which Carter paid no
attention few blocks outside Of the
Grounds on -Four and half street bet ween
\ and q Southwest tine mysterious stranger
topped the cab. paid Carter and departed
u the direction of tho steamboat wharves.
That was the last seen of the man
: Meanwhile Reger concluded that some
hing was wrong just then Capt Walker
Il Company II approached. The only thing
hat Rieger thought Of then was to salute ,
md stand at attention. As Rieger wa
trembling all over with suppressed eI-
tternent Capt. Wsiker srked lum What ,
he matter was
Riegers English did not Gov smoothly.
nd il was yeral minutes before he could
aake Capt. Walker understand
Capt. Walkers orders were sharp and
decisive In the Office 81 Engineer VII
aarth sat Arthur Ellis eating his lun cheou
Tell that man to remove that box, com
sanded Capt. Walker according to Privat.
saUer @thpn Won try - OXert ke that on, 1 .