The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-01-19
DYNANIrER CONFESSES
Man Arrested in Philadelphia Want
ed in New York and Washington.
cLAsseD AS PATRIOTIC FANATIC

Admits He Tried to Destroy Statue Of
Frederick the Great and to Blow Up
the Steamship Umbria at New York
In May, 1908.
Philadelphia, Jan. lG.-"Gessler Ros-
ieau." who was arrested in this city
On ThursdaY with an unloaded infer
nal machine in his possession, admit
ted to the police that he is the man
who attempted 10 destroy the statue Of
Frederick the Great in Washington
last Tuesday, and also that II was he
who sent the trunk containing an in
fernal machine to the British steam
ship Umbria at New York in May,
1903. The prisoner, whose right name
is not known, made these admissions
after he had been identified by per
sons brought here from New York and
Washington for that purpose. He gives
no reasons Tor the attempted outrages
except that there are too many for
cign affairs in this country" After
having Rosscau under fire all after
noon. the police classed him as an
American patriotic fanatic" Both
the Washington and New York au-
thorities want the man, and 1t is prob
able that he will be turned over to
the police OF the latter city.
The apprehension OF ROsseau was
due TO the disappearance OF Owen
Kelly. a wealthy lrish-American. who
Is prominent in lrish-American sOcie-
ties in this country Kelly disappear
ed October -. On Thursday Rosseau
called on Patrick Kelly. the brother
of the missing man, and offered to take
him to his brother in New York for
5000. He said he and owen Kelly be-
lOngcd 20 secret societies that were
organized for the purpose of blowing
no British ships in American ports.
The yalisc he carried, he said. con
tanned explosives. Patrick Kelly noti-
fled the police and Rosseau was Ia
ken into custody The yalise con
tanned an internal machine OF the
clock-arrangement variety but no ex-
plosiyes.
In reply 10 questions. he admitted
the attempted outrage on the statue.
He said ne had manufactured the in
fernal machine himself. and that ii
consisted OF a candle. fuse and "dy-
Mantle engine" Where he made il
he would not say. It was his inten-
ton. he said, to blow up the statue
at night. because he did not want to
hurt anybody Because OF the ice in
the Potomac river. he failed to find
any one who would row him from Scy-
enth street wharf, Washington. to the
arsenal. which is on one bank OF the
river. and he had to change his plans.
The failure TO destroy the statue.
he said. must have been due TO the
melting tallow spelling the fuse or in
.erfering with the dynamite. ROsseau
then gave the police the interesting
that he had intended max
ing a second attempt to blow up the
statue this time with time-clock ma
,aine. As it was difficult to get past
he sentries after nightfall. he intend
I'd going TO the arsenal at about dusk,
arrange the Internal machine so that
[ would explode at about midnight,
md then hang in on the statue.
Regarding the sending OF an infer
lal machine to the steamship UNI
)ria, Rousseau said that the police re-
port OF all his movements after the
Umbria incident up to the time they
ost track OF him was correct. Where
he had between May, 1903. and last
week he will not say, always replying
That is Tor you To find out"
He said that he made part of the
Umbria internal machine in Chicago.
and then took il to New York in a
runk. The trunk, he said, was not
strong enough. so he purchased one
better suited for the machine. In New
York he obtained room at Mrs. Cur
VS. place and there finished the work
If making the machine He admitted
writing the note to Police Commits
,ioner Green. which read:
THE Malta greets you and wishes
rou well. The society has declared |
var against England, and has ordered |
he destruction of every steamer fly |
ng the British flag that sails out OF |
Iew York The society has underta-
ten to clear New York harbor OF Brit
sh ships, and it will succeed"
II was this note Of warning which
ed to the finding of the trunk before
t was placed on the steamship.
Having learned all they could re-
,arding his attempts on the Umbria
md the statue the police officials
urned their attention to learning
of the antecedents Of the
nan. He said he was born in Amer
ca and that he was a farmer. Where
n America he was born and where
lis present home is, he would not say.
ie admitted his name was not Cess
or POsGpau "