Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-21
PARIS INSISTS THAT
PLOT WAS A FACT.
Intended to Destroy Fleet At
Rio---Very Timely Warning---
Washington DisCredits.

Paris, Jan. 20.-The reports cabled
from Rio Janeiro that the Brazilian
authorities were warned from Paris of
a possible attempt to blow up the
American battleship fleet while in the
harbor there are true.
Some time ago certain suspicious in
dicating the existence of a plot to de-
stroy the whole or a portion Of the
fleet either at Rio Janeiro or in the
Straits Of Magellan, were aroused here
and naturally communicated to Rio
and Washington. A chartered steamer
was reported carrying explosives for
the use Of the conspirators OF Rio ia
metro arriving there about the middle
Of December and John Fedher whose
name is mentioned in the Rio dis
patches, was one of the men whose
name was revealed here as implicated
in the conspiracy.
The alleged plot IS supposed to have
some rather startling ramiflcatiOns. but
the evidence along this line is far from
conclusive and rests chiefly upon the
statement of IN individual whose rec
ord was subsequently proved to be
anything but creditable. Consequently
the whole affair is regarded with much
skepticism and indeed the presumption
has been raised that it may have been
deliberately concerted scare.
In any event it is now believed here
that if the plot actually did exist the
timely warning and precautions taken
have completely frustrated the plans Of
the cons pirators at Rio Janeiro and
compelled them to transfer their OPP
erations further south. if not to aban-/
don them entirely. The latter hypothe-
sis is considered here to be most proba-
bic.
Only a few people here treated this
story seriously, others regarded it as
fantastic while many dismissed the
whole affair as a myth.
The story in brief as given by those
esponsibie for it is substantially as
follows:
a young man Of good family resid-
ing here claims to have overheard
snatches Of Il telephone conversation
in which vague references were made
to the cruise of the American fleet,
and of plans concerning the fleet
which were being Matched at a certain
cafe. Being of a Sherlock Holmes dis
position, the young man communicated
his information to an American official
i'll Poris and also established a sur.
VIGILANCE Of the cafe.
1t is claimed that the observations at
the cafe disclosed several suspicious
characters holding mysterious meet
ings. Their movements are said to have
been traced and their plans in part
learned as to the shipment OF exp!o-
sives to Brazil.
When the suspicious parties were sur
prised they are said to have shown
fight and in a scrimmage which en-
sued the young man claims to have
snatched Il portion Of the paper over
which they were porting. containing the
words "menaced destroy" supposed to
mean "f menaced, destroy"
Meantime the official to whom the
young man had confided tho \secret
made inquiries as to the shipment OF
explosives to Brazil. This inquiry
showed that a small steamer discussed
by the suspects had actually sailed
from a North German port with GER
tsin suspicious boxes. 1t is claimed
that the testimony of the men VINO
loaded the boxes shows they contained
explosives. The steamer reached RIO
early in December This appeared to fit
in with the disclosures at the cafe and
with the cabalistic writing, which is
said to have shown that the plotter
designed t" plant submarine mines Off
Esclavo island and the narrowest point
in the Straits of Magellan, using the
island as their base of operations. The
existence of the island at this point in
the straits, where the currents run al
most 10 miles an hour, was duly veri-
fed. How the explosives were to reach
this island from Rio is not disclosed.
There were many other "Details I'M