The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-01-24
MAY HAVE BEEN FAKE

Some Startling Ramifications Men
toned i'm Connection With Alleged
Plot-First Suspicion Aroused By
Overheard SnatChes Oh Telephone
overwhelmingly Give Some
Color fo story
Paris, January 20.-The reports cab
led from Rio Janeiro Sunday that the
Brazilian Authorities were warned
from Paris of a possible attempt TO
blow up The American battleship feet
while in the harbor there are true.
Some time ago certain suspicious in
dicating the existence of a plot 10
destroy the whole o. portion OF the
/ feet either at Rio Janeiro or in the
straights OF Magellan were aroused
here and naturally communicated to
Rio and Washington. A chartered
steamer was reported to have convey
I'd explosives for the use of the con-
spirators to Rio Janeiro arriving there
about the middle of December and
whose name was revealed as implicat-
ed in the conspiracy.
The alleged plot is supposed TO have
some rather startling ramihcations, but
the evidence along this line is far from
conclusive and was chiefly upon the
statement of an individual whose rec
ord was subsequently proved to be
anything but creditable. Consequently
skepticism and indeed the presumption
has been raised that it may have been
a deliberate concOcted 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
cOnspiratOrs at every point and COM
PEELED them to transfer their opera
tions further soSth if not to abandon
them entirely. The latter hypothesis
is considered here to be most probable.
The story in brief, as given by those
responsible for it is substantially as
follows: A young man of good family,
residing here, claims to have over
heard snaches of telephone CONVEX
satiOn in which vague references were
made to the cruise of the American
fleet and of plans concerning the fleet
which were being hatched at a certain
cafe. The young man communicated
his information to an American official
in Paris and also established a surveil-
lnce of the cafe. 1t claimed that the
observations at the cafe disclosed sew
eral suspicious characters holding
mysterious meetings. Their move
ments are said to have been traced and
their plans in part learned as to the
shipment of explosives to Brazil and
when the suspicious parties were sur
prlSed they are said to have shown
fight, and in a scrimmage which en-
snatched a portion Of the paper over
which they were pouring containing
the cabalistic words ''Menaced destroy.
supposed to mean "if menaced, des-
troy"
Meantime the officials to whom the
young man had confided the secret
made inquiries as to the shipment Of
explosives to Brazil
This inquiry appeared to give some
color to the story, for it showed that
a small steamer discussed by the sus-
poets had actually sailed from a North
German port with certain boxes which
were at least open TO suspicion. 1t is
claimed that the testimony of the man
who loaded the boxes was secured.
and that it shows that they contained
explosives. The destination of the
steamer was Rio where her arrival
early in December was established.
This appeared to fl in with the dis
closures at the cafe and with the ca
Dallstic writing which is said to have
shown that the plot;ers designed to
plant submarine mines off EscIave Is
land, at the narrowest point in the
stralghts Of Magellan, using the island
as their base Of operations.
The existence of the island at this
point ID the straights where the cur
rent runs almost ten miles an hour
was duly verified. How the explosives
were to reach this island from Rio is
not disclosed
washington, January 20-That the
AIheilcan government WaI cogniza nt
oI the existence of the belief Of uI-
terror designs against Admiral Eva Nc