Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-21
PLOT AGAINST
FLEET HEARD
OVER PHONE
YOUNG FRENCHMAN TRACES
CONSPIRACY
NAMES FIGURE IN
SECRET PACT
Officials in Paris Establish Strong
Chain of Evidence That Points
to Attempt to Blow Up
Warships
By Associated Press.


PARIS, Jan. 20.-The reports cabled
from Rio de 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 de Janeiro or in the
Straits OF Magellan, were aroused and
naturally communicated to Rio de ia
neiro and Washington.
A chartered steamer was reported to
have conveyed explosives for the use
of the conspirators to Rio de Janeiro,
arriving there about the middle of De
cember, and John Fedher, whose name
is mentioned in the Rio de Janeiro 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 ramifications,
but the evidence along this line is far
from conclusive and rests chiefly upon
the statement Of an individual whose
record was subsequently proved to be
anything but creditable.
Some Are SkeptieaI
Consequently the whole affair is re-
garded with much skepticism, and in
deed the presumption has been raised
that it may have been a deliberately
concocted scare. In any event, 1t is
now believed here that If the plot did
exist the timely warning and precau-
tions taken have completely frustrated
the plans of the conspirators at Rio de
Janeiro and compelle them to transfer
their operations farther south, II not
to abandon them entirely. The latter
hypothesis is considered here TO DC
most probable.
Only a few people here treated the
story seriously; others regarded 1t as
fantastic, while many dismissed the
whole affair as a myth. The reports
today from Rio de Janeiro have been
characterized as another weird chapter
of the fantastic recital. 1t is believed
here that the action of the Rio police
grew out of the information forward
ed to Rio de Jareiro from Washington
and this city.
The story, in brief, as given by those
responsible for it, is substantially as
follows:
Plot Heard Over Telephone
A young man OF good family resid-
ing here claims to have overheard
snatches of a 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 a Sherlock Holmes in disposi-
ton, the young man carried his inror-
nation to an American official In Paris
and also established surveillance Of the
cafe Investigations at the cafe dis
closed several characters holding mys-
terious meetings. Their movements
are said to have been traced and their
plans in part learned as to the ship
ment of explosives to Brazil
When the suspicious parties were
surprised they are said to have shown
fight and in a scrimrlage which ensued
the young man claims to have snatched
a portion of the paper over which they
were poring, containing the cabalistic
words. "Menaced, Destroying" sup
posed to mean "If menaced, destroy" ;"
Meantime, the official to whom the
Young man had confided the secret
made inquiries as to the shipment or
to Brazil This inquiry ap-
peared to give some color to the story,
for It showed that small steamer
chartered Dy lilc 6uoPOSIS iietN NNNN'~AtS
sailed from Anthger port with certain
boxes which were at least open to sus-
picion.
Explosives Shipped
It is claimed that the testimony of the
man who loaded the boxes was secured
and 1t shows they contained explosives.
The destination of the steamer was
Rio, where she arrived early in De-
cember as was established. This ap-
peared to fit in with the disclosures at
the cafe and with the cabalistic writ
ing which is said to have shown that
the plotters designed to plant sub
marine mines off Esclava island, 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 current runs almost ten
miles an hour, was duly verified. How
the explosives were to reach this island
from Rio de Janeiro is not disclosed.
There were many other details un-
earthed in the course of the inquiry set
on foot
The parties responsible for the story
did not neglect to make the most or
the Japanese scare" which has al
fected Paris of late.
Vague references were made to jap
anese names, which were said to be
figuring in the affair.
-, -rt,HAaAII RIInIkH