Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-24
DEEP PLOT
UNEARTHED
BY POLICE
HAYTlAN C0UNTERFEITER is
HELD IN NEW YORK
ACCUSED OF FORMING CON-
sPlRAcY TO REVOLT
Man Who Tried to Ship 1000 Rifles to
Hayti Believed to Be Leader of
Anarchistie Overthrow
Movement
nr Aa.oclated Pr.ss.

t1H ASepItdteu EEeNSa
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-Startling
developments in a plot to overthrow the
government of President Nord in Hayti
have followed the Investigations of the
secret service agents in New York In
connection with the arrest Of Jose M.
q. Giorandi on a charge of counterfeit
ing Haytian money.
The officers say they have ascer-
tanned that the prisoner was the agent
of a formidable conspiracy whose oper-
ations probably would have been ex-
tended beyond the limits of Hayti into
Santo Domingo and even into Cuba had
the revolution in Hayti been success
and the agent in New York remained
unmolested.
1t was found, among other things
the secret service officers declare,
that certain persons in Hayti, mostly
Frenchmen and Corsicans, and one Of
them a brother of Giorandi, were active
agents of the alleged conspiracy and
were designated in the papers found
among Giorandis effects by numbers.
BY careful inquiry the secret service
men were able to connect these NUM-
bers with proper persons, and the nrst
result was to fix upon Charles Mot, the
American consular agent at st. Marc,
as one of the persons TO whom they ap-
plied. Upon learning this fact last
evening the state department 1mmedi-
atelv cabled to American Minister Fur
ness at Port au Prince to dismiss TINS
agent at once from the employ or the
United States. This action was taken
because the state department feels 1t
most keep itself absolutely free from
the appearance of sympathy with re-
belIious movements in Latin-American
departments.
WiIkie Makes Statement
Chief Wilkie of the secret service
made a statement today giving the
facts and circumstances connected with
the arrest of Giorandi which go to
show that at the time of his arrest
Giorandi had in his possession counter
felt Haytian paper to the face value or
$500. 600, 1000 Remington rifles and $780,
600 rounds of ammunition, all of which,
1t is understood, was intended for the
Haytian revolutionists.
Six or seven months ago, when this
government was advised by Provisional
Governor Magoon that a small party
of malcontents was trying to stir up
a revolution in Cuba, it was discovered
that Giorandi was connected with them.
AT that time it developed that he had
represented General FirInan during the
Haytian uprising in 1902, Ftrman then
as now being the head of the revolu-
tlOndTY party
About that time Giorandi came to
New York and ever since then the
secret service officials have had him
under surveillance.
Rifles Secretly Shipped
1t was not long before it was discov-
cred that Giorandi had stored in a
Brooklyn warehouse twenty-six cases
containing 1000 Remington rifles in fine
condition. Close watch was kept on
these cases and on January 4, by Clio
randi's orders, they were hauled to the
Hamburg steamship pier,
whence the steamer Graecia was to
sail on January for Haytian or other
West Indian ports.
The cases were marked structural
iron" and the fictitious name of &C.
Meram & Co." was given as the con-
signee. Gonaives, Hayti, was given as
the destination. but the shippers name
was withheld.
There were subsequently added to
the consignment twenty-three barrels
marked cement This steamship
company was notified by the officials
not to receive the cases and the barrels.
Upon learning of this action 'Giorandi
had them hauled away to another
warehouse By that time the secret
service agents had secured sufficient
evidence to warrant them to open all
fhe shipment. The barrels and boxes
were found to contain sixty-seven
rifles. ammunition and 100000 in coun-
terfeit Haytian currency. Giorandfs ar
rest followed and in his apartment
were found a large number Of letters
from General Firman and other revo-
lutionists in Hayti and elsewhere.