The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-01-21
BY WAY OF PARIS
Weird Tale Of Anarchistic Plot to
Blow Up American Fleet.
STORY NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY

-
Plant Submarine Mines OF Esclave
island, at the Narrowest Point in
the Straits of Magellan. -...-
Paris, Jan. 21.-The report from
Rio de Janeiro of an anarchistic plot
In connection with the American fleet
appears to be another chapter of a
weird story which has obtained much
circulation here. A few people have
treated this story seriously, others re-
gardcd it as fantastic, while many
have dismissed the whole affair as a
myth. However, as a matter of abun-
dant precaution, the essential points
OF the story were made known through
official channels to the authorities at
Washington and Rio de Janeiro and
out of this doubtless the action OF the
Rio de Janeiro police has grown. The
story In brief. as given by those re-
sponsible for 1t. is substantially as
follows:
"A young man of good family rosid.
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 feet
which were being Matched at GER
tain cafe Being of Sherlock Holmes
disposition the young man communi.
Gated his information to an American
official in Paris and also established a
surveillance of the cafe. It is claimed
that the observations at the cafe dis.
closed several suspicious characters
holding mysterious meetings. Their
movements are SAID to have been
traced and their plans in part learned
as to the shipment of explosives to
Brazil"
Give Color to the Story.
Meantime the official to whom the
young man had conflded the secret
made inquiries as to the shipment of
explosives to Brazil. This inquiry ap-
peared to give some color to the story,
for it showed that a small steamer
discussed by the suspects had actually
sailed from North German port with
certain boxes which were at least
open to suspicion. It Is claimed that
the testimony of the men who loaded
the boxes was secured and that it
shows they contained explosives. The
destination of the steamer was Rio,
where her arrival early in December
also was established. It further ap-
pears that the plotters designed to
plant submarine mines off Esclave
island, at the narrowest point in the
straits of Magellan, using the island
as their base of operations. The exist
ence of the island at this point In the
straits, where the current runs al
most ten miles an hour was duly veri.
fed. How the explosives were to
reach this island from Rio is not dis.
closed.
These fantastic details were re-.
ceived with incredulity in most quar-
tiers, but as stated the precautionary
step was taken to acquaint the au-
thorities at Washington and Rio de
Janeiro of the general character of
the story. This has brought about
much cabling, during which the Bra
lillian authorities have been advised
with view to their taking any pre-
cautionary steps deemed desirable. It
is this precaution, doubtless, which
has led the Rio police to take action
as to supposed anarchists" although
the anarchist phase appears to have
been overlooked by the ingenious per-
sons responsible for the story here.