The state herald., 1909-02-26
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all long term con.
victs of the Province of Ontario, Can.
ada, are confined. Within its gloomy
precincts, occupying separate cells,
are three men whose sentences are
for life. English law, Just but merci.
less, has seized them In its iron grip,
grip never to be relaxed until the
angel of death strikes the fetters from
the limbs of the prisoners.
The crime for which these three
men are undergoing expiation was no
ordinary one. II involved a conspir.
acy against the British government by
which, through the use of dynamite. a
reign of terror was TO be inaugurated
throughout Canada. and thousands Of
innocent lives sacrificed. The inter
vention of fate. Providence-call 1t
what you will-prevented the outrage
from being successful. but the failure
of the plot was not owing to any lack
of zeal on the part OF the human in
struments employed to carry out the
design. To Detective John Wilson Muir
ray is due the credit OF having gath
cred together the evidence which shed
light on the past careers of the "dyna'
mite trio" Evidence which proved
them to be outside the rank of ordi-
nary criminals who execute desperate
deeds in the hope OF financial gain,
placed them In the category of
men who would willingly wade
through seas of blood TO accomplish
their political aims.
At seven O'Clock on the evening Of
April 81, 1900. the little Canadian town
of Thorold. lying along the waterway
OF the Welland canal, within easy
walking distance OF the Niagara from.
tier. was shaken to Its foundation by
two terrific explosions.
Masses of solid rock were torn up
by the shock. immense spouts of wa.
Ter leaped high In the air. window
panes were shattered into minute
crystals and for a few awful seconds
the firm earth trembled as though in
the throes OF an earthquake. For miles
around the people. terror stricken and
amazed. waited dumbly for the after.
math, a descent OF death and destruc.
tion, which would sweep them and
their homes into the black chaos OF OBJ
livion. But II did not come. the blind
gods Of chance had averted a calamity
almost too horrible to contemplate.
One OF the witnesses OF the ex.
plosion was Miss Euphemia Constable.
a l6.year-old girl who lived with, her
parents about 800 yards from the lock
No. "a She was going to see friend
across the canal about $40 O'Clock.
and when nearing the bridge. which Is
by the lock. caught sight Of two men.
Chen came the thunderous roar OF
the first exploding charge. After the
first shock Miss Constable lost COZ.
sciousness and knew nothing OF the
second explosion. Both OF the valises
lowered into the lock contained dyna.
mite. They were fired by fuses and
the explosions were not quite stimuli
taneous. They broke the castings on
the head gate. tore up the banks on
both sides OF the lock. knocked peo.
pie over who were sufficiently near
smashed windows and shook the coun.
try roundabout. Water surged upward
In huge volumes. but the gates held.
The dynamiters had blundered by low.
ering the dynamite into the gate pits
instead Of into the gate holes. Experts
later showed that there was not SUI.
ficient resistance TO the explosive mat.
ter. and this fact alone prevented the
dire disaster that would have followed
n the dynamite had done the work
planned for II and had smashed the
gates.
A third man who had been seen
around with them before the cxplo.
sion. and who was staying at the Ros.
rested. The third suspect gave his
name ah Karl Dallman. and the two
men firrt secured declared themselves
to be John Nolin and John Walsh. The
three prisoners were taken 10 wclland
jail and guarded by soldiers, while
other soldiers pn'rollod the canal.
Murray. who had been sent for immc.
diateiy after tho explosion. arrived ON
N. scene and hnstcncd TO the Jail.
lie communicated at once with Scot.
land Yard and sent descriptions and
photographs Of tho prisoners TO the
police Of London. England Solin and
Walsh seemed Enthusiastically to be
from across the sen, and Walsh had
particularly the manner and speech OF
man Just over In search Of infor.
nation regarding the movements Of
the men ON this continent he visited
New York and saw friends there. both
In and out OF the police business. iic
also made Journeys to Philadelphia.
Washington. Virginia and other points