Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-09-28
A THRILLING
ENCOUNTER
Nerve Racking Experience
With a Band of Anarchists.

What do you think Of the idea OF
/ colonizing the anarchists ON nm island
! In accordance With the bill recently iu
/ troiuced in copgrrsS2" asked Perkins
Of Micklcr as they were lighting cigars
after dinner.
II don't think about the anarchist
| question at ALL" Mickler replied. 1T
gives me a cold chill every time hear
/ the word anarchist"
| Perkins looked up. somewhat sur
/ priscd at the Involuntary shudder that
/ accompanied his friends words.
II don't expect you To feel as do
! about the natter" Micklcr continued,
because you haven't had the same on
! pcrieuce You haven't lived under the
/ Impression that any moment YOU might
! be dropped by stab In the back"
Perkins scrutnizcd the speaker for
time. then said: "Wcll. tell ME about Il.
/ Singular that you've never mentioned II
before"
Il believe will" replied the other.
eve kept the secret all these years,
! and I'm dying to tell some one, Be
/ sides, | fancy the danger is pretty we'll
over. 1t happened when was in Lon
don, twelve years ago last winter.
was taking Il postgraduate course In
! the university, but instead Of paying
/ much attention to lectures | was lead
ing a gay life with lively set of stu
dents. One night l attended n supper.
during which we had all put away a
good deal OF wine, and about o'clock
| In the morning | started for my rooms.
| They were In building occupied, as
/ understood, rs bachelor apartments
In all stories except the first or ground
floor Bidding good night to n compau-
Ion at the street door, stumbled up
the stairs. The cold mir, following
upon that OF the warm room had been
supping In, intensified the effect OF the
LIQUOR had drunk, and instead OF stop
ping on the third floor, where lodged.
] went on up to the nth. Feeling my
way in the dark hall to my room,
found n knob In the correct position
and, turning 1t. threw open the door.
THE room was brilliantly lighted,
though the shutters to every window
were closed, and dozen men were
sitting around table. As the door
opened every man started up. and
twelve revolvers were pointed at me,
"The party around the table were rs
much surprised rs | was. AS soon rs
l could find my tongue stammered
my excuse for interrupting them, as
surfing them that | had rooms on n
lower floor had climbed too high and
| hnd I
door. One of the number said to me,
Stand perfectly stu Then, turning
to one OF his companions, he asked
How came that door to be left .un
! lockedp'
"'When Ehrhcart went for n pitcher
of beer n few minutes ago. replied
the man, trembling, 4 was In the inner
chamber. did not know that any
one had gone OUT
You shall pay for this returned
the other, who was evidently the chief.
Then, turning to me, he said:
"Remain whore you are
"Beckonng 10 two other members Of
the circle he led them out of the room
knew they had gone to decide upon
my case, Would they conclude to MUIR
der me? When they returned ex-
pected To hear that ! must die The
leader stood, looked Mt me In silence
for a time, then said:
"'YounR man, you have committed
hlunder that may cost you your life.
You are FREQ TO leave this room, but
members Of our circle will be appoint
cd to keep an ever open eye upon you.
If Won ever tell any human being of
what you have seen here YOU will be
put to death Mt once. The only way
for YOU TO live is with the secret
locked in your breast II you reveal
it YOU cannot be sure that the person
In whom You connde Is not member
of our society. ana If Your confederate
Is not n member and tells another he
will run the same risk. Cor
'There was no need tO promise So
crecy. No promise was asked. | was
simply informed that If let the secret
out ] must die | turned fearful that
might get knife IN my back, went
Gown the stairs, never Aopping Mt my
room, going out into the lighted street
There ] stood for n few minutes. not
/ knowing what to do. A man came out
OF the building and without noticing
me passed on, | knew he had come to
shadow me, and he did. ! dared not
20 back TO my room. 50 | went 10 n
hotel, whore put up for the night.
'During the rest Of my stay in Lon
don was shadowed constantly. Only
occasionally wonld ! notice any one
knew the terrible eye Of the anarch-
list circle ] had stumbled on was
constantly on me II was not more
than week after my return to Amer
ica before | received nm anonymous
communication notifying me that
would be under the watch OF the
| American anarchists. For ten years
] continued 10 he shadowed by these
! people, and whenever | changed my
/ pIoca ~ my obpdp I rnoofvaJ uotfpa