The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-15

The recipients Of the letters were
Brig. Gen. w. s. Schuyler. Col. Chas.
A. p. Hatfield and Col F. D. Hoyle.
The letters were written in a scrawl
and appeared to have been penned by
different persons. Details of the ma
ture of the threats have not been made
public, but it is known that they were
serious.
At first little attention was paid to
the missives. but they came with such
frequency and regularity that the
guard around the entire government
reservation was increased and special
attention given to guarding the quar-
kers of the threatened. Orders We're is
sued to shoot any stranger seen
prowling around the grounds. A ser
geant was shot in the hand by mistake
a6ne night. Several mysterious per-
sons were fired upon, but none were
shot fatally.
Rumor today has it that practically
all the members of one battery are
believed to be involved in the plot,
which is said to have had for its pur-
pose the destruction of the entire fort.
The members of Battery f now under
arrest are kept in close confinement
and no one is permitted to talk with
them.
Trouble in battery E of the Sixth ar
tillery is expected to be proven the
motive behind the blowing up of the
Fort Riley bridge and a number of
other dynamiting outrageS here as
well as the revenge sought by former
Chaplain c. NJ Brewer. More arrests
are expected soon.
officers who are on their way here
with the Rev. Charles NJ Brewer, ac-
cused of being the chief plotter against
the government property, now are ex-
pected hourly. Mrs. Anna Jordan, the
woman in the case who was arrested
in Kansas City, also is expected soon.
It is said the government has obtain
%
prove that both the prisoners were here
at the time some of the explosions and
fires took place Both prisoners deny
they were in their vicinity at any of
these times.
Five Privates Arrested.
Five privates of e. battery, Sixth
field artillery, are under arrest at Fort
Riley in connection with the recent
dynamite explosions at the fort which
entailed property losses of half a mil
lion dollars to the government. The
names of four of the privates arrested
We're learned through private source.
They are:
Heclkmors Johnson, Don Northrup.
Brigham Young and Dory Shaw. The
fifth mans name could not be ascer-
tanned.
y Quirk's Confession Lengthy.
There was an atmosphere of sup
pressed excitement about the fort
were it was quietly rumored that sew
eral prominent persons were liable to
arrest at any time in connection with
the case. 1t was said that Private
Quirk's confession, written in long hand,
contained so large pages full of SEN
Sational charges From a high army
officer the information was secured that
Quirk had confessed following 90 days
solitary confinement in the guard house
Up to the time OF his confession Quirk
had obstinately refused to admit any
thing regarding the explosions
Commissioner Chase declared the pre-
liminary hearing of the Rev Mr. Brew
er, Private Quirk and Mrs. Jordan
would go over to next week and indi-
Gated Indirectly that there were other
arrests in prospect that might defer
the hearing until later in the week. The
government desires to have the hear
ing of all the accused held at the same
time
Tries to Keep Them Secret.
The names of the five men were
kept secret by the post commandant
Il. was said, however. that the men
re being held as witnesses. The usual
farmy secrecy surrounds every move |
ment in the case. United States Com
missioner Chase. who ordered the ar /
rest of Rev. Charles nj. Brewer of |
Olnstree. Okla, the former army chap |
lain, and Mrs. Anne Jordan, of Kan |
sas City, following the alleged con-
fessiOn of Private Michael Quirk, i'm |
plicating them in the dynamiting. re-
fused to discuss the arrest today. Army
Continued on Page Two-)