Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-01-09
From London r.t-B.ts.

From London Tt-Btts.
Tho most exciting incident in my
earoerr John Sweeney. who retired
from Scotland Yard 10 years ago. after
many years service In tho criminal In
vestigation department. stroked his
chin m~sditatively. and thought care
fally for Z minute before replying: We
etroet-for since leaving Scotland
Yard Mr.. Sweeney has built up q big
reputation a. Q private inquiry agent
about som OF the murderers. an
archists. forgers. assassins, would-be
regicides, burglars. and garrotters with
whom Mr.. Sweeney has come into con-
tact during his career.
1T 10 dificult." he at length replied.
TO pick out q particular incident;
there have been 50 many OF them.
Perhaps It would interest you more II
I picked out an episode which really
vas the most thrilliag experience OF
my life: I refer to tho dynamite scares
reign Of terror In London. owing to the
activities Of anarchists. who seemed to
have made wholesale preparations for
blowing up the greater part OF the
Reign Of Terror.
Many readers will doubtless remem-
be- the great anarchist scare which
LIZ 0WO000x EOxOE0 SOe ~ V0601 ~
february. 1884. when portmanteaux
containing charges OF dynamite with
olockWork decorators were found In
the cloak rooms Of Charing Cross. Vic
tor1a and , Paddington stations: The
clocks were 20 set that had he plot
not mi0carriod. explosions would have
been Simultaneous and terrible damage
done.
This dastardly plot was followed on
Nay 30 BY IN attempt to wreck Scot
land Yard and several west-end clubs
and private mansions. The unior Carl
ton ana the Army and Navy clubs were
among those which suffered most.
While the public house. the Rising Sun,
On the opposite corner. was completely
wrecked By the force Of the explosion.
"eeum Of the Continent"
Every available man in Scotland
Yard was on duty almost night and
day" said Mr.. Sweeney. FOR the only
way TO checkmate these anarchist
6ond0 was to keep q watch on every
one Of them. Tho organization Of Scot
Il 70 today. but It did not take US long
% shadow every suspected man. and
the miscreants soon began to realize
that they could not meet, however Sc
crot their club was, without M or two
Of u being present at every meeting.
0OS W. C0EIyOQ our AAV0O IA OOI u010OO,
Tor these men. you must understand,
were the scum OF tho continent. They
had no high motives behind their acts.
They were simply at war with society.
and their main object was to destroy
~ many lives and al much property az
they possibly could.
"6uch ~ the vigilance OF Scotland
Yard at that time that every purchase
e chemicalo for explosives was regis
tored by the police within an hour. and
every recruit 20 the cause and evsry
visitor from foreign groups OF an
aFchl0ts became Immediately aware Of
our acquaintance with his personality.
palgn 10 allow the shadowed recruit to
realise that he was being watched. and
~ took pains to prove by devious
wayo that he could not evade us."
Betrayed Too Soon.
But IN spite Of this vigilance on the
part Of Scotland Yard, the anarchists
nearly succeeded In blowing up the
TO Quoto Mr.. SweenAy'0 own words:
TT occurred to q certain group Of
vuffians who met in . soho club that
the destruction by dynamite Of Nelson's
column In Trafalgar square would In
flame the imaginatioa Of anarchists
e The. people Of London. especially
e Q hundred deaths occurred.
had news Of the attempted out
t1eo through the fundamentally Of
epaee who were members Of the move
ment, but unfortunately the plot VA
eeerayed TOO soon. owing 20 Q proper
desire on the part Of y spies to avert
. cafaeerophe rather than make Ger
tori And sven then we were not ouicl,
enough. for. although We kept . strict
auaFd On the square, the anarchists BY