The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-07-14
THREATENS PROMINENT men.
UNKNOWN WRITER, FRIEND OF
HOLT, SAYS HE WILL CON-
TINUE WORK.

New Orleans, July ia written
threat to assassinate j. =. Morgan, Sir
Cecil Spring Rice, British ambassador
to the United States, and to destroy by
bombs British vessels clearing from
American ports was received today by
local newspaper from person who
signed himself as "Pearce."
Pearce declared that he had come
to New Orleans to complete plans for
the destruction OF British mule
transports sailing from this port and
said the steamers Howthhead and
Baron Napier. which cleared from
here July 8 and sailed from Port
Eads the following day, probably
never would be heard from again. The
Howthhead sailed for Dublin and Bel
fast via Norfolk for coal, with a gen.
eral merchandise cargo, while the
Baron Napier had on board 967 mules
for Avonmouth, England, direct
Neither vessel carried passengers, it
Is said, but the Baron Napier has
aboard large number of muleteers,
many of whom are residents of New
Orleans.
Local government officials, on being
notified Of Pearce's threats, imme-
diately attempted to get in touch with
the Baron Napier by wireless and
notified Washington authorities. The
vessel had not been heard from at a
late hour tonight. The Howthhead is
not equipped for radio communica- :
ton. Both vessels should now be
somewhere off the Florida or Georgia
coast, the Howthhead near the coast
and the Baron Napier we'll out to sea
on her way toward British waters.
Hans Halle, mentioned by Pearce
in his letter, who was arrested here
last December having in his posses
sion at the time a bomb containing
40 pounds of dynamite, which the
police say he confessed he had pre-
pared with the intention of blowing
up a French line vessel, bound from
New York to France, was arrested late
tonight and will be held until the
Howthhead and the Baron Napier
have been heard from, police official.
said. Halle recently was acquitted
in federal court here on q charge o.
having conspired to ship explosive:
on an interstate carrier without prop
eriy marking the package containing
the shipment.
Frank Holt vino several days as,
shot and wounded Mr.. Morgan, anc
who later killed himself, had beer
working with Pearce in an effort Z
prevent the United States from TAX
ing any part in the European confiic
ever since the war began, Pearc,
wrote. Muenter, the writer declared
was the person who warned passen
gers who had booked passage on tn,
Lusitania not to make the voyage OF
the vessel. He personally called OF
Charles Frohman, who lost his lif,
in the catastrophe. and enleavored t,
persuade. him not to make the trip
Pearce said.
While in some official quarters it i.
believed that 'Pearce' is Of unsount
mind, others are of the opinion tha
the writer probably is a person VIII,
has sympathy for the Germanic allies
and who has become obsessed will
the idea of following the example O
Muenter through reading Muenter
. published letters and statements.
Pearce declared that Muenter wen
to Giencove, where he shot Mr.. Nor
gan, principally because Sir Ceci
Spring was there. The writer
said that while Muenter had failed il
his purpose, he would finish the worl
as planned and eventually would Kill
bassador.
Scores O1 detectives tonight Were
searching the city in an effort to 10
cate Pearce. while squads Of British
government agents and attaches Of
local shipping interests were search
ing all British vessels in port to as
certain whether bombs had been con.
cealed in their cargoes.
Pearce's letter, which was dated
New Orleans, July 10, and which was
typewriter, follows in part:
After announcing his intention tC
kill Mr.. Morgan to avenage the death
of Holt the letter says: Hollis my
partner, and 1 glory in the thought
Of his comradeship. We worked to-
gether ever since this cursed wal
began. Holt is gone, but l am still
here, and 1 am going to carry on the