New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-16
CARON VICTIM OF
HIS OWN PLOT
Sought Revenge for Beat
ings in TarrytoWn
Demonstration.
DETAILS OF PLAN TOLD
Anarchist Hoped to Hurl Missile
Into the Oil Mans
Carriage.

Denver. Feb. Is. Alexander Berkman
admitted here tonight that the bomb
which killed its maker, Arthur Caron,
and three others in a Lexington Ave
nue. house in New York last July 4. was
intended for the Rockcfellers, father
and son.
Only the premature explosion Of the
device. Berkman declared. prevented
the killing Of the oil man and his son
instead Of the bombmaker and his
friends and a woman who had no con-
nection with the plot but lived in ad-
Joining rooms at 1926 Lexington Ave
nuc.
Berkman referred in his revelations
tonight TO The death of Caron,
Charles Berg and Matthew Kahn. The
only point where his story of yester-
dav differs with the deductions made
in The Tribune the day following the
cyplosion is in the name of the last
man. This victim was given as Carl
Hansen. disciple OF Berkmsn and
Emma Goldman and member OF the
staff of Mother Earth" the anarchist
magazine.
Berkman came TO this city TO start a
Fcrrer school and with no intention or
revealing the plot which had back
fire fatal 10 its makers and fortunate
for the Rocl2fellers. His statement
was voluntary. made not as public
speech. but to explode William j.
Burns's theory that Matthew Schmidt
had anything TO do with the plot.
Schmidt was arrested in New York by
Burns and his men few days ago on
an old indictment connecting him with
the blowing up of "Jhe Los Angeles
Times"
According 10 Bcrkman. the only men
concerned in the conspiracy TO XIII the
Rockefpllcrs were the three dead men
Caron. Berg and Kahn and Mike Aus
penti. whom he calls Murphy. Murphy
disappcarcd after his miraculous cs-
cane from the fate of his friends and
has not been found.
The anarchist makes it clear in re-
vcalng the details Of the plot that his
knowledge came after the explosion.
He has not been arrested. and says Tor
that reason he does not expect TO be.
"The plot against the life Of the
Rockefellers." Berkman said, was
hatched after free speech in Tarry..
town had been virtually suppressed
through the activity Of the Rocke-
felle. guards and shortly before Rocke-
fcller took permanent refuge in his
home in Cleveland Before this time
there had been big demonstrations in
front Of his Office. at 26 Broadway.
which Rockefeller had finally sought
TO avoid by remaining behind the walls
Of his Tarrytown estate.
"About twenty-five or thirty anarch
lists. among them Murphy, Caron, Kahn,
Berg and myself, followed him there.
Literally a siege was laid to his place
and he employed about 250 special Of
Gcers TO protect him and surrounded
his property with another wall
Caron Plans Revenge.
"Wc then commenced 10 speak
against him on the street corners, at
the gates Of his grounds and wherever
we got a chance. This procedure led
TO campaign of repression, IN which
several OF the speakers were severely
beaten. Among this number were
Caron and Kahn. Evidently they deter
mined upon revenge. But they TOOK no
one except Murphy and Berg, as far as
| know. into their confidence.
"They rented an apartment at 1880
Street and Lexington Avenue and began
the manufacture of the bomb which
thew planned later to hurl into Rocke-
feller's carriage whenever he should
attempt 10 leave his estate. They had
il about finished. according to Murphy,
when il exploded and killed the three
who we're nearest II. =.
Murphy, who was the back OF
the room, having been asleep IN an
other apartment, was hurled through
the side wall. virtually all OF which
was carried away. His fall was broken
by a number Of teleer ph wires, am
h landed in thu street unhurt. In his
nightgown he jumped up and ran TO
a police station. Apparently n one
thought to detain him, for he appeared
in short while at my office.
"He still wore a pstrolman's suit OF
clothes. After hat he disappeared, and
nothing has ever been heard OF him
since. though the police tried t loeat;
him for several weeks. He was young
Irishman.
81 was asked to-day IL this Murp
could have been Schmidt, the man now
under arrest in New York in connection
with The Los Angeles Times case.
but from the description that Is given
OF Schmidt, a one-eyed man, d. not
think they can be the same. II IS pos
sible Schmidt may have beet in the
plot. but do not tlink il probable,
because do not know Schmidt
Berkman's Denver admissions sppsr-
entity reveal the underlying motive IN
the persecution 10 which John ID. Rock
efeller and his son were subjected
last spring. For days and days an
archists. members of the ]. w. w. and
other disturbers besieged Tarrytown.
% Broadway and the city homes OF.
father and son.
Arrests were made BY the score. both
in Westchester and in this city. Caron
and Berg, in fact, were out on bail TO
face charges brought against them IN
Westchester, and we're TO appear IN
Continued on page 5, eoluInn