The Washington herald., 1915-07-13
Big BOMB PLOT
MENACES Ships
Nationwide Man Hunt Begun
by Secret Service
Agents.
GANG IS WELL FINANCED
Detectives Believe Accidents on
Several Steamers Recently Are
Due to Conspiracy.

Government authorities are proceeding
on the theory that there exists a con-
spiracy to blow up ships plying between
American ports and those of the allies.
and that the recent attempts are the re-
suit of carefully organized general plot.
Secret Service agents and the police of
the coast cities have begun a nation
wide man-hunt for the persons involved.
The statement was made yesterday that
there is reason to believe the attempt
made months ago to blow up the French
liner La Touraine was one of the first
efforts Of this conspiracy.
In some quarters the conspiracy is held
responsible for the accidents" on the
steamers Bankdale, Devon City. Kirkos-
wald. Crassinston Count and Lord Orne.
Despite the denial of the master of the
Minnehaha. there is a suspicion among
secret service men that the fire there
was the result of a bomb and that the
fact is necessarily kept from the public.
Behind the gang engaged in the work
there is supposed to be an abundance of
money. and one of the important duties
OF the secret service men is to run down
the source of these funds
The letter signed "Pearce'' sent to q
New Orleans paper. declaring that bombs
had been placed upon the Baron Napier
and the Howth Head is disCredited by the
police authorities here who. after careful
ly reading it. are inclined to believe il
TO be the work of some practical joker.
Nevertheless. the governments agents in
New Orleans have been instructed to
leave no stone unturned in their efforts to
locate the sender of the letter.
Searching for Bomb on ship.
New Orleans July 1.-Wireless dis
patches sent out by the Navy Depart
mont warning the two British mule
stea nships. the Baron Napier ana Howth
Head, out of this port to S"arCn Tor
bombs. brought d reply from the Baron
Napier off the Georgia coast today. IT
stated that the crew is searching for eX-
ploSives. but none has been found The
Howth Head has no wireless. Both YES
sells will stop Norfolk for coal
While a score of detectives secured New |
Orleans today for trace of the writer Of
tho lettcl signed "PearcF. in which
was Conta med the threat against IN" life
o. J. =. Morgan and Sir Cecil Spring
Eicc. the chief of police and head of the
detective bureau conferred their personal
efforts to obtain statement from Hans
Halle. arrested here last night.
Halle will he held until the British
steamers Baron Napier and HOwth Head. !
now off the coast. dock. In the teaI %
litter the writer declared that both would
he blown up.
Police officials investigating the /,
"Pcarce'' letter limited at signs that in +
dictate the matter may not be as serious !
al first thought.
Vigilance Not Relaxed.
Unofficially. some of the detectives as
signed to the case frankly declared their
have unearthed unmis-
taxable signs that the letter may have
been written merely for the sake of the
sensation it might create.
Despite these learninsS. however. police
vigilance was not relaxed. Officials were
more determined than ever to run the !
case down and punish the writer. even
though he may prove to be practical !
joker.
Halle. now under arrest, was recent
~ acquitted of A charge OF conspirinG
to ship explosives on an interstate car
rier.
Halle is mentioned in "Pearces" let
ter as having failed completely. Be
fore Halle was acquitted in Federal
Court on charge of having Conspired to
ship explosives the State had tried I'M
successfully to convict him on charge
of having explosives in his possession.