South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-14
HINT GANG AIMS
To SINK VESSELS
Government Secret Service
Agents Work to Uncover
Plot.

WASHINGTON, July 14.-Gcvern-
ment employees are proceeding on the
theory that there exists a conspiracy
TO blow up ships plying between
American ports and those of the allies
and that the recent attempts are the
result Of carefully laid plot
Secret service agents and the police
Of the coast cities have begun
nationwide man-hunt for the persons
involved. The statement was made
this afternoon that there is some rea-
son TO believe that 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 respon-
sible for the accidents on the steam
ers Bankdale, Devon City, kirkOswald,
CrcssingtOn Court and the Lord OTne.
Despite the denials of the master Of
the Minnehaha there is q suspicion
among secret service nj en- that the
fire there was the result or 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
Is 10 run down the sources OF these
funds.
Think letter is Joke.
The letter signed Pee rce' sent to
a New Orleans paper. declaring that
bombs had been placed upon tho
Baron Napier and the Howth Head
is discredited by the police author
ties here who, after carefully reading
ii, are inclined to believe it to be the
work of some practical Joker. Never
theleSS the government AGENTS in New
Orleans have been instructed to leave
no stone unturned i'm their effort to
locate the sender of the letter
"Pearce" was the name Holt used in
the Washington letter about the cap
ital bomb.
The threat against the life Of Sir
Cecil Arthur Sprin Rice, the British
am assador was Immediately taken
cogniZance Of by the local authorities
and a special guard of plain clothes
men put upon the duty Of guarding
that embassy and its inmates. Ever
since the war the residences of the
diplomatic representative of the pow
ers now at war have been watched by
the local police. Immediately follow
ing the destruction of the LuSitania
the guard at the German embassy was
increased on account of the murmur-
ings against the German ambasSad dor
because of the warnings ne had print
ed in the newspapers advising pas
sengers not to take passage on that
ship.
Guard is Increased.
In the same way the guard of plain
clothes men around the British en-
bassy has been increased since the
publication Of the latest threat. An
additional plain clothes man was
/ placed there after the attack on J. P.
Morgan by Holt The Washington po-
/ lice are prepared TO provide a personal
body guard for the ambassador, but so
! far he has not asked for it,
! At the British embassy it was stated
today that there was no information
relating to the supposed planting Of
/ bombs in the ships that sailed from
/ New Orleans Thursday last, other than
that contained in the newspapers The
/ EN- bassy also denied that any special
/ secret service work was being done
| in its behalf TO prevent the placing
of explosives on war cargOes leaving
the ports of this country. 1t was
stated that the embassy was relying
entirely upon the protection afforded
by the United States government.
AS a result of the attempt TO blow
up the senate wing of the capital 10
new watchmen have been put on duty
and all men on leave have been sum-
moned to return. 1t is said this force
will be shaken up entirely. At pres
ent the only requirement is a strong
| pull with some member and the
general force is not noted for its eff
cheney. The authorities Of the COM
| pany have been making a careful in
vestigatiOn to learn how Holt was
able TO carry his bomb into the build
/ ing and plant ii without being seem