The New York herald., 1921-06-19
HAD SET UP TWO GUNS
Fear That U. S. DestrOyers
Might Take a Hand Led
to DiSSenSl0n.
lSINN FEN HAND SEEN
Federal Agents Clearly Estab-
/ lish Connection With Ele-
ments on Other Side.

The further the Department of JUS
tice investigates the seizure by GUS
toms officers Of 495 machine guns on
the freighter East Side last Wednes-
day the stronger becomes the evidence
that the hiding of these weapons in the
bunkers of the vessel was a portion of
a plot to supply the Sim Fein forces
in Ireland with weapons with which
to exterminate the British forces.
Now it develops that those persons
connected with the scheme of hiding
the weapons on the East Side. with
the knowledge that the freighter was
bound for Ireland, were cognizant Of
the determination to get the guns to
Ireland at whateve- cost the adventure
exacted. According to Government
men yesterday there is reason to be-
lieve those members of the East Sides
crew who were to he entrusted with
the unloading of the guns off the Irish
coast or in Dublin, whittier the ship
was bound, were prepared to carry out
their orders even at the cost of TAX
ing possession of the ship-a measure
that spelled piracy
There is no evidence connecting with
this project any enc yet mentioned in
D
aboard the East Side. AS a matter of
fact, the United States Government be-
1ieves the alleged conspiracy goes much
further tha the n ss!ng engine room
crew and thoCC dlrcct!y connected with
these bold spirits II Gas said Il is not
suspected that Frank Williams. claimant
of the weapons, Is Connected with the
plot.
Two 0uns SSa Up.
But it is know TIM. nj least two of
the machine guns wore cleaned and set
up, ready for action. Ordinarily, machine
guns or ordinary rifles are prepared for
the moisture Of a SEQ voyage by having
their barrels fillec with cosmctfne or
other heavy cosmic OIL. Two OF the guns
now held by the customs officers and
claimed by Williams were cleaned, load
ed and ready Cor immediate action. 1t
was not possible to got direct official
statements from the Department of JUS
t$ce yeste.d day, but is ht own that op-
eratives OF that division of the Federal
Government. have reported that they
have reason to bcl!e that the conspra-
tors were bent on getting the guns into
IrelanC at all costs until 1t was pointed
out to Them thGt their plans might lead
to thor being adtudged common pirates
and being treated as such.
The stoS on which the Department OF
this
Those men who were to get themselves
aboard as members Of the crew Of the
East Side and who were to be charged
with the responsibility of getting the guns
into the hands of the Irish republican
army we're to do so even If 1t entailed
the taking over of the ship. The two
machine guns-sufficient to hold off a
regiment of infantry IL placed advan-
m Ia d.
ed ready to subdue opposition IL such
arose II the officers and crew of the
East Side, for instance, did not agree to
stopping at stipulated places where the
495 guns might be lowered over the side
into fishing trawlers and motor boats
off the west coast of Ireland then the
menace of the prepared machine guns
was to be brought into play. If neces-
sary the ship was to be taken over by
= the Sim Fein element.
Feared U. 8. Destroyer.
But, the story continues. it was point
cd out to the members Of the crew who
were to take these positive measures
that the ultimate Of their programme
was nothing more o. less than an act
OF piracy and tantamount to declara-
ton by one ship Of 8 declaration of war
upon the United States. When it was
considered that tho United States would
send few destroyers vI,t to sink the
pirate on sight the courage of the plot
ters waned. While the cotspirators
who were not due 20 make the perilous
voyage. valiantly stuck to the original
plan. the men OF the Eass Sides crew
who were 70 carry ouS the possible pir-
acy suffered oualms Of courage
The result was that the extreme
measures failed before there was so
much as a probability OF their consum-
nation. In other words the bitter end
ers in the plot decided that their lives
were more valuable 10 them than to
the Cause of Sim Fein.
Not since the war has the Depart
meat OF Justice worked with such