NIHILIST PLOTTING IN ENGLAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 57, 8 March 1881, Page 4

NIHILIST PLOTTING IN ENGLAND.

{Home J¥ewß, January 14.) -0 '*& remHikable ritquel to fhe recent >' Nibilißt outrages in Russia bts just to'een brought to light in Birnjiogbam. 'j^bine Jinae,^go a clcckmafcer, nnmeld Hutchison, now living in High-street, Jiprdieley, Birmingham, wrote to Major

Bond, the Chief of Police, to the effect that he was in fear of hie life, end sought the protection of & detective. The allegations contained in bia letter were. 60 extraoT{linßt.y that ;D?(edfivqifergeßnt Van" Hefden was de j p jit cl ejd to interrogate hity. Butehieoo gsve j*-, long eccount of meeting v?ith two foreigners in/lo&ddO— a Russian and a Gprraßn--~v? ho, hearing that he wafl a skilled mechanic, p.eked him to make some clockwork for tbe purpose of exploding seme infernal machines intending to be used agaiuei the Emperor of Russia. The detective at first was not inclined to attach ccueh importance to tho story until Hutcbiusoo, who is well known in the neighborhood as a steady, upright man, promised to produce some correspondence he had with the Russian Embassy, shewing that his startling narrative hod not been dißsredited by tbe Embesey, es tbey had arranged for an interview with hi m^ and bod, moreover, eeut do«sb ou attache to meet him in Birmingham, and ascertain the particulars of tbe rase. The letters from ihe Russian Embassy are now in his possession. Hutchinson's story is exceedingly eeneaticnal, though perhaps not more so than that of the manufac(ure of the Orsini bombs, which, as is generally koown, y ere made in Birmingham. He states tbat in Apiil, 1879, be was in London on business, and in a restaurant in Cheap&he be met; witb two slrangerp, with whom he entered inlo conversation. One of the men was a Russian end (be o'ber a German ; aid alter a lengthy chat, Hutchineon s&id he had to go to Shorsclitch on a little business, and (he foreigner?, who sail tbey had nothing purtieuUr on hand, aocompeated hiro. The same evening, in the course of conversation, Hutcbineon happened to state that be was a Birmingham clock ranker, and stowed tbe men some of bis patterns. The men then asked him if lie could make all sorts of clock-work, and work to designs; and on an affirmative reply being given, the simogera produced some rough designs, and from their ex° plauation of the no Hutch it; sou had no hesitation iv concluding tbut tbey were for a destructive purpose. Hutchinsob was Bfcked if he could make sis different patterns' for six different purposes, and, eg at tbat time they had not told him what they wanted the articles for, he offered no objection to meet their wishes. On announcing his reaainess topprform the work, Hulcbineon was (old tbat be was to assiet in the preparation of infernal machines. One inferual machine had to be arranged co that it could be fixed under the ground a little way, and from where the crutch was fixed ever the pendulum wire a contrivance was to be constructed by which a email lead pipe could be attached, aud through the pipe a wire had to be carried. A second machine wub to be bo orraDged witb sharp books to drive ft into tbe bottom of a railway carriage, tbe clockwork movement being made to explode tbe charge at any time from one minute to forty-eight or more hours. .'lhe third machine was to be so const! ucted that it could be put under a garden walk or any other puth. Thia contrivance woe to be worked with very thin wires, and there was no necessity to enclose it in a laaden pipe 1 . Anoiber machine was a dyDamite bomb to be bffi-xed under the seat of a private carriage. The last machina sketched out by the conspirators was the most diabolical of all. It was to be of miniature fiiz c , so that it might be easily placed within a bouquet. A 34 movement was nquirad similar to thai found in on American alarm clock, and the charge might either be nitroglycerine, or dynamite. Hulchineoo suspects tbe object of the men was to be present at some demonstration ib honor of the Czar, and throw the bouquet containing the deadly charge at the royal carriage. j The Btrsngers Beemed particularly anxious tbat Hutchison should enter into an egreement there and then for ihe completion of the articles, but he asked time to consider, and arranged for an interview in a week's time at New-street .Rail way Station, Birmingham. The second meeting took place at New-street Station, and the foreigners proposed au adjournment to ad hotel, where their plans might be com 1 , pleted. Hutchison states that be suggested a coffee-house as the meetiDgplace, and accordingly they went tio one in Bull-riDp. One of the mefa pulled out a £5 note to pay for som ! e refreshments, but the waiter, unaccustomed, perhapp, to paper currency, was unable to change it, It may be stated, bb cotfiroaatory in come slight degree of this straoge story, that the waiter recollects (he incident. The foreigners had brought an agreement for Hutcbieon to sign, ecjoining the strictest secresy on penalty of death, and promising £100 on the completion of the work. Hutchicson elates tbat at the coffee-house be told the rneo be had made up his mind cot to undertake the vpoik, end despite tbe persuasion end threats of the men he did oot waver in his determination until the interview came to an end. The men had previouely told him of an attempt which would shortly be made to wreck tbe royd '.rain on this Moscow journey, nnd failing io that attempt, they would blow up the Winter Palace; Some of the macbinerv which they then required was to be used in one or both of these enterprises. Some of tbe machines were tb be packed in large toys and forwardep to an address which they promised to supply to Hutchison as Boon as his work was executed. According to bijs statement the foreigners were greatly exßßperated when he expressed his determination not to be mixejl up in any euch business, one ql them threatening to murder hirja lor deceiving them. After tho departure of tbe men Hutchicson states that he was continually apprehensive of Nihilist violence. He was unable to eleep a& night, and was afraid to dieclose his cecret lest he should pay tb 3 penalty of .betrayal. After a lon|» period of Empense be decided to wrilß an onopymous letter to tbe Russia i Embaeey, informing them of the projected attempt to blow up the Emperoi'd train, &n enterprise in which it is well known tbe Nibiltstß were subsequently engaged. Upon communicating witb the Russian Embassy, the followicg letter was received ;— " Tbb

Russian Kmi:se*y wouirt like to pern 1 . & rottfideoti&l s-t v&nt to Birmingham ib order to put himself ia direct eorajmanicatioo with the informant, who would then be eble to give verbally more precise) details concerning the Wject referred to by him ip bia pievious letter. Tbe ' .informant; wbqld accord*irigly oblige by writing to the Embassy the address where be would with to meet (he messenger and bold a conference with, hire, and likewise to inform the Embassy how this interview cau be arranged. Further correspondence ensued, and an attaor c ofv.lhe Eu?eiao Embassy came to Birmingham, having previously informed Mr HutcbinsoD (hat he ebuld be staying at (hp Grmd Hotel in that town. At Mr. Hutching son's suggestion, however, the meeting took place at his own house in Birmingham. Tho interview was a long one, and staying in the town all night the attache reported the disclosures to the Russian Embassy, and a few days later Hutch inson received a note from Cheshain House, stating that "The Secretary of the Embassy is instructed to inform Mr. J. J. Hutchiuson that he will be sure to find the Charge d' Affaires at home, at the Embassy,. on Tuesday morning." Hutchinson has given a detailed description of the two men both, to the Russian Embassy and ihe police. The Russian is about. sft tfin. in lieigbt, and considerably lighter in complexion than the German. The German stated that he belonged to a socialist organisation which had designs against the lives of the Emperor of Germany^and Prince Bismarck. After the receipt of the last communication from the Russian Embassy, Hutchinson went to see the Charge d'Affaires, and afterwards hali an interview with Count Minister, the German Ambassador. Since theu Hutchinson has so yielded to bis fears as to place himself under the protection of the police, who are now thoroughly investigating the matter.