PRINCE BISMARCK'S DANGER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4385, 9 April 1875, Page 3

PRINCE BISMARCK'S DANGER.

* The following despatches from The Times' correspondents at Paris and Berlin relate to a supposed plot for the assassination of Prince Bismarck : " Paris, December 22. The XortH German Gazette gives an account of a plot for the assassination of Prince Bismarck, the particulars of which have been kept secret for fifteen months. In September, 1873, a French archbishop received an anonymous letter offering to lid the world of a monster who, after bringing beautiful France to the brink of ruin, was exhibiting unmeasured animosity against Catholicism. The writer undertook to effect his purpose before the end of the year if the archbishop would send 40,000 f. to insure his wife and four children against want, and 20,000 f. for himself. In order not to compromise the priesthood, he suggested the use of an ingenious cipher, and counselled the archbishop, when replying, to give no indication on the envelope from whom it proceeded. In a second letter he pressed for an answer, enclosed his photograph, and disclosed his name and address—' Duchesne Poncelet, Rue Leopold, Seraing.' The archbishop very properly com-' inunicated the letters to the French Government, who lost no time in informing Prince Bismarck. The Belgian police made inquiries, and found that Poncelet was a mechanic of irreproachable habits, respectably connected, a regular attendant at mass and confession, in good circumstances, and of average education. In the first half of 1873 he was employed at Aix-la-chapelle, aud specimens of his handwriting correspond with the two letters. The photographs, however, were not hi 3 own, but that of a former fellow-workman named Gaudy, then living at Lille, who is suspected of being an accessory to the plot. The archbishop meanwhile received another letter in cipher, pressing for an answer on the ground that there was no time to lose/ Poncelet was thereupon watched, and made preparations as for a visit to Germany ; but a comrade in that country, to whom the Aix-la-chapelle police had apparently put incautious questions, sent him word that it would be dangerous for him to cross the frontier, and he abandoned the journey. What has since become of him is not stated, the Gazette simply remarking that the reasons for not divulging the affair have ceased to exist.—Berlin, December 22. —-The Berlin police have cautioned Prince Bismarck not to continue going out alone and on foot as is his wont. The recent official disclosures respecting the plans of Ultramontane assassins do not seem to exhaust all that is known by the police."