THE DYNAMITE SCARE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3714, 11 June 1883, Page 4

THE DYNAMITE SCARE.

The "plot to blow up London" as several of the newspapers ill-naturedly term Mr AVhilohcad's chemical experiments with the explosivo qualities of nitro-glyccrine, has naturally been the all-absorbing topic of conversation during the last week or two. AYe somehow don't seem to be able to get away from the dynamite and the AmericanIrish contingent. Directly there seems a chance of the public settling down and having a quiet think at its own fireside over its own domestic n.tfiiirs, a plot i.s ur.e.-irtherl or a conspirator is arrested that plunges us back breast high into the troubled waters from Avhich Ave'have just emerged. Since the famous rubber bag, containing enough nitro-glyccrine to wreck a street, Avas found under one of the beds at Delamotto's Hotel, the panic amongst AVestcnders has become quite ludicrous. Hundreds of people pest the police at Scotland Yard Avith suspicions of their neighbors, and the sight of a large brown paper parcel makes even the boldest female shudder. It is an absolute fact that, in Tottenham Court Road last Saturday a bundle of dirty clothes wrapped up in a noAvspaper stopped the traffic for nearly ten minutes. Tlie circumstance arose thus : —Joseph AVilliams, a lad of seventeen, AA'as on his Avay to a laundry with the family washing when he caught sight of _ a companion who had long oavccl him sixpence. Dropping his big bundle on to the nearest doorstep, Williams at onco gave chase to the debtor, bawling- as lie went "You'll catch it my boy." Now the first to notice tho coincidence Avas an elderly man, Avhose head must have been turned by Irish conspiracies. At any rate he shouted " Dynamite ! run for your lives " ; and such is the force of example that people scurried off like mad iv every direction, even the policeman at tho nearest corner " making tracks " towards Oxford street in a most expeditious manner. Subsequently, of course, there Avas a row OA-cr tho affair, and the unfortunate boy AVilliams got locked up for practical joking. The old gentlomau, who Avas the real sinner, however, can't be found anywhere.