ANOTHER DISCOVERY OF INFERNAL MACHINES IN LONDON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7143, 21 January 1884, Page 5

ANOTHER DISCOVERY OF INFERNAL MACHINES IN LONDON.

Between eleven and twelve o’clock on the night of Nov. 22 a man was arrested in Vincent square, Westminster,-going under the name of Wolff, for having in his possession an explosive substance for an unlawful purpose. It appears that for many months the prisoner had been known as a member of the third or advanced order of Socialists, and one of the executive of a club in the city where meetings of the order were held. On searching his house the officer discovered two infernal machines, which would blow down any building against which they might be fired. The construction was simple but ingenious. In one a large zinc pail, nearly filled with coarse blasting gunpowder and gun cotton, was covered with pieces of scrap iron. At the bottom of the pail a hole was bored, into which a fuse, resembling in appeal - anco a stick of red sealing-wax, was neatly inserted. The second machine was a largo tin cooking utensil similarly prepared. The explosive has been carefully examined by Colonel Majendie. Her Majesty s Inspector. and the dangerous nature ot it having been determined, it was destroyed. About 101 b, or more, of the explosive was in each machine, and it is stated that the police had information of the tact that they were intended to be used for an explosion at the Gorman Embassy. I he man in custody is said to be of German or 1 olish extraction. He presents all the appearances of a foreigner, is a good linguist, an(l described as an interpreter. Ho was subsequently brought before the Bow street and remanded, The Scotland varcl authorities succeeded on Nov. 2d in arresting another man, nanied Edward Rondiren. The accused, who is the brothei of the man referred to by "W olff’s wife, was

taken to the Bow street Police Station and charged with complicity with the beforementioned in having in his possession an explosive substance for an unlawful purpose? BoHi prisoners were brought before the magistrate on Nov. 29, and after underaa preliminary examination, were reed another week.

Mrs Wolff has made a statement, in which she said her husband is a Swiss, aged 24, and for some time previously had a confectioner’s shop in Sherwood street, Haymarkct. While there he became acquainted with a man named Bondiren, who is also known as Damond. About three months ago Bondiren brought to their house in Vincent Square a detective named Marshall, who had been there three or four times a week for the last few weeks. Mrs Wolff went on to say:—“ About two days ago my husband said to me, * 1 will tell you all I know about those men.’ The first thing he said was that Bondiren was the man who was in the habit of furnishing information to the police. His wife, who lives in Panton street, 1 believe, does the same business. I asked my husband why these men, Marshall and Bondiren, were always coming here, and he said, ' There is to he an explosion at the German Embassy on Saturday night, committed by a political German, who has come over from Germany to do it. Bondiren knows the German, and he wants me to interpret letters for him which the German receives. Bondiren is to find it out, and Mr Marshall and I are to have the reward between us. They were to let the man go, and get the reward whe-” it was offered. My husband, speaks el •:n languages. He was to have .£SO. Bondiren would give him the money he promised after the reward was out, Marshall was to have the best share of the reward. My husband also said that, after this thing was over, he would never allow Bondiren to enter his doors. Marshall also promised Mr Wolff an engagement as interpreter at Scotland Yard after this business was all over. I have known Bondiren for twelve months, and during all that time I know he has never done a stroke of real work. He is a short man, about 40 or 45, and verydark. He does not talk much, but is constantly staring around him. My husband has walked two hospitals in London, and holds a diploma as a doctor. He is very clever at chemistry.”