The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer

A STARTLING STORY

Claimed That There is an Anarchist Plot to Murder the Prince of Wales Should He Visit the World's Fair.

New York, March 27.—A morning paper in a two column article with glaring headlines claims that there has been an anarchistic threat to assassinate the prince of Wales should he visit America.

As the story goes, it is an open secret that efforts are being made to induce the prince of Wales to visit America. It is just as well established that the prince has looked with favor upon the idea, and so well is this latter fact known that people in a position to understand the undercurrent at work toward this end, say that it has been quite possible that the prince would accept an invitation extended to him by Mr. William Waldorf Astor to be his guest in a trip across the Atlantic. It is believed that Mr. Astor will charter either the Majestic or the Teutonic, in case the prince of Wales decides to accompany him to speed directly for Boston. When the party reach that city they will go to Chicago by special trains chartered by Mr. Astor, by way of Canada. The principal design, the paper says, in having the prince visit Canada, is to use his presence as a check to the annexation sentiment.

The article continues:

"Major Charles Fox Billings, of Peterborough, Ont., Canada, not long ago wrote to Sir Julian Pauncefote, stating that he has accurate information that an extensive anarchistic plot has begun in which the leading friends of the red flag of extermination in the United States and Canada are concerned, and which in the event of the visit of the prince of Wales to America, will end in his murder.

"Such a letter ordinarily would meet with scant courtesy at the hands of Sir Julian, who would believe it the work of a crank. But in this case the writer of the startling news is no crank. He is a retired English army officer of great distinction.

"Sir Julian immediately communicated the tenor of the letter to the English foreign office, and the result was wide spread consternation. Cablegrams, long and cogent, have passed between the British embassy at Washington and the London foreign office.

"The crime, Major Billings' letter states, will be committed in the United States, if possible, but if not, it will certainly be accomplished when the prince is in Canada."