Pinole Intrigue In Plot To Assasinate Governor In 1898

Our latest Historic Pinole column is the first installment in a series about an alleged plot by Spaniard's to assassinate California Gov. James Budd and to blow up the California Powder Works factory during the Spanish-American War. It comes from the May 6, 1898 edition of The San Francisco Call newspaper.

SHOULD BE PUT OUT OF THE WAY

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Significant Remark of the Spanish Tourists

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They Threaten to Assassinate Governor Budd

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Think He Is Taking a Too Active Interest in the War

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THE POLICE INFORMED

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One of the Men Said to Be In Hiding at the Present Time at Pinole

There was considerable excitement at police headquarters last night, due to the report that two visiting Spaniards had openly asserted that they intended to assassinate Governor Budd. The men arrived here last Friday on the Eastern overland.

When this side of Sacramento one of them was heard by a brakeman who understands the Spanish language, to say that Governor Budd was taking a too active interest in the war and should be put out of the way.

"He is an easy mark," the companion is said to have remarked. "We can get him at any time."

Suspecting that the brakeman understood their native language, the men afterward conversed in subdued tones. When Pinole was reached one of the Spaniards, after wishing his companion good luck, alighted from the train. The other did not leave the train until it reached the Oakland mole.

He was soon lost in the crowd, and whether or not he came to this city is a matter of conjecture. After seriously thinking over the remarks passed by the Spaniards the brakeman, fearing that they intended to assassinate the Chief Executive, decided to inform Detective Seymour, with whom he is well acquainted. Last evening he visited police headquarters and informed Seymour of the conversation between the men. Seymour, after listening to his story, at once hunted up Governor Budd, to whom he imparted the information of the alleged plot to assassinate him. The Governor did not seem in the least alarmed, but requested Seymour to do all in his power to apprehend the Spaniards. "Look out for that fellow at Pinole," the Governor is said to have remarked. "He may cause us some trouble."

As the powder works are situated at Pinole and to prevent a repetition of the terrible explosion at Santa Cruz, which presumably was caused by Spaniards, the police are doing their utmost to locate the two men. When seen last night Detective Seymour was inclined to be unusually secretive.

"Whether there is anything in it or not I do not know," he remarked after considerable questioning. "The brakeman, whose name I am not at liberty to divulge, has been in the employ of the railroad company for over twenty years. l am convinced that he is telling the truth, as he would have no object in misleading us. He speaks the Spanish language fluently, and could not have been mistaken in the meaning of the remark passed by the blood-thirsty Spaniards."

Seymour admitted that he was looking for the two men and that he earnestly hoped to apprehend them. The Constable at Pinole has been advised of the remarks passed by the Spaniards and instructed to arrest the one who left the train at that point.

This article comes from the California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cdnc. The collection has digitzed more than 400,000 images from newspapers in the 19th and 20th centuries. Images dated between 1846 and 1922 are in the public domain and not subject to copyright.