Spaniards Aimed To Blow Up Pinole Powder Works?

Last week's Historic Pinole column contained an article about a train brakeman overhearing two Spanish-speaking men discussing a plot to assassinate the governor of California during the Spanish-American War. This week we bring an article from the May 7, 1898 edition of The San Francisco Call newspaper. It ties the assassination allegation to a suspected conspiracy to sabotage the Pinole Powder Works factory, which made nitroglycerin.

The article discusses security measures taken at the plant, and it raises doubts about the "sympathies" of Mexican and Portuguese people living of Pinole. It is taken from the archives of the California Digital Newspaper Collection, published the day after last week's article.

PLOT TO KILL AND DESTROY

Would Assassinate the Governor and Blow Up Pinole's Powder Works

Mysterious Strangers Skulking on the Hills Near the Explosive-Making Plant ——Precautions Take.

It is now believed that three Spaniards have arrived here to carry out a plot to assassinate Governor Budd and blow up the powder works at Pinole, Contra Costa County. Since the account in yesterday's Call of the conversation among three Spaniards on the train from the East, in which one remarked that Governor Budd could be assassinated easily, much light has dawned upon the people of Pinole relative to recent events heretofore not comprehended.

A week ago yesterday three Spaniards came from the East over the Santa Fe route, and H. B. Stewart officiated as brakeman from Sacramento to this city. Stewart speaks the Spanish language fluently, and a short distance out from Sacramento, while trimming a lamp, his attention was attracted to the conversation among the Spaniards. They were discussing the war, and one remarked that Governor Budd was making himself very active in getting men to help fight Spain.

Stewart in telling a Call reporter of the incident said: "I naturally pricked up my ears to bear what was coming next. One with a dark mustache said that the Governor was an easy man to pick off, as he does not travel with a companion (meaning a body guard). The fellow said he knew that Governor Budd goes about the city and State at all times and He would be an easy bird to catch. The speaker seemed to be better acquainted with the people and the State than the other two.

"While I was standing on the arm of the seat fixing my lamp the remark was made that the Governor could be attended to at any time, and the manner of their speech gave me the idea that they had something of far greater importance to attend to first. When the train passed the powder works at Pinole the three craned their necks to get a glance of the premises. This looked suspicious, and when the train stopped at the station one of the men got out while the two went on to the city. On the following morning I was much surprised to find among the passengers one of the Spaniards who had gone down on the afternoon before and told one of the men connected with the powder works."

When the Spaniard alighted from the train he started at once for town, which is half a mile distant. There he disappeared, and has not been seen since. While the town is thoroughly American, still there are a number of Portuguese and Mexicans in the surrounding country who speak the Spanish language, and whose sympathies are not well known. It is with one of these that the man no doubt found shelter. The only clew as to his identity is that one of his companions addressed him by the name of Mendoto, Mendoza or Mendejta. He was fairly well dressed in a suit of light clothes and was of slim build. As stated, his companions continued on their way to San Francisco.

On the following morning, greatly to the surprise of Brakeman Stewart, one of the latter boarded the train at the Oakland mole, and his ticket showed it was good for a trip to Pinole and return. The fellow was short, stout and dressed in a dark suit, and wore a light felt hat. He had a heavy black mustache tinged with gray. On the same train was John Wilson, one of the clerks at the powder works. As the Spaniard left the train the brakeman said to Wilson: "That is one of those Spaniards who was talking last night on the train about killing Governor Budd. He will bear watching while he is here. While he was on the train he kept consulting a paper as though to get thoroughly posted before getting off the cars. He means mischief to the powder works, or I am greatly mistaken."

Wilson heeded the warning and watched. The suspect walked about for a few minutes, as a stranger will, evidently "sizing up" the people. At last, observing one with a swarthy complexion, a Portuguese employed on a milk ranch, he addressed him in Spanish. He wanted to know how the trains came and departed, the distance to adjoining towns, the names of the latter, and last, but not least, where the powder works were. The Portuguese gave the desired information and the Spaniard went up to the town proper. While the two were talking Mr. Wilson observed the gestures and asked Mr. Garrity to watch him and tell the officers to keep up the watch. This was done in a sort of fashion and enough was learned to have put most any one on the alert, especially considering the suspicious incidents attendant upon the explosion and destruction of the powder works at Santa Cruz.

The dark-skinned stranger asked many questions in many places, especially where he could converse in his native tongue. His inquiries always led to the powder works. In one place, where he stopped, a barber shop, John Bermingham, assistant superintendent of the works, was getting shaved. As soon as he could he followed the fellow and finally saw the stranger start for the works. He did not take the direct road, near the railroad track, as most men would, but went along the Martinez road to the south and by the rear of the big powder plant.

Bermingham drove rapidly along the railroad track and reached the works long before the swarthy pedestrian. Cutting across the field he intercepted the stranger in the rear of the company's property and demanded of him his business. The Spaniard was greatly alarmed and replied that he was "Just looking around." "Why did you come to Pinole?" asked Bermingham. "I wanted to see Manuel Furtado. He is a friend of mine," replied the Spaniard. Furtado is supposed to be a Portuguese. He keeps a saloon in Pinole, at which the stranger stopped before starting for the powder works.

Some time ago Furtado was employed in the works, yet no one thought to ask of him his business with the mysterious Spaniard. For the past two or three days he has been in San Francisco, or at least there is where a barkeeper says he has gone. As the Spaniard's answers were not satisfactory Mr. Bermingham told him to turn in his tracks and get back to San Francisco as fast as his legs and the Southern Pacific train would carry him.

The fellow glanced at Bermingham's tall figure, then at the Deputy Marshal's badge he wore and at the handle of a revolver that showed above the belt and started off at a lively gait for the station. Upon recovering from his fright he began to quiz Station Agent E. M. Downer, winding up by asking about the powder works. He took the 9:30 a. m. train for San Francisco. Colonel W. R. Quinan, superintendent of the Pinole branch of the California Powder Works, did not at the time attach much importance to the foregoing incident, believing that the Spaniard was prompted as much by curiosity as evil motives. Now he wishes that Mr. Bermingham had taken him into custody and held him until he gave a satisfactory account of his actions. The colonel is also inclined to believe that there was a plot to assassinate Governor Budd and an injury to the powder works — that is, if Brakeman Stewart understood correctly the conversation among the three Spaniards on the train.

However, he is not at all alarmed. Acquired by a long experience in the army, he took every precaution to guard against accidents or plots as soon as he saw the war clouds gathering. He had eight of his most trustworthy men appointed as Deputy United States Marshals and several others as deputies under the Sheriff and Constable. The latter patrol the high points of the 350-acre tract in which the powder works are located and a large force of watchmen guard the works at night.

Large reflector lamps light all places where evil-disposed persons would be likely to go. Although strict before, the colonel is more so now. No one is permitted even to enter the grounds without, a permit, and these are difficult to obtain. Colonel Quinan has recently started the erection of a barb-wire, man-proof fence around the entire tract. The fence is eight feet high and when finished no one can cross it. Should any one cut the wires at night the fact will be known immediately in the office. The fence is four and a half miles long, and at conspicuous points will be placed signs reading: "California Powder Works, engaged in United States Government work. All strangers are warned not to enter under penalty of arrest." '

Since the accounts of the plot to destroy the powder works and kill the Governor have been made public closer watch will be kept on all persons seen prowling around the premises, and any one who is found inside of the enclosure who has no business there will be arrested and called to a very strict account. For a time it was supposed that the Government would send some of its troops to protect the place, but none have arrived yet, and it is not likely that any will.

The Superintendent wishes to have several more of his men sworn in as Deputy United States Marshals, and a number of names have been sent to Barry Baldwin. There is a rumor at Pinole that Mr. Baldwin will not swear in any more, and that he will deprive those he has sworn in of their authority. Why, no one knows. When hostilities began he sent Detective Hickey to Pinole to keep watch over all suspicious characters, but the detective is said to have spent most of his time in town, and he was recently recalled.

The branch of the California Powder Works at Pinole does not manufacture Government powder entirely. It manufactures here nitro-glycerine and the finishing is done at the Santa Cruz works. Still, if anything should happen to the works, it would sadly cripple the entire plant. The superintendent does not intend that anything shall happen.

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.