BLACKMAIL IN LONDON
DNSMW GANGS METHOD OF CftIMIKAL "If," as ft judge «£ the High Court had recoil!- occasion Id remark, '''England with all her virtues . is the torn* -of the- blac'kmaitor," then (writes ;'P.W,H/ f in. the "Baity JJatP) has litmdon heegmo tho nafsefyi the very incubator of this class of crime, fij.r durmg the; last %eo yoats tho nunsWof . «onviesions. hq.B-.iiicraii.sgd %,<*sac% SO pet .cent. 4■;c'hatga of. 'Klac'toaiHto use th.egwrerip term-^was '4t. orio time a eonipar&ti'yely raw ontry jn the calendar at the .'Old Bailey,- ; but nowadays hardly a session .passes, without two or throe persons feeing indicted for this ofv fence. A Raspsitiy Calling' B'lflekffiaifefg of both, sexes .-ply their pr&c'tifies tvitli comparative ihimunity., their victims realising that to p>6:sD;eut6 is to court the vcrv"' publicitx they are ahsioiis to avoid. 'Elt'ore fife MacKm-ailv firs iix every class of sttdiety.} in Belgra* ' Via and Wjjitecjiapol fjon.iran is overran by those, who seek to to alee, capital si.ut of the iapses and indiscretions of ■?.floir wend : si;nij..as.s,q(!i.!iitesi : t ; hb been c'otn;p,auio» sf twihy' U:%q Mp:km'aife? of tomorrow, Ihe§6- : peMons wv<Sr neither coWcifflico nprscfiipTej nWn ; , majdj arifl wife are. fair .game, .to tiem,' live modern craving fftr e'xqHe'm'en.i; has. deIfr ered many into tteir itawte. : Itoocent esCapa'des are : magntfietl, ■'ansi ike. victim of at:t:aqlv. i rather than face tlie threatened exposure- .of what at the time was doomed "good-fun/' ■p.n.j.s, and pays,, Bi)4 .goe* on paying. - Tlie chief victims, of blackmailers' can i he classed as foilliiw;^ L public njontpttrtioularly prominent politiftaips) to .wfirim. s cf -Scandal ffleans fes§ of prestige if iiisb; ftiin',, ■ % Men aftd women iji a good itatidn. of"life to whpm.a'b fc.cus'ai;ito, -false or otherwise,', would- rtieiin endless- trouble : and ridMei '' 3; WeSltlty you.ng. men who . ttauld" rathe* -pay ihaa subject tliomsfeive? to tho itti2onv6nieh:c.3 -of proseftiitingj even: if tliero wefis to- .grounds iftr jfche jiccfusa-. tioii nmde- -against tHfejm 4, 'Wm*.s of \Airftty fliid. Na?y officers. on foreign, service;. K Youitg -wo'nfen- in. society/"kicking •: 'o\-er tlie traces 1 " as; 'regards/gaining and. Batting. •' .-.'.'' 6, Yotijig men lioHing poritio.ns; of -re> ■"-.#ility jit'iiarik.aro.rthe. Civil' Sex- ' *%• '.-.'..•. ,*, People living doM. "ft past* 1 ' ' (Ma *fid Foriiaffc. Sot ttfstf 10-ftg :ago tbe Tjes ciKjne awate of %$ of a tiO'e'i?% was..'.more thpji a. gang, f ftiiinbe.rip'g .as .ft did upwards d| 2Qp.p'er^6.hs: ; of betfi ' ty^niSrklibJtT^ was, mn'ch : -6S..tte' : 'lißeS- ajreadj i'ndlcatr- ' e.d, sec'ttriiil -Mc-timS- t&'ht am left. • lliopoEofe: sqececde'd 'iii brfia'kiiis it's 'but thero" ; aJe now .indication's that' tho ■gang or a. Beij.tio.tt 'tjf; ii isVat work again, ■ Its me^bsrS''MqueKt West 'End 'resiauraiits, theatre*,- .and iftiisiCrhftlls seek;iji* th : cir pr&y-.i'. Yfliii'ifi 'underg : r.adr ■ liat#, tihe sons of'fpr'Qtoineftt ..pooplo' iii | soc§ty:, are teeiijlcd;' into'"their i\gi: %$ j HioTrottien of thij gaiiig; an 'aepdntaiicp. I is- paisiicd Up, iWift ft is not Mug iefofo I th>. biackniaile.f's.get t;o work. :
J' The Amendment Act j and the divorce few's are two aWies they invoice, nnd the victim, flfctiouirli- ahsoIntoly innocent of any offence, is so shamed by the rfloj;rsti&ti)s'iisimijfed up e.ciunst hi in that ho is • only too r&idy . "'to sciuaro , *_the matter, frequently being driven . into the .hands of .njb.fioj'lenders all too often allies of the, gang, and ftola that, ho has iiftlo rest from their. importunities. In trio list of victims civen above tho tMves of officers 6xi foreign service, are. mentioned. These _ generally fall victims to the handsome, dashing nun whose acquaintance they j have made bv the river ot the; sea. It is-, with the aid of $ confederate, <juito easy for the : bLTC]?'niaifef'to\impEo.vis'b a compromising _ situation-—a breakdown Oil 3 motor .ride with the chauffeur '.In accomplice or tt missed train at -'t'li'o end of a. day's fscUrsiOfi arei two of tho most common tricks which place an in- : nocent but foolish woman ni. ike hands of the spoiler. Gaming chtbs lead to the victimisation of the voting girl and the bank clerk' or Civil Servant. High piny, jnaWllfe' to liquidate engagements, a note of hand which cannot ho rev deemed. and then threatened exposure to parents or -employers are the means adopted. Three Rules for tho Blackmailed. These are a fow of the methods adopted in the West End, but in the city, if anything, blackmail is even more rampant ; larger stakes are pip.yed lor and' generally won. It is stile to say that ■hardly adaS passes but s.amootte'is vi'ctimised fil the "square mile." A promoter is about to place ap issue, on tho market; a word to his diseiedic would bo Fatal to his schemes. He pays, and for ever sacrifices his freedom from attack. A merchant in a Jxirge way of birsiness trades to a great extent upon the credit his integrity as a business man has . won him. A-large 'deal ivon, ® story is fabricated as to his solvency. lie too : pa'ys. knowing that- if; he prosecutes f<ir idar.der.tho mud which tho blackmailer' will fling will stick. The best advino to be given to those Who move about town and 'occupy such -a position in the world as to invite, tho attention of t-lie blackmailins fraternity is never to cultivate chnnce acquaintances. If attacked by a blackmailer, 1. Ignore the suggestion and on no account put pen to paper.' Give .tiji interview only in tire practice of si trtisti ed friend. .
2. Resohitely resist all demands. 3- Consult a solicitor or the .police, and if required institute proceedings. Always remember that io demand money uiuier the threat of extiosure, even if the allegations snoportinp; the demand are true or bear the semblauee cf truth, is a criniiiial offence.
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Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2191, 2 July 1914, Page 11
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918BLACKMAIL IN LONDON Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2191, 2 July 1914, Page 11
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