ALLEGED BLACKMAILER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2583, 22 May 1923, Page 3

ALLEGED BLACKMAILER.

AN ARREST TX BRISBANE

GIRT. ASSISTS POLICE. The'' courage and determination displayed by a girl in assisting the police to trap an alleged would-be blackmailer added a thrill to the proceedings in the Poice Court in Brisbane recently, when the man aristed was charged with attempting to extort money.

A Brisbane man and bis wife proposed to leave shortly on a journey overseas. The wile and a girl, a friend of the family, employed in a city warehouse, received typewritten letters through the post, throat--o,dug to disclose their "past-." in the case of the woman to her shipmates. The letter was disregarded, and two others, it is said, followed. A demand of .C2(l was made on the girl and £209 on flic woman. They were instructed that the money should be paid through the girl, and a time limit was fixed, after which it was threatened Hie information about the “pasts" of the two would he circulated. They were advised to insert an advertisement in the “persona!” column of a Brisbane newspaper. stating “parcel received, await instructions.” 'I his cryptic statement was evidentiy meant to convey that the girl had received £2OO from the woman, and desired (<> know by what means she could pay the alleged blackmailer. The department took a hand. The gn-1 was advised to answer the advertisement, as directed, t his uas done, and the typewritten “instructions” which arrived through the post later, ordered her to arrive at the. General Post Office, carrying a '“parcel” with her, at seven o’clock at night. She was then to proceed through various streets to Albert street, where she had to diop t it “parcel” oil the footpath, in front of a certain building, and walk on, without turning back. The Criminal Investigation Department was diffident about allowing tl,c girl to undertake the work of decoving the man. lmt she courageously volunteered to make the attempt. She dropped a parcel, as -Piled, and the man who picked il up was arrested by waiting delecI ives. ' William Charles Leslie Howell, a clerk, married, was 'charged with allempling to extort money from Lillian Francos Edye, a married woman, and Blanche Sheridan. TTe was remanded, bail being granted.