BLACKMAILER’S CRIME.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3683, 27 August 1927, Page 1

BLACKMAILER’S CRIME.

PLAIN SPEAKING BY JUDGE. “MUST’BE STAMPED OUT.” Pretending that he held a letter telling of a great secret in her life, a postman at Maidstone, Kent, wrote to the wife of a well-known antiquarian offering to return the letter to her for a sum of £45. The culprit, Albert James Payne, aged 21, /pleakled guilty to demanding money by measures at the Assizes there, and came in, for some scathing cenure from Mr. Justice Rowlatt.

“I have no compassion ,at all for blackmailers,” remarked the Judge severely, in palssjing sentence of eight months’ imprisonment. “It is cowardly, cruel work.”

Payne, so counsel for the prosecution related, delivered letters in a district where people of good position resided. One morning Mrs. Lucy Ada Vallance received a letter making suggestions which Payne had since admitted were without the slightest justification. This letter stated: —“Before I start this painful letter to you, I must state I am out of work, and have been for three months, with a.wife and three childrefi. So now for the facts. I hold a letter which tells of a great secret of your life.”

In view of the prisoner’s admission that there was no truth in the statement, counsel refrained from repeating it in court. The letter continued : —•‘‘Now, madam my wife and I cannot turn about for debts, and you have plenty, so I will return your letter for the sum of £45. Madam, as true as there is a God nbove, I hate doing this, but I must have the sum. If you agree to buy your letter back, please send it in notes by ordinary post to, say, Mr. A Peters, G.P.0., Maidstone, by Wednesday night. And madam, 1 have not mentioned any name's in case it gets into other hands.” Mrs. Vallance took the letter to the police, and when a. man, whom Payne had asked to call for the reply, presented himself, inquiries were made and prisoner arrested. Counsel, for defence, in pleading for Payne, laid .emphasis on the jfact that there was absolutely no foundation for any suggestion affecting the lady’s character. It was an invention of Payne’s, who was not married, had no family, was comfortably off, . and was not in debt or want of money. There was not the slightest reason for him to write the letter. It was a wicked, hopeless bungle, and he would lose his position in the post office.

The Judge: I hope so. There are plenty of honest men wlio’are now unemployed, and I do not see why the public should employ blackmailers. It wafe fortunate in this case that the prisoner wrote to a person of firm mind and sound sense. For taking the letter to the police she deserves the thanks of the community, but these letters often go to people of weak nerves and spirit and lead to anguish and slow torture for years, probably ending in financial ruin as well. I have no mercy as a rule for blackmailers, but prisoner is a young man and had a good charactei•, or I should have sent him into penal servitude. This crime of blackmail must be stamped out.