A BLACKMAILING STORY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 14 September 1907, Page 3

A BLACKMAILING STORY.

o ALLEGED PLOT TO SQUEEZE MR. CARNEGIE. The Loudon Star publishes a story io the effect lh.it news has just leaked'out of a daring scheme to blackmail Mr Andrew Carnegie out of the price of a free library. "II appears that about n month ago there arrived in London from WurtJiburg, in Bavaria, a corn merchant, whom we will call Mr X. It is unnecessary to give his name, as be appears to have been (lie dupe. Mr X. had already written to Mr Carnegie asking him for .U12,500 for a new library for Wurlzburg. He received no reply from Mr Carnegie, and conceived the idea that if lie could secure a personal interview with him he would be more successful in obtaining this benefaction for his native place.' Mr X. met a friend, an interpreter, and discussed some plans. There was a plot. But, says the Star correspondent, "Mr Carnegie was then at Skibo Castle, and the police warned him beforehand of the plot, and advised him to sec no strangers on any pretext. The two men did come to Skibo, and Mr Carnegie refused to see them. Detectives were on the trail. So ended the Carnegie, plot. The police think that Mr Y. intended to use Mr X. in order to get into Mr Carnegie's presence, and then if he did not give up the money use the revolver to terrify him into giving it. On the other hand, it is possible that he contemplated the alternative that Mr Carnegie might have given the £12,500 to Mr X., in which case it is almost certain from Mr Y.'s daring character that he would have robbed him of the money on the journey back, using the revolver without compunction, if need and opportunity arose."