BLACKMAILERS WHO PREY UPON FINANCIERS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 55, 24 February 1908, Page 4

BLACKMAILERS WHO PREY UPON FINANCIERS

The charge brought by Mr. Solly doe against Franz Yon Yeltlieini for cinlea,oring to obtain tIii.OUII by threats, ha; created an immense amount of iuteresl Mr. Krnest- T. ■Hooley. who made a huge fortune in the days of the ejek "boom," once said, "1 eaii hold my own with linanciers, and with anyone in t'n city, but there i.- one creature who al way- get the lietler of me- the black mailer." lie al-'o -aid that he had pah! awa\ in blackmail no le-s a .-urn than li>(UM ii I.

Mr. -lax Could paid even a larger sum I hail thi- to blackmailer*.- In.tVt. receipt- were'found after hi- dealb whi'-h ,-howcil that during hi- last twenty .>oar* he had paid away ihe great sum oi iMSii.fHin ii. vai-i.m- pers.m- who had carefully placed under the heading fl

-lilackmail." a headine which was a necessary as any other in his sy-ieni • liling ..orre-pondence.

When a -eaivh was made throutrh .\l--. WooK .toel'- paper* alter hi* a-a-i»a lion in iii* ollii-n at .lohunnesbnr!.'. il was di.-covereil thai he had sull'ered : , a laree estent from the extortion- of b'.ick-niniler-. The anionnt whi.-h wadematided al the pi-lol'- point w,iC51.11>!. and hi- dtalh is -aid to have re--lllteil 111 coll-e.piellce ol hi* ve!'ll-al to -tibiuil lo further exaction*.

Sonic month- ago one ol the le.uling iia.csmen in the \ic-i laid ol Umd..n wa.- slioi dead l.v ti i.taekniailer. When

.lie privaie coir.-spi.iiuence ol liu= iveaiuii imiii ot coiunii'icc -was e.'.anmie.i. il -bowed Hull blackmail had been c.uned on for a large number ol veals n.v various persons who had exuacica

u is not long ago .since a wealthv London City'man wa, hiMvily blackmailed In two men who said they were acipiainlcd with some alleged tacts in in- early life One man was a shady reporter, and he wrote a book which attacked the character and methods of the Muaucier, who controlled an enormous business concern.

Ilia victim paid him a large sunt . f money for the copyright of this book, .-» that the manuscript might be destroyed. Afterward- the reporter, in conjunction wiih a publisher, attempted to produce the book, but this and further blacKiuailing schemes brought l(im into the haud*. of the polite. '

Scores of well-known London men have been the victims of such blackmailers, yuite a trade has sprung up in producing books which are never intended to be placed before the public. The books are written simply for the purpose oi exacting money from some wealthy man who is willing to purchase the whole edition for a large sum. It i-, not only the living wha sulV.'r from these rapacious creatures. There arc a large number of ghouls whose occupation consists iu unearthing un-

-avory information regarding great personage*. At the death ol such a person age ihe blackmailer promptly produces .i biography ol the dead man--a hi .- graphy which is full of informal ion prejudicial to the members of the deceased man's family. To a large extent these consist of lies: -till, the family olten pays dearly in order that the biographic- may be suppres-oil.

.Mr. Kockolcllcr ha- had several svii--atioiul c-capis Irom deatli at Unhands of ilk- blackmailer, white tlie hue ilr. Ku—vl Sii".e escaped from Uii'i'i' attempt, un his lilV-the l;l-L attempt cost hi- -eeretarv nuil three clerks tlieir liv->s while ,lcfiMiiliii« him. ilr. A. T. Stewart. Hit- .\e>,v Voi-k iiilllioii.ili ■-. was practically harried to d.-ulli hy -coiiudi-cl- of this kind. ICv.-n hi- d'-alh d'nl in". (Hit mi end to Ilic pi-r-eciiiou. lor »■ Idackniiiilor- carried hi- 1«.,1y ri..in the eravc and held il until hi- family had paid a ransom of Vliiii.iiiiii.

'I Inn jircit ( hicairo porkpa-kcr. Mr. tiidaiiv. was a favorite taraei of tlio blackmailer. When hi- lit.- wa- threatened upon one occasion lie took cxlranrdiuary precautious in order to ciivum-v.-nl the plots a»ain-t him. 11" \vaalde t„ preserve liis life, hut his Iwclv.'-war-old son was kidnapped from school. 'I'll" blackmailer originally had demand, eil a -11 in of C.in.OMI in coii-eipience nf h j - spaiinii Mr. Cndahv's life, lie -enl a fnrlher demand for this 5,,,,,. mid

sl.iied Unit unle- it was complied with inlinediaMy the lad's eyes should 'on hiiriiid out and vitriol thrown over his face. There is linle douhl (hil the threat would have been earfied out had nol Mr. Cinlaliv complied with th:' de maud.