A BLACKMAILER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 163, 27 November 1912, Page 6

A BLACKMAILER.

MEETS WITH HIS DESERTS. '• THRASHED TILL HE SCREAMED FOR MERCY.

A resident of Masterton, who is alleged to have carried on a system of blackmailing townspeople for some time past, met with 1113 just deserts on the old showgrounds, Dixon street, on Saturday night, at the hands of a young man whom ho had attempted to blackmail, In the presence of several others the blackmailer was, thrashed with a horse-whip until he screamed for mercy. It appears that one evening recently this contemptible individual met a young man and a lady, to whom he was. engaged to be married, taking a moonligut walk in the old showgrounds in Dixon street. He had apparently been following them for some time in the street, and as soon as they entored the "gate he sprang in front of them with the exclamation, "Ah! I've caught ver, 'ave I?" "

The young man enquired what was the matter. ..,.',

The blackmailer replied: "There's too much of this 'ere business goin' oh, and for* improper purposes. I'm custodian of these 'ere grounds, an' I'll have to prosecute you for trespassing." The young man was indignant at the words and was in the act of dealing summarily with the individual,', when he saw it was a person who had': a reputation for blackmailing. ' : ; ' n , "Of course," continued -the blackmailer, "I don't want to be -hard" oh yer, and we may be able ,to come to an .understanding." ''■!'*'.':'' The young man at once, "tumbled" to' the, game, and decided to give the .blackmailer as much play as possible,, and then teach him a lesson .that should last him for life. lie therefore adapted, a. humble tone, and enquired w;ho. had given the blackmailer authority'to keep persons out of the grounds ; r The blackmailer named a c.ertai'n - individual, and also other .psrsortj?' who were members of the old • showgrounds association. ~,''■'

"Well, will you give me ' time ' to square the matter witli you?" asked the young man. "This is .a .terrible thing." .'■■.' . "Oh, I don't want to be.'ardion'.yer," said the blackmailer. "I'm quite willing to give yer till to-morrow to squareV ■ ■ /•;.. . "All right," said the young man, 'Til see >you to-morrow." ,

They then parted. . '■ , Xext day the young man made •en-' quiries among the persons who had been named by the blackmailer,.: and found out that one person mentioned., was not secretary and that the.' other gentleman approached had . given rip a»ifcority to the blackmailer to. turn anyone out of the grounds, and, furthei> more, that he was not the .custodian.The young man was advised by one. per-, son.to horsewhip the blackmailer. ... So the young man took three friends ■ into, his confidence,'and it .was decided, to act on the advice given./ .He..went; to the blackmailer on Saturday, njoj-ning ' audi showing him a cheque that if he would meet him' .(tWypiiin'g. man) on the old showgrounds: tha^night.; at 8.30 o'clock he would .square/up. "Would a fiver do?" asked flic .young man. r * :

"Oh, yes, that'll do^Vlrepli^,''jthe blackmailer. , : . '" ''"' -

"Well, you meet mq tp-nj'ffUf'pn ijlie' old . showgrounds, and .I'll give yoiiV .a' fiver. rt will be quiet thei-ej'and'n,o, one will see us," said the young-man, agile departed. '.,'_' ' ■' "''■'.

On Saturday evening. ~ about „ eight o'clock, the young man, his .fiancee, and; the;three friends proceeded"to th? old' showgrounds. The four latter .hid/in the grandstand, and the other .man,-forti-fied, with a hunting crop jn -lm , hj'p ' pocket, took up a position 'i,ii .'frpii't 'of them. The object of getting these persons to be present was in . that they should hear all that passed-, so a?, to obtain evidence that 'this'.'miserable' pers ; ou was a blackmailer. ' ;.' ",'' Up to time the blackmailer, arrivedon the scene. " , : ' ,: '' "Oh, you've got 'ere," said' the, black- ■ mailer, with a leer. , ' '' ''"

"Yes, I'm straight." said the'.young man. "I say, though, you'll have pity on me, won't you? This is'a' 1 terrible' thi»g. Oh, please don't say a' word about it, will you? It's terrible', .terrible." "Don't worry, mate; hand oyer, the fiver and I won't say a word," replied the blackmailer. 'I promise you I wsn't mention it to,anyone." "Of course, you know you" are blackmailing me." ' ,' "Well, I dniino about Mackipailiog, but you're paying me to bold .'my' tongue." ' , "Are you sure a fiver will be enough?", said the young man, feeling in liis hip' pocket as if to bring out the money,' but in reality to get a firm grip of the whip. ■'■'.■<' "Qh, yes, that will he enough;!' was' the reply. "Well, here it is." said the young man, as lie brought the whip out of hispocket, and cut the blackmailer right and left over the face and head. 1 ' 'The blackmailer showed fight for a few seconds, but the pent-up feelings of the indignant young man, and the vigor with which he wielded the whip, were too much for the blackmailer, who finally laid on the ground and screamed and begged for mercy, to the accompaniment of laughter from the others, wlin had made their presence known. After thrashing the Maul-mailer until he was out of breath, the young man allowed him to nse, and when last seen, the contemptible individual was running "like the wmd" in the direction of Bunnv's "Bush, where he disappeared among the trees. It is understood that other local residents intend to bring charges against this person for having attempted to levy blackmail.—Exchange.