Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1849-03-23

ATrEMrI 10 ExroRr $4,000 FROM VIII
LIAM H. AsToR.--Isaac \. Biggs and Franklin
d. Bragg. were arrested by officers Bowyer,
Carlow Reed, and Coles. charged with attempt
ing TO ex,ort $4,000 FROM William b. As,or,--
A few days since Mr. Astor called on the Chief
Of Police and stated that he aud his wife bad re-
eeived several letters signed Z. X. Eastwood,
charging his father with having committed helm.
Gus crimes, some thirty years ago, while engag
cd with the writer's father in making spurious
coin for the Indian trade and threatening, IN
less be should send him 10000, that his house
would be burnt, their lives taken, 81. In th,
letter TO Mr. As,or's wife Mr. Aslor was directed,
il he complied with the demand, to insert an ad.
yertisement 10 that eject in the Herald. The
whole matter for detecting the parties was ar.
ranged by the officers, and in consequence
thereof. officer Bower inserted an advertise.
ment in tho Herald that the $50. 900 could DC
bad by addressing A. II D., al the Herald oGiec.
This advertisements called forth ansr,ei, a.
which il was stated that the money would be
called for at 10 o'clock on the morning Of the
18th, and directed that the money should be put
IN in packages, in bills of the denomination oil
500 and $500, and saying that it was useless to
attempt TO fnd out the writer, ms every thing
had been 80 arranged As 10 render il impossible
Officer Bowycr then made up package o.
worthless bills, and took them TO Mr. Asor aud
told him to deliver them to any person that call
ed for them. aud the officers then stationed
themselves in different places to keep look.ou
At 10 o'clock Bragg appeared at Mr. Astor's
door, and received the package, aud then lcil.
closely followed by the several officers TO the
corner Of Cliff aud Fulton streets, when he step.
ped into a store and put newspaper around
the package, and proceeded 10 direct il, when
the officers walked in and arrested him. He
a.. Al
the package and leave il at the United States
Hotel, with the bar-keeper, and il would be
called for lie was then directed BY the officers
to do so, but charged not to open bis mouth, to
speak or make a sign, and officer Reed went
with him. Aftcr delivering the package they
10th sat down and waited, but no person came,
and after short time they left. Immediately
afterwards Biggs made his appearance in the
bar.room, and received the package and then
left, with the officers close upon his heels. lilo
got into stage and rode to The corner Of Broad
way and Canal streets, where he got out, and
officers also aligh,ed from the top Of the stage
He then went into an exchange office on the
corner OF Mercer street, where the officers ar
rested him, with the package in his possession.
He told the officers he had received letter
from Basweod, telling him that he must get tho
package Of money from the hotel, and have Il
eAeihhGeu lot other money anu as ihst Us ne
exchanged il he must forward it TO Philadelphia,
and that he might retain $500 for bis services,
and if he did not do il his life wouIg be taken
Bragg is the brotherin.law of Biggs, and he
says that Bggs gave him directions to do as he
had done.
Yesterday, information was received by the
Chief Of Police, that letter in the same hand
writing bad been received by Mr. William Smith,
an old aud infrm man, but very rich, residing
at St. Georges Manor, Long Island, having the
same date as those received by Mr. Aston, de-
handing $4,000 on penalty Of having his house
burnt and his life destroyed, il was evidently
written by Biggs, who is well known TO the aa-
thorilios.--N Y Sun, In.