Lower Sandusky freeman. (Lower Sandusky [i.e. Fremont, Ohio]) 1849-1849, 1849-03-31
astounding Developments.

We take the following most remarkable revela-
tons from the New York Tribune 1t will create
a world of excitement We look with intense in
terest the further investigation of this matter:
Plain Dealer.
Officers Bowyer, Reed and Cole, of the Chiefs
ofices on Thursday night last arrested Franklin G..
Bragg of Morton-st and Isaac A. Biggs of 81
Morten-st under the following circumstances:
1t appears that for seme time past VIM B. Astor,
Esq, OF 34 Lafayette place has received several
letters of very extraordinary nature and demand
ing from him $4,000 in cash, and that IN default
of which his life and property would be sacrificed
These letters were signed in the name of Z, K.
Eastwood, and directing that the money should be
given on certain day at the house of Mr. Astor.
Mr. Aster not complying with the requirements of
the first letter. two others were written and direct
ed to Mrs. Astor, stating that if the money which
had been demanded of Mr. Astor did not come to
hand by 10 O'Clock of the morning of the 18th inst
the threats which had been made would be put into
execution
Mr.. Astor finally becoming convinced that some
thing might arise from these threats consulted the
Chief of Police on the subject who advised him to
deliver package at the time designed to the party
who should call for it. at the time he deputed the
above named yigiant officers to watch the proceed
lngs IN the matter. In accordance with the direc
tons giyen an advertisement was inserted in the
Herald that the person who had advertised for
$4,000 could receive it by calling upon the per-
son alluded TO- On the day of the appearance of
the advertisement another communication was re-
celyed by Mr. Astor to the effect that the writer
of the former communication would send person
to his house the morning of the I3th to receive
the package of money at the same time advised
Mr.. Astor not to pay any more attention to the
subject nor communicate to any one that he had
received such communications, nor in any other
manner attempt to discover the writer On the
morning of the 18th, while the officers were sta
toned m the vicinity of Mr.. Astor's house. Franklin
g. Bragg called upon Mr.. Astor for package, and
package of worthless bills was handed him with
which he left and was followed by the officers to
grocery store at the corner of Cliff and Fulton-sts
where officer Bowyer accosted him and asked him
some questions in relation to the package he had
In his possession. He replied that it was pack
age he had obtained in Lafayette-place, and which
he was instructed to leave at the bar of the United
States hotel, addressed to A. R. d. Green, who
would call for it in the course of the evening. He
was then told to go and deliver 1t as directed and
at the same time warned against intimatng in any
manner that he had been spoken to respecting it
He accordingly delivered it. and as he left the ho-
tel he was arrested and placed in charge of officer
Cole Officer Reed, after waiting for short time
at the hotel, observed Bggs approach the bar and
ask for the package in question, which was handed
him. and with which he left, followed by officers
Bowyer and Reed through several streets to the
Battery, and thence to the corner of Maden-lane
and Broadway, where he entered an omnibus into
which officer Bowyer also took seat and officer
Reed on the outside. On arriving at the corner of
Canal-st and Broadway, Biggs got out and entered
an exchange Office near by. His movements being
still watched by the officers, who took him into Gus
tody at the corner of Canal and Mercer SITS, with
the package in his possession, and conducted him
thence to the.chief's Office where, searching his
person, letter was found purporting to have been
written to him by Eastwood, directing him to fol-
low the instructions given in the communication,
and that failure would place his life in jeop-
ardy
The letter to him set forth that he must go to
the United States hotel and inquire for the pack
age alluded to- which would contain $780, 900 in bills
and that he must get it exchanged for other
money, and send it through the post Office to a GER
tain address; and that he must, under no circum-
stances whatever, communicate any information re-
specting it unless he should get into difficulty, in
which case he was at liberty to tell all he knew
Since the arrest of Biggs and Bragg who by the
way are brothers-in-la law information has been re-
ceived by the chief of police that Mr.. VIM Smith,
of St Georges Manor, L. l., had also received sim
liar threatening letters purportng to be signed by
John George JONES' stating that if he did not lend
burned down On comparing the communication
sent to Mr.. Smith with those sent to Mr.. Astor it
became evident that they had been sent by the
same Individual The accused were committed for
examination by the chief of police, and if convicted
the punishment for the offence is FIVE years i'm
prisonment IN the State prison. The first pricipal
letter received by Mr.. Astor was dated March l,
1e4s. of which the following is copy
To Mr.. VIM B. Astor, No. "a Lafayette place
Your life depends upon your complying strictly
with the directions of this letter In the first place.
will give you the cause of your receiving this
letter. My father was mechanic and was part
ner with your father from 1914 to 1917, in the
manufacture of spurious coin for trading in the
Indian trade This coin was used in those coun-
tries. hold all the statements made and all the
particulars and instructions given my father, and
the amount manufactured, as was set forth by his
account and memorandums signed by my father
and his brother. The whole amount manufaetnr-
ed was S2,s0o,0oo, the average cost of which was
SI6o to the 81 200, and your father furnished the
capital to carry on the business with, to the amount
of $2o,50o.
The first shipment was made in the latter part
of 1914; the amount shipped this time was $780,
ooo. In the commencement of 1915 they shipped
$4,000. In July of the same year they shipped
100000, and from that time till Nov, 1917, the
whole amount shipped. including the above men
toned sums, was 2,8oo,ooe. All the transactions
were done by your father except the manufactur-
ino of the coin and that was done by my father