The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-26

ATTEMPT 10 ExToRT MONEY.-Some time
since an account was published in the papers o
an attempt having been made 20 throw the Ger
nantown ears lIomlhs me track by placing an OBJ,
have discovered and removed the obstruction
stated to the officers Of the Company that he
was stoned by some persons who we're concealed
in the distance, and being hit by one or two of
was not altogether credited; but still tor what
he claimed to have done, he was awarded ten
dollars.
A few days after this W. l.. Wilson the Cen
eral Superintendent of tie Company received
an anony letter, purportiug to come from
passenger on the tram, complaining that Thomas
West, the party who claimed to have removed the
obsirUtlonc, bad not been sufficiently re warded,
The letter further stated that thosein the train
at the time contemplated holding meeting
and making up purse for the man west, who
had saved their lives. This excited suspicion
that West himself was the author OF the note,
and that his story about removing distractions
on the road was all false from beginning to end,
and merely gotten up to extort money -,
Soon alter the communication was received the
following worde0 note was found pinned to
tree in Germantown :-"Puppies beware of this.
The next murder that is done IN Germantown
will be the young man that moved away the OBJ
strucions on the Germantown Railroad. Catch
lis, " you can" few days after this again
West started the story, while at his work In
factory where he was employed, that he was shot
at with bullet.
a p1stolshot was neard, and west produced
long piece of lead; but upon Investigation it was
shown that the shot had been fired from the
inside Of the building, through the window, the
smoke from the pistol being on that side Of the
glass. The lead which West claimed was the
bullet was pronounced by gunmaker never to
have been used for that purpose.
young lady who resides opposite the factory,
and was aoout ten feet from the window through
which the shot was alleged 10 have been fired,
said she heard the report, but saw no man.
Chief Detective Franklin, aud Detective George
Smith, who had the matter under investigation,
al once became satisfied that West had fired the
pistol, and also had written the anonymous COM
munlcaton, and the note on the tree
Yesterday they took him INTO custody, and
upon visiting his house found blue paper with
red ruled lines, corresponding In every particu-
lar with that upon which the notes were writ
ten. The handwriting of Vests wife was also
identified, it being said that the husband forced
the poor woman to write these letter. The pTi-
soner partially confessed his guilt.
The case was heard this morning before Alder
man Beitler who in binding the defendant over
tor his appearance at court, said that the affair
was one that had caused great fear among
the good people of Germantown, who had not
yet recovered from the effects produced by the
brutal butcLery of Miss Watts. Many of them,
since the affair was made public were afraid to
ride IN the cars. and the business of the Com
pany, had not the conspiracy been thus ex-
ploded, might bave been seriously injured.