The Republican journal., 1877-08-09
Blackmailers and their Victims.

llc ttlSllltSS uOllc DN tIllIllllul law NtIs
consists much more largely in tactics he
gotiations, etc, outside of the courts. thar
in the prosecution or defence Of criminals
before iulies An immense number o
crimes and misdemeanors are hushed III
| by the parties concerned and their law
yers, either in consideration of money
paid, or through lack Of evidence. or bl
the combined efforts OF the counsel or
either side, who, for various reasons may
advise settlement.
The extent to which blackmail is eX-
tortcd from the fears of persons who are
really or apparently guilty of crimes is
something startling, i'll 4 community like
| New York. Certain lawyers OF the un-
| scrupulOus class lend themselves to the
blackmalers, and make large fees by
such services. IN cXtortiOncr backed bv
a lawyer generally manages to screw
something out of his victim if hc is rich
and weak enough to yield to the pressure
of the conspiracy.
Now and then, however. after bleeding
freely, the victim turns and becomes the
assailant, in which case the lawyer and
blackmailcr ale liable to meet their des-
erts, as the laws are severe against such
otfenses, and neither judges nor iuries
show any mercy to the offenders in this
class of eases. Such an instance was that
OF one Niles, who twenty three years ago
was detected in conspiracy in which a
man and his wife We're associated with
him in a blaclnailing job. wherein the
victim, after submitting for season to
the eNtOrtion, turned at last on his perse-
cutOrs and. after securing the conviction
OF the principals. succeeded in having
Niles thrown over the bar. 1t was shown
upon the trial that the same parties had
been engaged for several years in the
business, and made their living by simi-
lar practices against many other persons
who had submitted to pay hush-money
rather than be exposed to the expense
and shame of a public prosecution, not
withstandng they We're really innocent
of any wrong in the matter.
AS Il rule these 'blacllmail cases" are
quietly settled for obvious reasons. The
mustN, dusty pigeon holes in lawyers
safes would tell some strange stories if
certain sealed envelopes could be opened
and the contents spread before our read
crs. But these matters are professional
secrets, which are guarded by the Cerberi
of lawyers offices and will never bc told
till the last great assiZe, when the Judge
of all will weigh the evidence, and pass
his sentence upon the guilty
During my professional practice was
connected more or less closely with sew
cral notable cases OF this kind. one was
that Of Il clergyman OF 4 fashionable
church uptown, around whom Il net
work Of circumstances had been cunning-
~ woven, and in a moment Of weakness
he yielded to the demand made upon him
us the price Of silence, notwithstanding
he was perfectly innocent of the charge
preferred.
The immediate instrument OF eXtortion
was lady member Of his congregation,
who crattily wrought upon his fears IN
such 4 manner that in the space of eigh-
teen months she had drawn from the vic
tim more than - 900. Having once paid
hush-money, he found, too late, that this
payment was treated us an acknowledge
ment Of guilt. and only paved the way
for fresh eXactions.
The anXeties and alarms of the untOr-
tunate man affected his health so serious
~ that he was but the shadow of his for
mer self; his flesh fell away, and his nerves
We're 50 much shattered that he feared
his reason would be dethroneu. Already
nearly one-haf of his savings from tWen-
ty Years of ministerial service had been
swept away, and he looked forward with
the gloomest forebodngs to the time
when, berett OF property, health and
hope, he should view ''Wth halow eye
and Wrinkled brow an age Of poverty"
Driven at last to desperation, he broke
the spell that bound him, and coming to
our office told the whole story, and be
sought our aid in eXtricating himself from
the tolls in which circumstances and his
own weakness and imprudcnce had in
Volyed him.
Acting on our advice he procured Il
three months leave OF absence, on the
plea of failing health, and retired to a
southern city, In the interim we employ
ed a detective who investigated the true
character and antecedents of the harry
who had fastened herself upon her pastor
For three years she had been Il mem
Der Of his church, passing herself off as Il
widow, but being in fact Il married WO-
man, bearing an assumed name, and be-
ing used by her husband, disreputabe
doctor, for the purpose OF levying black
mail upon the clergyman. A lawyer, too,
was mixed up in it-a shyster who proved
like Il nauscous parasite upon the COM
munity.
After the detective had mastered the
case thoroughly, we arranged an inter-
view in such a way that the clergyman
and three conspirators were brought to-
gether, the detective being so placed that
he could overhear what was said and at
the proper time he made his appearance
and took the three cNtOrtiOnerS into Gus
tody on the charge of backmail and OBJ
tanning money under false pretences. At
the same time we attached the doctors
house, which had been partly paid for
with the money screwed out of the clergy
man.
The entire matter was kept a dead
secret, but the pressure was so fOrciblv
applied that the whole amount of the eX-
tortions and all expenses was returned to
the victim, together with Il paper eXoner-
ating the clergyman from all wrong, and
contessing the villainy perpetrated. The
precious trio were then allowed to 90 scot
free.
Most Of these birds of prey-the black
iiiuiiliIS StlltIN -1ltlIl III IIdllS, Duu HOW
and then solitary vulture, possessing
himself of Il sinful secret, feeds alone ON
his spoil The following story came to
my knowledge, in consequence of my
connection professionally with one of the
actors IN the final stages of the transac-
tions which it involved
In the winter of 1861, a dry goods job
bing house, to whom we will give the
name OF Bolton x Co., were engaged
heavily in the southern trade, selling
goods annually in that section of our
country to the amount of one million, and
having an excellent name and credit with
the bank where it kept its account, and
with the trade generally. Bolton, the
senior partner, owned eight inter
est in the concern, and attended to all
the financial business, the junior partner
looking after the sales and purchases and
receiving only one-titth Of the profits as
recompense for his services and in lieu of
salary.
In the summer and fall of 1860, the