The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-05-30
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sems Who Thrive by ths Art-vsristiss Of
BlAoim,i., @u

LLI
The advantage sought by the black
mailer Is not always pecuniary. There is
one very successful blackmailer WHIT boasts
that he never takes n dollar. and he does
not He demands local political Offices,
and he has been, until lately, in the habit
Of getting them. There 10 not so mnch OF
this political blackInailing now as there
used 10 be. but. in the old days Of the
Ring" it was carried to the height OF o
fine art, and some of the best offices were
occupied either by blackmailers or their
Representatives, who mounted into power
on their trade in ~disreputable political So
crets.
There are other varieties Of hlackmailers
who did not directly extort money. There
10 o "man about town" who 10 welcome
or at least received by several families
moving In the best society, and who passes
for . !. society man" simply and solely on
the strength Of the secrets e possesses con.
corning this very :. best society"
He has made himself acquainted with
the precise character Of various family
kksletons which are kept in the dark closets
Of I" fashionable " families, and the unfor-
tunate owners Of these closet skeletons are
only too glad to purchase his silence. by
extending 4 him the social courtesies due
only to "a gentleman" This social black
mailing IL much more prevalent than would
be imagined Il priori. Not every one
knows how much Of this bad element there
70 In society.
Not long ago, q man without wealth,
without education. without family connec-
lions, and without character. became. to
the astonishment OF everybody. allied b
marriage with one OF our best families.
The nffair created some natural gossip, at
the time, and yet nothing was more simple.
This man, with everything else. was, also,
without scruples Of conscience. md having
detected his would be. father in law twbo
bore an almost immaculate reputation, and
whose success in life depended upon this
very reputation). in the twin vices OF gan.
bling and immortality. he used his discov-
cry. without mercy, demanded from the
tortured parent permission TO . pay his nd
dresses to his daughter, and when these
odious addresses were repealed by the young
lady herself. be forced the father into com.
pliance. The latter her insisted upon his
daughters compliance. and o loathsomo
union was the result Of youth. beauty and
virtue. wit age and inglofious vice.
Many OF this class Of blarkmailers, those
society pests, are women and q case 70
now tolerably well known in social circles,
which demonstrates how these women
work.
A prominent and wealthy widow Of this
city IL accompanied to balls, parties and
receptions, to Saratoga and to Europe, by q
young lady OF tolerable personal attractions
and accomplishment 3, to whom the widow
seems devotedly attached, and to whose
pleasure, happiness and success she is never
wearied Of contributing.
One would think while witnessing the
pair that they are near relatives, but they
are not or perhaps the dearest Of friends;
they are not. The only tie between them
10 that Of blackmail on the part Of the
younger woman.
She found out q secret involving the
wealthy widows reputation, and has trad
ed on the discovery in her own peculiar
why. 1t Is n safe way, for 1t violates no
law. The lady makes no threats. She
asks for no particular sum Of money. She
only trusts to the widows DR.. cd Of social
opinion, and she ....s demands merely
social and personal recognition-a boon
which includes, In her case, all others.
Occasionally, though rare, there are In.
stances Of what. for lack of a better title,
may be called business blackmailiDg. In
cases Of this kind advantage is taken by one
party Of certain secrets to force trade or
business dealings with the other party.
Thus. the writer knows Of one case In
point, In which n boot and shoe manufac.
1891 ap4oS RhANdaT$o oA " tt<AlutL u
another house-not on account OF the quail
ity or price Of the leather furnished by tho
second house. but by force o. certain knowl.
edge gained by a clerk Of this latter firm
concerning the habits and domestic rela.
tons OF the head Of the boot and shoe es-
tablishmcnt.
Though comparatively rare, this sort Of
Matchmaking Is not, pos lively.
and It exists to n sufficient degree to be in.
Guided among the prevalent system Of black.
mail.
1t can be seen that this sort Of black.
mailing Is something which is understood
between the parties rather than expressed.
1t IL never reduced to The shape Of a de-.
mand Of q stipulated sum. 1t does not take
the form Of o written or verbal threat. It
cannot be COPIED with or overcome by any
law. because il does not appear In such
shapes as to Violate any law. =. Star.