Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-11-10
B~LACKMAILING A WIDOW.
A Dastardly scheme Fooled by
the Detectives.

WsshinEton special 70 the Uhicago Iimcs.l
A bold attempt 10 blackmail q re-
spectacle lady IN the treasury depart
ment has been foiled BY good manage
nent Of local detectives, In January
last Il. III. Willard. who for many
wears wAsap1rtaer with A. b. Webb
as an atcornw-at-hW. with an office
G 4 street. nslr ECurteeuth. died
II Is -rssi5zzee In this city, quite
zE- and within 3 short time At
~ u1-r hearty neal HIS death
vas as-1lts3 % S tTol ~aFoplexy, and
II mzf K EHs tlrlrA Hrs Willard
subsequently, vroc1rs3 employment in
ahs maEsz-y department. About tEO
Eseks Ir0 she reezTaa b DiI the
t8-lsF1nr
TEREATENIye LETTER
WASHINGTON Oct &-AR3Rm III
have obtained information and proot
thEt y0ur husband Vas ionlly dealt
with. and that be came 70 klE desth
through means q poison administered
to him, dreBtly OF indirectly. by sour
hands. / hayf in nv possession 8
hertle labeled poison. and 3 reliable
witness TO prove that Jon we're seen to
nut il in your water closet. 1 have the
name Of the druggist from whom 1t
was purchased, and Of the party who
purchased it, and can prove by sever
al other witnesses that before your
husbands death you were clandestine-
Is meeting e certain young man and
thar you have, since your husbands
3sEsh. resolved his attentions. Now,
ksFs been some time working up
zilE. IA3 expect 70 make a few dollars
en- q It. To do this | will oniy
hErt - Prove to the government that
Fsar hzsbsnd was foully dealt with,
By furnishing to the prosecuting attor-
neg the BroOf above mentioned.
and ealing for dissection Of
Fur late husbands stomach. |
ez1 easily do this, but | don't desire
60 see y0a prosecuted, and will not if
! eza get my fee without it. II you
are wiling 10 pay me an amount that
Kill ~FecsiFe In the case (which is
$40, l will send you the bottle label
ed poison spoken Of and solemnly
swear that the matter shall ever be kept
a secret. Ifyou do not do this, my
advice 10 you is to leave the city and
this region of country, for | must give
the ease to the district attorney on
the Both Of this month, have nc
motive in making this demand o. you
except to save you from the eonse.
quence of law in a trial for murder in
the first degree. 1t is immaterial to
me whether you poisoned you hus-
band or not. All that | have to do tC
get my money is to prove that youl
husband was poisoned, which will b.
done by having his remains dissected
IfyOu desire to save yourself further
trouble in this matter put the follow
ing in the Evening Star next Tuesday
lFor the Star
" will pay the amount request
ed. w.
If the above appears in the Star the
day named will then give you M
address. If not, | shall take It 70
granted that you refuse,
p. S.-The notice can be sent, ant
save your going to the Office (iB per
SOM Of the Star.
Mrs. Willard made no reply to this
and on October Sd received
ANOTHER LETTER,
stating that the notice not having ap
appeared, the writer supposes tina
she has decided not to payth amount
that the writer sees she docs not ap
pr%eciate the favor. and she may thinl
that, having offered TO sell his eyi
deace, he has debarred himself from
furnishing evidence 70 the district at
torney and claiming his two hundred
dollars; "but | have many assistants
TO any Of whom [ could commit th
case, who are my employers, whom
you cannot buy. When / turn it owe
to them the law must take its course
The prominent facts are that an oil
eolored woman, whom you turned GU
Ofyour house to die, | traced over
Maryland, who is now dead, but h
has her ante-mortem statement ths
you secreted poison in the water clio,
ct, and | have the bottle now.
young man named billiard will SUI
ply motive, etc. and the writer give
directions about meeting him at tn
corner Of Ninth street aud Pennsylvl
MIA avenue. Mrs. Willard, taking III
advice Of some friends, at once col
suited with hessrs. 7. X. Miller an
J. y. Riley, attorneys, and they
CALLED IN DETECTIVES
McDeyitt and Voss, and, acting 0
their advice, Mrs, Willard caused
be Published a personal in the Star, (
follows:
V: | will pay you the amount ?,
quested. w.
Mrs. Willard, on Saturday receive
note which she should have receive
on Friday, making an appointment /
meet her on Friday evening. Ga Nor
day she received another letter, an
replied as follows in the personal col
umn Of the Star Of Monday:
V: Letter not received till 3Otl
Will acceed. Name time. w.
Yesterday morning Mrs. Willar
received a note in reply, as follows:
WARRINGTON, Nov, 2, l880.-W
Your response is well. in the Sta
ofthc LIST Of this month yesterday
The time set is 1870 pm. TO day