The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-11-11
A Black mailer Foiled.
Special Dispatch to the Enquiter.

Special Dispatch to the Enquiter.
WASHINGTON, November 81 In
last, Mr.. III. H. Willard, who
for many years was partner of Mr..
A. B. Webb, as an attorney at law,
with an office on F street. near Four
teenth, died at his residence in the
western part of the ty,quite sudden
ly, and within short time after he
had ten very hearty meal. His
death was certified to as apoplexy, and
in a short time he was buried. Mrs.
Willard subsequently obtained en-
plOynent in the Treasury Department.
About two weeks ago she received by
mail the following letter:
WASHINGTON, October %.
MADAM: L have obtained infOrma-
ton and proof that your husband was
foully dealt with, and that he came to
his death through means of poison,
administered to him directly or indi-
rectIy by your hands. 1 have in my
possession a bottle labeled poison, and
a reliable witness to prove that you
were seen to put it in your water-clOset.
l have the name of the druggist from
whom it was purchased, and of the
party who purchased it, and can prove
by several other witnesses that before
your husbands death you We're CLAN
destinely meeting certain young
man, and that you have since your
husbands death received his atten-
tiOns. Now, l have been some time
making up this case, and expect to
make a few dollars out of it. To do
this l will only have to prove to the
Government that your husband was
foully dealt with, by furnishing to the
Prosecuting Attorney the proof above
mentioned, aud calling for dissectiOns
of your late husbands stomach. can
easily do this, but don't desire to see
you prosecuted, and will not, if I can
get my fee without it. If you are will
ling to pay me the amount that will
receive in the case (Which is 5000, 1
will send you the bottle labeled poison
spoken of, and solemnly swear that the
matter shall ever be kept secret. II
you refuse to do this, my advice to you
is to leave the city and this region OF
the country, for I must give the case
TO the District Attorney on the 3Oth OF
this month. l have no motive in
making this demand of you, except to
save you from the consequences of the
law in a trial of murder in the first
degree. 1t is immaterial to me wheth-
er you poisoned your husband o.. not.
All have to do to get my money is to
prove that your husband was poisoned,
which will be done by having his re-
mains dissected. If you desire to save
yourself further trouble in this matter,
put the following in the Evening Star
next Tuesday:
"'V; 1 will pay the amount re-
quested. W.
"If the above appears in the Star
the day named, will then give you
my address. If not, shall take it for
0raIIted that Won refuse .-. st ii
"P. S.-The notice can be sent, and
save your going to the office of the
Star in person." -ii-l.. I;s.i,'s-r. e.
F Mrs. Willard made no reply to this,
and on October 3ist, received another
letter, stating that 1.-THE notice not
having appeared, he supposed that she
had decided not to pay the amount
that the writer sees she does not ap-
preciate the favor, and she may think
that, having offered to sell his evidence
that he has debarred himself from fur
nishing the evidence to the District
Attorney, and claiming his 5000; but
have many assistants. to any one OF
whom / could commit the case. and
who are my employees, Whom you cannot buy
When / turn it over the law must take
| its course. The prominent, facts are
that an old colOred woman whom yoU
| turned out of your house to die,
traced over to Maryland, who is now
dead, but l have her ante-mOrten
statement that you secreted the poison
in the water-closet, and L have thu
| bottle now. A young man 'namet
! billiard will supply the motive; &C.,
and he gives directions about meeting
| him at the corner of Ninth street anC
Penr sylvania avenue. af 3. .iif.
Mrs. Willard, taking the advice o
some friends, at once consulted will
: Messrs. T. f. Miller and j. F. Riley
ives, and, acting on their advice, Mrs
| Willard caused to be published per
sonal in the Star as follows;
uuested. w."
Mrs, Willard on Saturday received .
note, which she should have received
on Friday, making an appointment t.
meet her on Friday evening. On Mon
day she received another letter, ant
replied as follows in the personal col
umn of the Star on Monday:
": Letter not received till: 3Oth
will accede /; name time. W."
Yesterday morning Mrs. Willard re
ceived a note in reply as follows: '"-a
WASHINGTON, November ?, 1880.
| "W: Your response is we'll IN tn,
Star of the lst of this month (yester
day.. The time l set is 4:30 p. m: to
day. Observe the other instruction.
as laid down'in last Wednesdays let
| ter, which you acknowledged receiving
nutely. Observe them carefully, anG
all will be we'll if you act on the square
You shall hear from me in a few days
after this to give you some reliable facts
to enable you to judge who of yOul
present acquaintances are my .assO
ciates." .
He then repeats his directions as tc
meeting boy, &c. -.
Mrs. Willard immediately sent this
letter to her attorneys by lady friend
but it did not reach them until after
recess in the criminal court, in which
they were engaged in defending case
and they Immediately asked that the
case be adjourned over by Judge James,
stating that they had most important
engagement to meet. This was done,
aud they at once notified the detect
ives.
In short time Messrs McDevitt and
Voss were both disguised beyond rec
ognition, so we'll that each one failed
at first to recognize the other, and they
of Ninth street and the avenue~ Here
they saw Mrs. Willard alight from a
Ninth street car and meet the boy,
from whom she received a small pack
age. and passed over letter. The boy
Immediately walked up G street to
Tenth, where he met the we'll known
Perry Brown, who has figured hereto
fore in our Courts as resurrectionist
and also in connection with abortion
cases. The two, still followed ny the
officers, walked down the avenue to
the front of the Metropolitan Hotel,
where n young man was met by them,
and they Joined in conversation The
| officers walked up and arrested them,
when they attempted to run, and the
young man last net ran away across
the avenue, but was OverhauIed. They
were all locked up; the young man
met at the Metropolitan being register
ed as Paul b. Wright,,a young man
living on Capitol Hill,' a printer by
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