The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-04-26
BLACK MAILING.

uoVu oSSoStilO VI q W bIdSNlidIl SCl
tain parties in New York City. The follow.
lowing. taken from the St. Louis Globe
Democrat, explains the whole matter: @1
"Of all the crimes in the rogue's calendar,
perhaps none is more atrocious, and surely
none is more likely Of. escaping detection
The great commercial streets and aristocratic
avenues of our own city, if they would but
speak, could tell frightful tales of the preva-
lence of this crime, tales as frightful as that
which a few days ago became revealed in the
city of New York. That tale substantially
runs thus: Louis Strasberger q Co. con-
stitute a wealthy firm of importers of dia-
mends and jewelly at No. Is Maiden Lane,
New York City. In October of last year,
Mr.. Strasberger, on his return from a bust
ness trip to Europe, became acquainted, dur
ing the voyage, with a Mr.. Vogel, who con-
trived to learn from him and from a govern
ess-Miss Louise Spelter-traveling with his
family, all about his and his firms %pecuniary
circumstances, their personal habits, temper
aments, etc. This Vogel, it seems, had an
acquaintance named Sagert, who in time be-
came an accomplice. After the arrival of the
party in New York, Mr.. Vosel continued his
intimacy with Strasberger's governess, and at
least once was accompanied in his visits by
the man Sagert. The reason why Mr.. Vogel
thus engaged Sagert in behalf of his project
ed crime was simply this: Sagert was a
half crazy tool, who imagined himself or was
- $500 . 4 -. D.z:-. NT.l:1.4 IT. ,l
could readily be induced to commit any crime
against the Strasbergerfamily when told that
such actions as that crime demanded were
necessary in the cause of the Nihilists.
The crime, which Mr.. Vogel had conceived
in his mind, and for the commission of which
he had engaged Mr.. Sagert, was the nfamou
one of Matchmaking. The first step in its
commission was the sending of the following
letter to Mrs. Strasberger:
DECEMBER "a, 1SSO.-[Mrs. S. is a sister
Of Mrs. Adler, the wife of SIS partner, and
hence the plural. You are no doubt aware
that your husbands were sentenced to pay
6 $4,000. We now address you, my dear mad
am, personally, and repeat the demand which
we expect t be complied with, unless you
want a funeral soon in your families. If you
are willing to hinder bloodshed, Mrs. Stras-
berger hould ride on a Seventh avenue car
alone to the corner of Broadway and Barclay
street. Let her have plenty of money, and
between $3.50 and 4 O'Clock walk from Broad
way at Barclay street, to West Broad way
three times, carrying the envelope containing
the money exposed in her hand.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, THIRD AVENUE
The vagueness of The threat, "a, we'll as Of
the statement, that 'your husbands were SEN
fenced, etc" Is characteristic of the genuine
blackmailer. Luckily. the lady had no fear
in her bosom, and gave the letter over to her
husband who, with equal fearlessness, put
the whole matter in charge of the detective
police. Mrs. S. did as the letter directed her,
but was met by 10 one to receive her eEvel-
ope, stuffed with worthless paper.
The next step was not taken til! three
months afterward. On the 9th of March,
1881, Rabbi Huebscb, of whose school, at
tached to his synagogue, Rose Strasherger, an
eleven-year old daughter Of Mrs. s. was a pu-
pill, received a note, signed Strasberger, re-
q~uesting him to let Rose come home at once
on account of sudden sickness i'll the family.
9Th letter was delivered by Il girl, who said
presumably Vogel and Sagert. But DR..
Huebsch, suspecting something wrong in the
matter, kept the girl till school was over, and
then sent her home with an escort. The
note of course. turned out to be forgery; and
1t became evident that the Matchmaking
scoundrels had attempted to kidnap the child.
The reason why Sagert seems to have lent
himself to the execution of this scheme. was
that he was made 10 believe the Strasberger
family had Nihilistic documents in their pos.
session, which must be procured at any cost,
and could be gotten hold of only by the ab-
duction of the girl Rose. Sagert had rented
rooms for the reception and detention of the
little girl, ond indeed prepared everything in
view of the success of the abduction scheme.
Then came the third step of blackmail NC,
which is laid open by this letter received by
Mrs. Strasberger:
MARCH, 2S, 1SS1.-Mrs. Strasbereer We
made yesterday the first attempt to take YOU
daughter away. We simply wanted to show
you what steps we are capable eventually of
taking, so that you may have all idea of what
to do. We warn you again to comply strict
ly with our wishes, aud in case we do not
hear at 4 o'clock on Monday, positively that
you have the mentioned amount with YOU.
you will be CONVINCED thereafter Of our pow
er and the work we are prepared tn accom-
plish. We at last shall find a minute which;
in your family history shall stand alone. In
case You don't follow our desires, to carry
through our different plans, we shall be
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