New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-08
/ RTACKMAILER SHOT DOWN

~mxR--0rHKRs ARRESTED.
-.n.me to levy blackmail upon a rich
60 ieweller of this city, Louis
o..ssh.reer. of No. 10 Maiden-lane, ended
~.~.1sy in the death of one OF
z. b,sekmsiIers, who was shot by Detective
3 r.,.rhell at Sixty -frst-st. and Madison-ave.
m. n,au began by a threatening letter. which
80 followed by an attempt to kidnap Mr'
ct,.abureer's little girl. The blackmaiers
!. their letters claimed to be Nihllists. YES
.e,aay. when one of the men was arrested by
nsksctive Campbell, he Threatened to Kill the
8 .Ascer who shot him In self-defence. Several
.thsr arrests were made and the details OF
the plot we're confessed.
ELABORATE yILLANY FATALLY ENDED.
HOW TIE PLOT BEGAN-DECoY EFFORTS OF HE
PoIIcE-THREATs OF NITRo-GLfCERNE-ihE
TRAGEDY AT slxTY-FIRsT-sT. AND NADIsoN-AvE.
Mr. Strasburger is prominent Hebrew rcporeeu
4o IA very wealthy. He lives with his wife ana
four children ct No. 12S East Sixty-hrst-st. One
Of the children is girl of eleven years, called Rose
The family attend the Synagogue at Lexington
ave- and Fifty -fth-st, and there the children Roto
school. Charles Adler, Mr.. Strasburgers partner.
lives at No. 26 West Fftv-fourth-st. The two
men married sisters The threats of the black
.
families, and addressed to the women upon
whose fears they expected to work In Mr.. Stras-
burgers family Miss Louisa Spelten was governess
Christmas Day letter addressed 10 Mrs. Stras-
burger and Mrs Adler jointly was received at Mr.
Strasburger's house. Ii was printed, as was also
fbe address on the envelope; and, like all of the
succeeding correspondence. was in the German
language The letter ran as follows:
You are no doubt aware that your hnsoanos were
senteuced to pay 100000. We now address y0n, ny
dear madams personally ani rspea! me deman when
funeral soon your families you are willing to hn-
der eSOasnsd n 80 1s cosnep Of BeodWay
and Barclayst Let her have plenty OF money ana Oe-
slav-s TO Broadway three times carrying the en-
selape containing the money EXPOSED IN nrI Land,
Thrd-ave.
ATTEMPTED KIDNAPPING.
Thismessage caused some merrlment in tho family.
an n remarkably clumsy attempt at backmaii.
When it had ceased TO amuse. 1t was forgotten, ana
nothing whatever occurred to disturb tho of the
household till Sunday. March 81 fully three months
later. On that day attempt was made TO kidnap
Mr. Strasburger's little daughter The child was at
sehool IN the forenoon when little girl brought
letter. gwen to her by stranger in waiting outside,
to Rabbi HueOscz, who was In charge oil the GLASS;
"ieSi 90 ''"'"'' March 27. 1881.
Herewith request you TO let my DAUGHTER Rose 20
bono account OF the sudden sickness OF one
cfthe family srRAssbURGkR.
The note vas written ON paper that bore the name
of the apparent writer IN the corner, but Dr.
Huebscz noticed that the name was spelled wrongly
With two ss and THIS excited ms sdspc,tp ha m dne me
In her house wrote at all like the one who had wit-
ten the letter; certainly not her father The Doctor
now went the vestibule where the stranger was
waiting He found there two men, one OF whom i'm,
mediately hurried away. The other remained, and
sernt,on az reported by him applied to Mr.. sirns-
burecr had given him the letter. he demanded inc
child, bat Dr. Hiebscz reasoning that she wa was p 30
himself had he wanted her. refused to let her co.
The man thereupon abruptly departed
MORE LETTERS.
Early the following day. letter. addressed to
Mrs Sussbareer arrived. 1t signed, like the one
received in December. Executive Committee.
Tbird-ave" and threatened dire revenge unless the
amount OF money demanded at that time was paid
within week aud in the manne" then prescribed.
Mr. Strasburger now laid the matter before the po-
bcs and secured the assistance Of Captain Gunner,
Of the Twenty eighth Precinct. and his detectives.
From Police Headquarters Detective Heidelberg
was sent to assist the effort 10 capture the
blackmailers. March 20 another letter came; con-
ing the money. Under instructions OF the police.
they were followed in every particular Mrs stras,
burger followed by officers went over the prescribed
route, carving an envelope and day by day uay-
elled through the city on the errand. but In vain
nothing was heard of tho backmailers. Mrs Stras-
burger was becoming greatly worned Tor fear that
evil woud really befall her family. >.
April came the next missye. 1t contained a d.
rection to advertise consent 10 q compromise. MIR.
Strasburger complied. and inserted in German
newspaper the following advertisement:
The men not afraid State lowest terms. and where
payable
The reply was an inquiry "a TO the sum he would
paw He answered that he would give "a 600, aud
might, If necessary make the sum $4,000. 10 this
no published reply was received. but long letter
arrived by mail. 1t spoke of the writer as one
Of band OF Nlhlists determined to have Mr stras-
buIgers ilfo unless be paid the amount that was as
the child and detailed plot to kill Mr. strasourger
with a hand, grenade as he was going home IN the
it was said by accident The writer offered his ser
wees IN au effort at compromise No answer being
made TO- tins note. another threatening letter arrived
on last Tuesday. and one Wednesday The letter OF
Wednesday contained an advertisement cut from
Germat paper. of a reward offered By Mayor Howell,
Of Brookiy for the apprehension OF The person who
on March II. placed "a ptro-gyceriue bomb under
the stoop OF the house at No. 165 Cnton-st Brook-
St.rs n and sSOysyed m dark similar Pr drectos
were his behests not obeyed. Still no answer
was made.
THE FATAL RESULT
On Wednesday night the climax was reached.
Miss s2elten, the gcverness. alone in Mr. Stras-
burgers house when the bell was rung and n man
who sverted his face from the light that fell through
The open door presented letter. 1t was addressed
70 Mn. Strasburger Miss Spelten said that lady
vas out and asked If the letter might not be left at
Ne house and given 10 her In the morning. With
cat reply the man snached the letter and away
when this was reported TO Mr.. Strasburger ON bis
3susn, be at once communicated with Cap,
Z lam Gunner. who sent Detective Samuel
Campbell TO the house to watch
Ia the return OF the stranger. This was yesterday
Aorning. The man did not return. but in bis ste ad
& ab boy presented letter at noou aud straightway
= sway. The note was addrSsed to Mrs. strss-
NRga and read a. follows:
Hnat does this mean Immediately upon the receipt
= ~ let Miss Bpeltcn leave the house alone with the
s !. hsS ss hand wss through sSy .Si S ilsstst
- have only 10 regret tnnt ever wrote 70 YOU