Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-11-23
NOT HER JOE.

Attempted BIackmniling Of Kate
ClaxtOn Young Man Pretends to be
her Son u Specimen Letter to His
"Dear Mamma"
st. Louis Nov. 2l.-On Saturday
morning of last week Detective Lawlor
brought into the captains Office man,
apparently about % or 80 years OF age,
medium height and poorely clad. The
detective registered his name and then
took him down stairs. The name of the
prisoner, as registered. is Charles Nc
Donald alias Joe Claxton. He is charg-
ed with matchmaking Kate Claxton, the
actress. Mcdonald wss walking down
the street when met by Lawlor, who
recognized him by picture he had in
his possession. Upon the Oath OF Octo-
Der last, Patrick Short, treasurer of the
Olympic Theater, received letter from
Charles Stephenson, husband of the
actress, Kate Claxton, from Rochester
N. Y. Stephenson stated that his wife
had been much annoyed by receiving
letters from person in this city claim
ing to be her son, who signed himself
"Joe Claxton." He asked her to send
money 80 he might 60 to her, then said
tina. his future would be in her hands
The letters became 30 frequent that
Stephenson wrote, requesting that the
man be hunted up and arrested. A
sample letter, tintype of the alleged son
and lock of hair were enclosed in the
letter to Mr.. Short. Mr.. Short sought
the aid ofthe police, and Lawlor was
assigned to look the man up, with the
result stated above. The sample letter
TO Miss Claxton is here given:
Sunday, July %, 1882.
My dear Mamma Claxton: / am very
sorry to hear about your trouble you
had. 1t made me feel bad because
was not there at the time. You only
know how. Poor Joe Claxten! | felt
like l could cut my throat at the time
l heard it. Tears came out in floods.
am not writing to make you believe
anything wrong about me. They say
in st. Louis that l cursed you, but,
honest in heaven, did not say any
thing about you. l really love you with
all my heart, body, soul, mind, thought.
For Gods sake, send for me, then I can
leave st. Louis where can see you
and talk know harm by me. Dear
mamma, try and bring little thought
to your mind, and let me be your ser
want. Ii come to New York, l won't
say one word. Put me where you think
proper, but don't let me die in st. Louis
for God Almighty's sake. Please, man.
ma, forgive me once for all l lave said
about you. go down every night to
wait your coming to the Union depot.
So no more at present from your son
JOE CLAYTON.
P. 81 am afraid of you, but nc
body else, if there is somebody else
probable. If he is alive. They tell me
you have baby. Kiss it all the time
for me. If | was there | would be q
better boy. | love you. | would 90 down
on my knees and ask pardon from you.
| am not dead. Please send zoe few
lines.
This winds up this very cratic and
disjointed letter, which evidences some
what the ear marks of crank. The
tintype is evidently gotten up by Nc
Donald to create favorable impression
on his alleged relative, for he is shown
in very dramatic posture. His right
arm is supported by corinthian pillar,
and the background is a pleasant land
scape scene. The prisoner wears q
sleuch hat, which is perched jauntily
on his head. The lock of hair is done
up in paper, and inscribed, "Keep for
Joe. Think of me-" 1t would appear
from the letter that Mcdonald had moth
ing but intense filial regard for his So
called mother, but, from other letters,
it seemed he had asked directly for
money, on the ground of relationship
existing between them. Mcdonald
manners and actions do not appear
those of a crank, and it is thought to be
the abortive attempt of q cunning but
Ignorant man to extort money from the
lady. A reporter Intercepted him after
he was placed in his CELL He
TALKS LIKE AN ENGLIsHMAN.
He SAID he had been told when very
young that he was Kate Claxton's son,
and that he had ever believed it to be
true. He said that in his early child
hood, aud to the best of his knowledge,
until he was ten years old he lived ia
Loiuoii, EhSiallu. lAeu ne Was
brought to this country, by whom he
could not say. He said he was born
in New York. He cannot state or at
least would not, how long he had been
here. He was asked what he did for a
living. He replied that he did odd
jobs around, worked a handcart- in
fact, anything he could get to do. Miss
Kate Ulaxton, of course, cannot cancel
ner engagements, come here and pros
ecute the man; consequently charge
of vagrancy will be entered against
him, and he will be driven from the
city. Manager John w. Norton of tn e
Grand Opera House, said that Pat
Short had received the letters from Mr..
Stevenson, and that he knew something
about the matter. THE detectives
were here" said Mr.. Norton, "and we
read them all the letters. This fellow
claims to be Kate Claxton's son. Now
that he has been caught he wants to
beg off. He is we'll knowH to the po-
lice and has been sent to the work
house more than once. He is some
fellow who thought this good scheme
to raise money and failed on it; that is
ALL"