Daily Republican., 1884-05-22
FOURTH EDITION,
A BIackmailing Scheme.

WIN - SSu uSuuS
A BIackmailing scheme.
According to the Philadelphia Press
this morning, a former Wilmingtoniar
is about to make it lively for several
citizens here, as the following, taken
from the columns of that paper, will
show:
"Jacob F. Frantz, of Wilmington,
Del, was held in 81, 400 bail, by Judge
Arnold, yesterday, on capias in civil
proceedings issued at the suit of Homer
A. Herr, who alleges that Frantz and
several confederates, who had not hith.
erto been arrested, robbed him by threat
Intimidation, Of about $4,000 in money
and promises to pay. The co-defend.
ants are Jerome b. Bell, Clinton Rice,
C. H, Lobdell, Edgar H. Cook,J. Pierce
and j. X. Baylis. Herr was the creditor
of several Of the defendants for money
loaned audmoney due from commercial
transactions. In Septem ber, 1882, they
all called at lis office, he AYERS in his
complaint, and, having secured the
|doors, by threats and intim idatien, COM
|pelled him to part with their individual
notes and money amounting to nearly
1000. They were threatened with
legal proceedings at the time and fire.
lquently since, but Mr. Herr says they
|they have never retu ned any part OF
the valuables claimed. The remaining
defendantsare to be arrested when they
are found. Mr. Herr says he will insti-
tute criminal proceedings at the termi-
nation of the civil suits"
As the above concerned a number OF
Wilmington most prominent citizens,
a reporter Of the REPUBLICAN inter
viewed several of the gentlemen direct
ly interested and learned that the ac.
tion of Homer A. Herr was nothing
more than a blackmailing scheme in.
augurated against several of our promi.
nent citizens, but when thoroughly
ventilated in the courts, will no doubt
place the plaintiff in very nnenviable
position. From an interview held with
one of the parties interested the follow.
ling particulars were CLEANED, which
gives short, but concise sketch of the
whole affair.
About the beginning of the year 1882,
o. d. McClelland, Of Philadelphia and
Homer a. Herr, formerly Of this city,
but now of Philadelphia, formed a pros
pecting company for the purpose Of
taking up mines and making other
Investments. At a subsequent M Getting
of the stockholders, the company was
duly formed and Homer A. Herr elected
Treasurer. The company thus formed
issued 100 shares Of stock, which rep
resented the capital stock Of the COM
pany and whose par value was 500 per
share, Mr.. Herr at once began to sell
the stock, the proceeds from which
were to 60 to Clinton Rice, prospector
Of the company, who was stationed at
Ell Paso, Texas, for the purpose Of de.
fraying the expenses of what Is termed
a mining eXpedi,ion,o or prospecting pur-
poses, which is gotten up with a view
of taking up mines, town or mill sites
or other business enterprises.
At the close of the first year Herr re
ported that the stock was all sold and
that the proceeds for the same had been
sent out to Mr.. Rice, the prospector.
Thus the matter rested Tor some length
of time, when parties interested became
somewhat uneasy about the concern,
and accordingly meeting of the Board
of Directors was called, at which time
j. Jackson Fierce, of this city, vulun
teered to go to Texas to see Mr.. Rice
and learn from him the exact situation
of the affairs OF the syndicate. After
ARRIVING there ard consulting with the
prospector, Mr.. Pierce discovered tbat
Instead of S., 900 or $4,000 being sent
out to Mr.. Rice, as reported to the Di-
rectors by Herr, only 5000 had been
received by Rice
Suspicion Immediately arose in the
mind of Mr.. Pierce that something was
wrong,and returning to Wilmington he
reported the state Of affairs TO the di-
rectors here, who decided 20 90 to phila
delphia in body and interview Mr..
Herr. In the meantime, however, Herr
had been repeatedly asked by different
stockholders at various times in refer
ence to tie funds Of the concern, when
he always replied that he, him self, had
sent between $1,000 and $1,000 to Mr..
Rice and that the balance had been
sent by other parties cOnnecteI with
the enterprise.
When the Directors aud severa
stockholders called on Mr.. Herr at his
loftice in Philadelphia, they were accom-.
Ipanied by Mr.. Rice, and it was their
Intention of ventilating the matter and
Irighting the wrong. DR.. Frantza acted
as spokesman and addressing Herr in a
friendly manner said: "Now, Homer,
what have you to offer these gentlemen
flor the wrong you have done or com.
mitted?" Herr replied, 81 will dc
most anything" or words to that eff
ect, which was frank admission on
Ibis part that something was crooked.
In reference to the papers alleged by
Herr to have been torcibly obtained
from him, according to the statement
of those who called on him, were de.
llivered up by Herr without any pro
ftest whatever, and he appeared to be
only too glad to get out of the scrape sc
easily. Among the papers thus st.
lcured was 10 shares of the stock and
some notes which Herr held against
Iparties who had purchased stock.
| Also note for from 500 to 1906
(,he exact figures could not be given
that Herr held against Frant2 for Dor
70 we'd money. After securing the
above the documents were converted
lIllO CttSu anu JIt ElUDty StHL W VI 1
Rice, ,including the personal note of DR.
Frautz, which was cashed By that gen
tleman, and the money turned over t,
the general fund.
This, however, did not fully cove
Herr's Indebtedness to the company
but they let the matter rest for time
Isupposing that Herr would set th'
matter straight by paying for his stool
which was previously reported paid ,bu
the money had never been paid over +
Rice. After the lapse of some time
Herr began to write threatening letter
to the directors and ckh0lders her
for the return of the papers, etc, whic
he voluntarily turned over to them, ant
Threatened them with legal proceed
ings.
They paid no heed to his threats, an
yesterday one of the participants Wa
Iarreste1 which vii rpsI,lt in hrinoiD n