The Irish standard., 1889-02-23
THE IRISH STANDARD: SATURDAY. FEBRUARY %.
CAUGHT IN a TRAP.
A. Shrewd Scheme for Blackmail.
ing Business Men.

A. Shrewd Scheme for Blackmail-
ing Business Men.
How Detroit Merchant Was Surprised
by Pretty Adventures and How He
Cleverly Turned tho Tables on
His Cay Visitor.
eyes" said Detroit merchant the other
day to Detroit Free Press reporter, ssninety
per cent. Of the stories about attempts to
blackmail the business men of the country
are true.''
"Possibly you may have had an expe-
rience Of the kinda" suggested the re-
porter.
IS Yes" replied the merchant, ''and that
is why speak with 80 much positiveness."
"But it wasn't successa" the reporter
ventured to remark.
"No," was the reply; "and probably only
because kept my wits about me. The ad-
ventures visited the counting three
times during an interval of ten days. On
the first two occasions my partner or some
one else happened to be present, but on the
last occasion she found me alone. She pre-
tended to be getting subscribers for an art
journal, and really interested me IN the
engravings she had with her, for my taste
was somewhat III that line. She had a
sweet voice and was fluent talker. She
was prettily dressed, and had just enough OF
gush not to awaken my suspicious
Handsome, was she:" asked the re-
porter.
"Well, yes-.stylish, at least--and with
what might be called q superbiigure. Sud-
denly she announced that unless gave her
fifty dollars she would set up an outcry and
alarm the entire store. looked at her a
moment in dumb amazement. There was 9
look in her bold, brown eyes that did not
like.
II saw my peril. My integrity at home
and in the community is A No. /. as you
very we'll know. But, suppose she had
screamed and brought clerks and custom
ers into the counting-room: Not q few
would have been ready to believe any
charge she might have made against me.
Even after man has been entirely vindi-
Gated his character is still somewhat
smirched, End against that there seems to
be NO redress. MY wife is not the least bit
jealous, and trusts me implicitly, and yet
would not have had her serenity disturbed
for ten times the sum demanded of me-
You can understand from this how mar.
ried ulan whose character is 4aot above re-
proach is quite likely to submit to the ex-
tortior. [ determined to outwit the design
ing woman.
'iThat is cool demand" 7 said, with
half-satisfied little laugh. ''The amount
does not surprise me--it is the sublime as
suranee. You are very bright and pleasing
and full Of daring, and wouldn't mind
knowing you better"
ssMy reply threw her Off her guard. My
temporizing pleased her. Her eyes warmed
up, aud she leaned closer to me.
ssBut,"I sand, II haven't the money about
ms.''
"Your check will do," she quietly re-
joined.
sAn right assented I.
aI tilled up check for the amount,
signed it and handed it to her. She scanned
it in a business~ike way and then SAID:
ST am much obliged to you.''
"Oh, don't mention IT," I said, with
glance that led her to suspect that was
trihe fascinated. II know you must be in
need. or you would not descend to such 9,
trick But allow me to suggest thaty you
have not been wary enough"
"Why?n asked she, with a puzzed look.
sThis telephone connects with the bank
upon which have drawn the check"
said. 81 could stop its payment before you
reached the sidewalk"
"That is true!' she sad, with discom-
fited air. sirll not take the check"
sShe laid it down and T picked it up.
ssFirst admired your inapasilsssce," / said;
"now am beginning to admire yoo. VIII
you please write down your name and ad-
dress! Possibly may CALI I'll send my
head book- keeper to the bank with you.
He'll youch for you and you'll got the mon
ey.''
q She looked at me keenly, then penciled
down her name and address. She thought
that I had stumbled to the racket as the
saying is, and that she could presume on
my cleverness in the future. I touched the
call-bell and 8 cash boy entered.
"Tel Mr.. T. to come here" said I, 81
want him to go with this lady to have a
check cashed for her."
sThe pretty little adventures had
smoothed her hair and repinned her collar.
When the head bcok-keeper came in said
to him:
"Mr. r., this lady has a work Of art to
show YOU. 1t is issued in monthly parts,
and the price seems quite ereasonable. She'll
explain it to you as she did to me-"
ssI caught up my hat aud walked out OF
the counting groom with the check in my
hand. The look Of baf1led rage which she
sent after me was comioal to see. She
frowned on the book-keeper, wrapped up
her sample copies and left"
s'She'll try it again. remarked the re-
porter.
ssNot here" replied the merchant "Im
never here alone now-neither is my part
ner. The very next day the book-keeper's
desk was put inside the railing tell you
there are all tue time schemes going on,
and you have TO be pretty sharp if q de-
signing woman happens to be at the bot
tom of them. I didn't think SO at first, but
I think SO now"
ssAnd did she give you her real names"
asked the reporter.
stThat I can't answer. The address was
correct, but she moved before detective
got there. She was little afraid of there
suit of her experiment. with me-"
cam at liberty to use this episode3"
asked the reporter.
s'Why, certainly, sir. l supposed that to
be the object Of your inquiries. An inkling
of the matter reached you, didn't theres"
eyes"
$50 suspected. Well, the story is just
as have given it to you. But you must
not pu blish my name or that Of the firm"