St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-14
BRIDEGRooMs
Would Rather Pay Blackmail
Than Have a Scene at the We'd

Would Rather Pay Blackmail
Than Have a Scene at the We'd
ding.
New York News
That New York is full Of people who
are willing to do anything but honest
work in order to obtain money, is a re-
mark that to the ordinary resident is
quite venerable ''chestnut." Black
mailing particularly has become an art
and finds many victims. 1t is carried
on by criminals of all grades. and they
carry on their schemes in such way
that they are seldom detected and con-
vIcted.
Blackmail is nearly always success
full, for in nine cases out of ten the VIC
tim has so far eliminated himself that
he will not go before the courts, for
fear of publicity. 1t is but seldom that
the blackmailer is punished any fur
ther than to be required to give up the
| money which he has eXtorted. Nearly
all the victims are country people who
have come to the city to see the sights,
and are willing to do so in company of
an affable stranger whose acquaintance
they usually make in hotel corridor.
The blackmailers know perfectly
horror of seeing their name-in a news
paper, and hence they are careful to
so commit the poor dupe that he can
make no complaint without dishoner-
ing himself. This fear of exposure
will nearly always suffice to make the
green cOuntryman pay reasonable
sum for silence, and it is only when the
blackmailerS force man to the wall
by repeated demands or tackle the
wrong person that they are caught and
punished.
One would think it was scarcely
necessary or possible for the black
mailer to practice his arts on man
who had committed no crime. but it is
doubtless done in this city every day.
Fashionable weddings furnish large
field for = blackmailers, particularly
when the intending groom is poor or a
man i'll moderate circumstances, while
the prospective bride is rich. There
are several ways OF manipulating the
weddings, but boldness is the principal
element of success in them all.
The bOldest step of all, however, is
when female blackmailer deliberately
rings the bell of a residence where
fashionable wedding breakfast or din
ner is being held, and inquiries in loud
and angry tones for the bridegroom.
III oSl 'ouG Will S0y tlldb
the gentleman cannot be seen, but the
female Will insist upon seeing him, and
threaten to make scene if she is re-
fused. The servant may know perfect
ly well that she is fraud. but at the
same time he sees that she is I'M
scrupulOuS and determined On CARRYING
her point. A policeman might be sum-
mOned to take her off the stOop, but be.
fore that could be done she would have
succeeded in screaming out all sorts of
accusations which would be heard all
over the neigh,orhood. The scandal
would get into the papers and all New
York would know of it. There is but
one thing to be done in order to prevent
trouble, and that is to quietly settle the
matter by paying sum of money.
Then only will the obnoxious visitor
depart.
Another scheme is for woman whose
appearance will excite sympathy to
call on the prospective bride, and in
an anxious. mysterious manner make
inquiry as to the truth of the report
that the young man is to be married
shortly. Very likely the young lady
will refuse to see the blackmailer, but
the latter, nothing disconnected. plies
her questions to the servant at the door
in such tone that they can be heard by
GiO pCOUlO GllC HOuSS. Die uIuSt
create the impression that she has been
wronged. and her queries all relate to
the approaching marriage. Finally,
she asks where the young man can be
found and departs, after having aroused
the suspicious of the family and got
them to discussing her mysterious visit.
A demand is made on the young
man, and lie is given time to consider
before making up his mind to accede to
it. He is very apt to determine to hush
the matter up; if there has ever been
the slightest irregularity iii his life, for
in all probability the family will ask
him some very pertinent and embarras-
sing questions about the young wom-
matter to offer satisfactory eXplana-
ton, because Of the woman'S apparent
sincerity, and the result is he Is mulct-
ed or '';,ll he is wOrth.'
Not unfrequently the woman goes
directly to the young man's place of
business without having visited the in
tended bride, and in the most imperious
manner demands to see him. At such
time, when the coming event has
been announced and everybody is
anXiously expecting it. it is important
that there should be no scene. for the
slightest hint of scandal would be fatal
w ehO hOpOo VI LIO young HALL nus.
whether the claim is bogus one or
there is the slightest foundation for it,
hush money is generally paid.
In addition to the wedding black
mailers, large number of scamps
make use of the hotels to find victims.
These fellows read the arrivals in the
newspapers or scan the register, and
then leave letter in the hotel box for
any one whom they think would be
likely to fall into their clutches.
The letters pretend to be on business.
or to revive an old acquaintance, but
most frequently they take the form of
''having noticed your arrival, and think
ing, perhaps, you were stranger in the
city and might want genial company.
l have ventured to send you my card"
The result is that if the visitor is
stranger and DESTROYS of seeing the ele-
plant, he cultivates the ''genial" gen.
tleman and gives the latter evidence on
which to demand hush money.
1t is almost impossible tn break up
Matchmaking. say the police. The re-
ward is too good, victims are too num-
erous, and the chances of escape too
certain, to make the blackmailer give
up trade which brings in with so little
work such rich reward.