The Globe-republican., 1890-02-05
BLAKE SENTENCED.
The Gentleman Of Champagne Motor.
iety Guilty Of Blackmail.

uO u idI Vi "A. ~. DIdkcs 0lIaS "A. u.
Williams, alias A. c. Sanguinette who has
been for the past nine months persist
emily pursuing Mr.. Arthur Golham of
this city by letters threatening him with
all manner of things, and BY most mali
cious article in the newspapers insinua-
ted that Mr.. GOrham was his father, his
uncle. etc. was brought to a sudden and
unexpected close Wednesday by Blake
inrimating to his attorney. Fred Dumont
Smith. that lie had no further defense to
make and was ready to plead guilty.
Mr.. Smith, one of the best known law
yers in .6is judicial district. had been
appointed by the court to defend Blake.
and he has worked earnestly and well in
Blake's behalf. but the evidence against
his client was too overwhelming to be
met.
SOme thirty or forty letters from Blake
to Mr.. Gorham were presented in evil
dence. all demanding money and accom-
panied with threats of various kinds in
case the money was not forthcoming.
Notwithstanding Blake's assertions to
the reporters of California newspapers
that he had '.known GOrham from his
infancy" and that Ibis life was cOnnec-
ted with GOrham's from his earliest
BERTH it was certainly shown that Mr..
GOrham had never seen the fellow till,
upon coming out of his deliriOus cOndi-
ton during five weeks illness with
brain fever at the Centropolis hotel in
Kansas City in October 1885, he found
that Blake was the attending nurse, hav-
ing been detailed for that work by the
proprietor of the hotel of which he was
an employee.
This work Blake seems to have done
to the satisfaction of DR.. Jackson. who
was the attending physician. and to the
patient. and he was paid by the latter
500 for his services-that being the sum
named by the physician as proper for
such service.
Mr.. GOrham was grateful TO Blake for
the care he bad taken of him. and when
some months later he received Il letter
from him stating that be bad been very
sick with pneumonia in Chicago and was
peunlesS. and asked for $40. rs il loan,
with which to pay his board bill and re-
deem his clothes from pawn. GOrham
sent him the amount named.
Blake next turned up in the Joliet pen
itentiarv. where he was serving out a
sentence of year for larceny, from
which place he wrote Mr.. Gorham as
sorting his innocence of the charge.
In the spring of 1889, Blake, who had
at that time found his way to California,
began writing Mr.. Gorham threatening
letters demanding money. Receiving no
response to these he persistently caused
himself to be interviewed by reporters
of newspapers IN whatever city he might
happen to be. representing himself at
different times as related to GOrham in
one or the other of the above named
ways: at the same time continuing the
writing of letters to GOrham demanding
money, referring to his influence with
the reporters and threatening dire results
if his calls were not answered.
In November 1889 he caused an inter-
view to be published in Il San Francisco
daily representing that his so-called
'.father" had come to San Francisco and
settled upon him the prOdigious sum of
81 ,S00. 900 in consideration of his aban-
dOning all claims of relationship. 1t is
almost beyond comprehension that he
should have succeeded, as he did, in
finding people gullible enough to take
any stock in his story and loan him
money on the strength of what was COM
ing to him.
Finally, discouraged at getting no
recognition of his efforts from Gorham,
he came to Kansas City where he could
come closer home and where he hoped to
be more effective in his attacks.
There, however, he was within reach,
aud where he could be more easily dealt
with. 4 detective was detailed to make
friends with him, and gradually acquire
his full confidence, and to him Blake adj
mitted that he had worked upon Gorham
unsuccessfully since last spring; that re-
ceiving no replies to his letters he had
made his interviews with reporters his
special means of attack, and proposed to
continue it. He, however, opened up a
new plan of action to the detective and
agreed to give him One-third of what
they might get out of it if he would help
him bring it to Il successful issue.
Mr.. Blake was sentenced Wednesday
afternoon by Judge Vandivert to six
years in the penitentiary. The Judge.
before passing sentence, gave the young
man some good advice which probably
will prove beneficial after his term of in
generation expires.
Notice.
An examination will be held Friday
and Saturday. February 14th and 18th.
1890, to accommodate those who may