Los Angeles herald., 1891-02-02
HOW ABOUT THIS?
A POLICEMAN AN ALLEGED BLACK
MAILER.
An Opportunity for Chief Glass to Do
Some Investigating If He Feels 30
Inciined-Mrs. Essler's Story

II Officer T. j. Dorsey is to bebelieved,
he is the most unlucky man upon the
police force Of this city, for ever since
the proud day upon which he first
donned the blue uniform with gilt butt
tons, he has been almost continuously
in hot water. But, strange to say, he
has wiggled out OF all his scrapes up to
the present time, on the ground that
they were pieces of spite work on the
part OF some one or other who had a
grudge against him.
a few days ago, however, story leak
ed out concerning Dorsey, which
may result in his being relieved from
duty for some time to come, as it per-
tains to matter which is Of far more
serious nature than any Of his former es-
capades. The first intimation of the
affair was received by a well-known de-
tective of this city, who was requested
to investigate a case OF blackmail al
legged to have been levied upon poor
woman residing at lodging house on
Regent street, by a man who purported
to be policeman. The woman, whose
name is Mrs. Mary Essler, stated that
on the afternoon of Friday, Jan. 10th,
this man called upon her, and showing
her an anonymous letter, rejecting
upon her reputation, told her that it
would be published in paper on the
following morning, and asked her what
she was going to do about it. After
some further parley the man suggested
as the best means of preventing it's pub
lication that she pay for its suppress
sion, at the same time Offer
ing to engineer the matter for her.
Accordingly arrangements were made
whereby she was to- meet her disinter-
ested friend next morning at the police
station, who promised on his part to in
trOduce her to man who would sup
press the obnoxious letter for $40. True
to her appointment, che appeared at the
station, and after waiting for few min
utes she was joined by the policeman,
who ushered her into room in the
building, which has since been identi-
fed as that set apart for the reporters,
and but seldom used in the day time.
Here che saw dark man, wearing a soft
slouch hat drawn over his eyes, but
from under which she noticed a very
dark mustache. In reply TO her query
as to whether this was the place where
she was required to pay the $40, the
stranger replied that it was, and took
the profered money. She then
asked whether it was neces-
sary to have a receipt for her
money, and on being told that it was
not, she turned to ask her friend the
policeman about it, but found that he
had slipped away unnoticed. She
stepped outside to look for him but
could not see anything of him, and on
returning to the room found that the
dark stranger had also, disappeared.
Being considerably excited over the
matter, and not caring to be seen about
the station, she also hastily took her de-
parture and returned home. Atfirsts she
kept her own counsel about the affair,
but a remark she made a few days later
to a friend, led her to inquire more fully
and the story was told. The friends
husband, on learning of the matter, in
formed the detective and asked him to
investigate it.
Mrs. Essler was taken to the police
station and told her story to the author
tiles. From the description she gave of
the policeman who first called upon her,
it was supposed that Dorsey was the
culprit, and he was called in before the
woman, who. however, could not identify
him positively saying only 'thatitlooked
like him." Dorsey was questioned very
closely about the matter, and admitted
that he had shown Mrs. Essler an
anonymous letter, but positively denied
that he had made any such proposition,
as she alleged, and declared that an,
other ''job'' was being put up on him.
An effort was made to induce Mrs. Ess-
Ter to swear to specific charges against
Dorsey, so that the matter might be
taken before the board Of police com
missioners and thoroughly investigated,
but this she positively refuses to do,
saying that she has no proof and that
her husband is very sick in San Francis
co, and has written for her to come to
him at once. Whether the woman's
story is wholly true or not remains to
be seen, but the fact that Dorsey admits
having taken the letter to her is sutfi-
cient evidence that it has some founda-
tion. .s
Death Of walter TayIdur English.
Walter Taylour English, well-known
attorney Of this city. died at his resi-
dence last night. The deceased was a
native of Canada. about * wears old.