Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-09-30
A DESPICABhE VILLAIN.
de Lives by Levying Blackmail
on Congressman and Others.
How Plucky Senator Disposed of This
Excuse for a Mana Newspaper Man
Drives the Scoundrel from the
Capitol in Hot Haste.
Especial Washington Letter.

Newly-elected statesmen, about to
enter upon career in the house of rep
rescntativcs, will do we'll to hearllen
unto few words Of wisdom out of the
lips of experience.
There is professional blacl1mailer
in Washington, and he has been living
well in his chosen profession. He has
been IN the business for at least fifteen
years, knows all about it, knows how
to discover victims, knows how to
bleed them, knows how to keep out
of the hands of the police and has
never been prosecuted. Nobody can
tell exactly how he operates for he
seems to have different schemes to suit
different individuals. He does not de-
vote all his time to senators and repre-
sentativcs, but also burrows into the
purses of cabinet officers and heads of
department bureaus.
lie scans all the hotel registers,
makes inquiry concerning the business
of guests and, if he can work dollar
out of their pockets, he does so. Ere
quently when Office seekers come here
he manages to ascertain their ambi-
tions, hopes and desires; and then offers
his services as an attorney. He wears
grand army button, claims to be the
publisher of Il grand army newspaper,
and to have influence with the heads of
departments. Not long since he caught
Il new arrival, ascertained that he had
been promised q position as messenger
at salary of $50 peg month, went to the
chief clerk of the department and told
him that the man was unworthy the
position and asked that the appoint
ment be held up until he could prove
his statements. The newcomer went
to the department and was told that
there was a "hitch" in the matter, and
that his appointment was held up. The
blackmailcr then saw his victim and
agreed to have the appointment made
Immediately upon q contingent fee of
f10 per month for one year. The vic
tim made the agreement. The next
morning the blackmailcr appeared be
fore the chief clerk of the department
and Withdrew his charges, saying: 4
had reference to another man of the
same name" ThcreupOn the appoint
mcnt was made out as originally in
tended, and the blackmailcr gets $40
per month from his victim, besides
other monies which he borrows from
time to time and never repays.
He has quite number of regular vic
tins of this kind. He is a blatant,
ioud-mouthcd fellow, with infinite as
surancc, who walks into the offices Of
| leading officials, makes himself at
home in their presence, assumes to be
| their best friend calls some of them by
their first name, and nobody declines to
treat him we'll, because each and every
body fears him.
When the Fifty-frst congress con-
vcncd the blackmailer Swallowed every
new member, and he will do the same
with every new member Of the Fifty
second congress when it convcncs i'll
December. He will keep Il record of
their doings from day to day, and will
be able to state just how many times
they drink, how often they gamble,
whether for money or for sociability;
and if they do anything worse and have
any social entanglements he will know
it. Then, after selecting his victims,
he will apply his augur and bore into
them for money. He will write an ar
ticle stating certain facts about them,
giving q wicked cOlOring to even the
most innocent happenings, and show
the article to the new congressman. II
will not be libelOuS, nor render the
blacllmailcr indictablc for Islander; but
it will be an article which, if published
at home would politically ruin the con
gresham. AS soon as his victim read,
the article he will be in q SrrrendcrinC
condition. and want to do anything il
the world, even to the paying of money
to have the article suppressed. AS soOI
as the victim commences to pay the
blackInailcr, he will be in his clutches
during his entire public life. There arr
several members of congress to-day
= who are paying this villain from TWEEN
ty to fifty t$ollars each per month.
There was an Iowa man appointed
: nostmaste of q preSidential post Offic,