Evening journal., 1891-12-30

The Crnnks Plan.
The plan was TO induce the young woman,
on some pretext or other, to enter a cab near
her fathers residence, Fifth avenue and
Forty seventh street Won Alchaels and
companion were 10 follow her into the vehi-
Gle and draw the blinds, and the driver was l
to carry the party to New Jersey, whore a !
train would be boarded for the west. Won
Michaels asked Bassford for his advice and /
assistance. Mr. Bnssford was appalled,. The :
andacity Of the proposition and its terrible
consequences appeared 10 him IN no uncer 7
tain way and he set about discovering Won |
Michnels' whereabouts.
Sent a Lesser to Helen.
While the insurance man was deliberating
as to what was best to do he received pos
tai card from Won Michaes.
II have sent letter 70 Helen, through
Rosa. the cook the postal card read: ''She
knows about the elopement plan. / want
you to 60 to Mr. Gould's house, get nc
quainted with some Of the servants and find
out about Miss Goulds hours for walking
and visiting. Help me out in this and there
is a million in it for both OF us.n
A Prince ION His Uppers."
Mr. Bassford, now thoroughly alarmed,
went to the East Sixty-seventh street sta-
ton and met Captain Gunner and Ward De-
tective Campbell He showed the letter and
postal card and told what he knew Of Won
Michaels
He first met Won Michaels ten months
ago when the latter had an Office on Third
avenue, near Eighty-hrst street His sign
read, "Palmist and Phrenologist,n and Bass
ford found him full Of schemes and with a
wonderful knowledge Of the domestic af-
fairs Of aristocratic households. He seemed
to take fancy 70 the insurance man.
Won Michaels said he was a prince by
birth and heir TO q vast estate now in litiga-
ton in Germany. The alleged prince sdmdt-
ted that he was "on his uppersn and made q
living by peddling trashy novels.
II go to the servants door he said, 'and
show the books When pve gained admit
tance / use my gifts in palmistry and phre-
nology and then learn from the maids and
buffers all about their masters and mis-
tresses.n
lie Met George Gould.
Captain Gunner told Mr. Bassford 10 come
TO the station house on Saturday night,
Dec. 12 When the insurance man arrived
he met George Gould, the millonaires eld-
est son. Mr.. Bassford produced the letter
and postal card. Mr.. Gould was startled.
"Why, this fellow has sent letters TO my
sister Helen,n he said They came while
we were at Irvington last summer. The
letters were signed Prince Miohaels',n
Captain Gunner expressed his opinion
that the man was crank, and Mr.. Gould
affected to coincide with him. The police
captain wanted to knowif the Gould family
would like to have Won Michaels arrested
and Mr. Gould said no. An arrest would
bring publicity, and the idea Of kidnapping
some member Of the family might be taken
up by some other crank.
To Look out for the Prince.
When Miss Helen Gould's first reception
took place last Saturday night one Of the
detectives on guard had special instructions
to lock out for Won Michaels He is about
twenty-seven years old, 5 feet inches tall
with high forehead, red hair and sandy
mustache He did not appear that night.
/ A day or two after the interview in the
station house Mr.. Bassford was perturbed
by receiving visit from Won Michaels. The
insurance man berated his guest roundly
and wound mp by telling Of his meeting with
George Gould.
"He says you ought to be in an asylum, =
Mr. Bassford declared, land l think so too. "
Thinks Jay Gould Needs a son-in-Law.
Won Michaels took things very coolly He
insisted that Helen Gould would make no
resistance il he could once induce her to en-
ter carriage with him, and began long
argument showing how both he and Bass
ford could gain riches and jay Gould SON
I in-law, il only his scheme were successful.
The next day Bassford received this letter
ROYAL HOUSE, MIcHAEL. FRANCE
I kCrATEs AVON
PRINZ Won MtCHAIs SOLE HEIR
4 DEAR FHIEND-It is a singular fact that
never stopped 70 ask you in relation TO the
/ letter left in the insurance Office. Had it my
| number C286 Furman street, thereoni / wish
since Jay Gould spoke well Of me, you had ask
ed him about that matter. He ought to adopt
| me for a SON Ne needs some one 10 sympa
| thize and soothe him. Poor old fellow, its
what he really needs, but whether hen really
have it or not Is a question ! think the old
man has got some tender spots IN Kim, but dc
not see why George should have said ought e
be put in an asylum. That is harsh and hard
Consider me as ever, your friend
MICHAELs.
still Writing Letters.
Won Michaels is still writing the sam,
kind Of letters and Bassford is in low spirits
He SAYS: Because befriended this cranl
once / am now put in the position Of con
fidant He writes on postal cards half thl
time and the letter carrier looks at me sus
piciously. This fellow is crazy on the sub
ject of becoming jay Gould's son-in-law anS
don't know where he'll break out. / thinl
he lives at 2S6 Furman street now It put
me in very trying position. Suppose h
does attempt to lddnap Miss Helen Gould
If he's caught he'll have some more letter
to me ON his person when he's arrested"