The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-10-22
A DESPICABLE VILLAIN.
He Lives by Levying Blackmai
on congressman and Others.
How Plucky Senator Opposed Of This
Excuse for . Mana Newspaper Man
Drives the Scoundrel from the
Capitol In Hot Haste.
Especial Washington letter.

NcWly-elecLeu sJdueSIuen, ABOUT 10
enter upon career in the house Of rep
resentatives, will do well to hearken
unto a few words of wisdom out Of the
lips of experience.
There is professional blackmailer
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-
sentatives, but also burrows into the
purses Of cabinet off GERS and heads Of
department bureaus.
He scans all the hotel registers,
makes inquiry concerning the business
of guests and, If he can work a dollar
out Of their pockets, he does SO. FIRE.
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 a grand army newspaper.
and to have influence with the heads of
departments. Not long since he caught
q new arrival, ascertained that he had
been promised position as messenger
ut salary of $50 per month, went to the
chief clerk of the department and told
him that tho 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 "hitch' in the matter, and
that his appointment was held up The
blackmailer then saw his victim and
agreed to have the appointment made
Immediately upon contingent fee of
$40 per month for one year. The VIC
tim made the agreement. The next
morning the blackmailer appeared be-
fore the chief clerk Of the department
and withdrew his charges, saying: II
had reference to another man of the
same NAME" Thereupon the appoint
ment was made out as originally in
SOnOGus nuu WIG nSnAoACA kCVO CIV
per month from his victim, besides
other monies which he borrows from
time to time and never repays.
He has quite a number of regular VIC
Tins of this kind. He is blatant,
loud-mouthed fellow, with infinite as
surance, 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 well, because each and every
body fears him.
When the Fifty-first congress con-
vened the blackmailer Swallowed every
new member, and he will do the same
with every new member of the Fifty
second congress when it convenes in
December. He will keep q 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. 1t
will not be libelous, nor render the
blaclxmailer indictable for Islander; but
it will be an article which, if published
at home would politically ruin the con.
gresham. As soon rs his victim reads
the article he will be in q surrendering
condition, and want to do anything in
the world, even to the paying of money,
to have the article suppressed. As soon
rs the victim commences to pay the
blackmailer, he will be in his clutches
during his entire public life. There are
several members of congress to-day
who are paying this villain from TWEEN.
ty to fifty dollars each per month.
There was an Iowa man appointed
postmaster of a presidential post Office
once, but, before his commission was