New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-04
JAY GOULD THREATENED.
SOMEWHAT ALARMED By A PERSISTENT
CRANK
DETECTIVES LOOKING FOR THE DANGEROUS
WRETCH-ANOTHER WHO WANTED TO
BE Ills SONIN-LAW ARRESTED.

WIETCH-ANOTHER WHO WANTED TO
BE HIS soNIN-LAw ARRESTED.
! Ever since Norcross tried his experiment with
dynamite on Russell Sage the air has been full
of stories of cranls, each imbued with his own
fanced grievance against one or another Of the
mil!iOnaircs Of this city, and each apparently
anxious to emulate or excel the feat of the crazy
Boston notc-broker Mr.. Sage at first the
main object OF the threatening letters, tele1ams
ana personal visits of the lunatic brotherhood.
Lately, however, they have grown tired in the
chase of their Old quarry and sought out
fields of action. From Russell Sage to Jay Gould
is an easy transition, and as might have been
expected. Mr.. Gould is the target at whom
a threatening idiot aims his shafts.
Like most in his position, Mr.. Gould has
received hundreds of threatening letters, demand
ing money and promising death and destruction
if the request not complied with. Nearly all
of these find their way into Mr.. Gouds waste
paper basket. lie is the last man in the world
be frightened by threats, and even the avalanche
OF vituperative mail evoked by Norcrosss enter
prise has not scared him.
Prinz Won Michacls, who wrote loads Of passion
ate alteration to Miss Helen Gould, and was ar
rested Saturday morning while rSing - force
an entrance through the basement door of Mr..
Goud's house, is perhaps the least harmful Of his
kind. He is merely harmless imbcce, with pa
rctic tendencies Such is the opinion Of Dr. Mum
and other physicians who examined him yester
day afternoon III the insane pavilion of Bellevue
Hospital whittier he had been sent for cXamina-
tion by Police Justice Ryan. As he stood in front
OF the bench the Yorllville Police Court yester
day his woe -bcgone, haf-starvcd look cacu-
lated rather to excite pity than any other feeling
in the minds of those who him. lie told JUS
{ al, L.. ,..,4 Ennll
that he was interested with Jay Gould in st.
Louis elevated railroad scheme, and that he de-
sired to be Mr. Gould's son-in-law. Then he gave
an idiotic laugh as hc was led away. Those who
are in position TO know the facts, say that he is
not the man who visited Russell Sagc's house and
demanded $4,000.
/ But lust now there is another and far more dan
gcrous mailman troubling Mr. Gould. This man,
like his predeccssor writes letters, but signs him
self A B. 49, OF all the hundreds of cranks
with or without legitimate grievance who have
written 10 tric,l to get audience of jay Gould,
This is the only one who has ever given him the
slightest concern. This one has settled. defined
purpose in view, and lis pursuing II with steady
persistence that gives evidence Of his intention 10
follow ont his scheme to the end The intimate
knowledge of the daily habits and movements OF
the members of Jay Goulds family which he
his watch for an opportunity TO carry out his de-
signs Like all his predecessors, he demands
money but with him, the sordid motive and the
motive for revenge are both strongly evident.
That he has a bitter gfudgc against Mr.. Gould
over some imaginary wrong, committed years ago.
il apparent. Mr.. Gould himself fears this latest
crank as little as the Others but if information
derived from a Trustworthy source can be relied
on, he has, nevertheless thought it worth while
- put one Of the series of letters into the hands
of Inspector Byrncs.
The Could family would not talk about the
matter last night, and Inspector ByrneS dis
played bland ignorance OF everything con-
ncctcd with what the reporters wanted 10 know.
From indirect sources however, II was learned that
the first letter which attracted Mr. Goulds serious
attention received little over week ago.
This letter was about four - long. a. B.
90 opened it, with n cool dc nand for 81 5000,
and in default, threatened 10 lay for Mr..
Gould and throw hat ull of dynamite under
his carriage, the next time he took drive. Then
in the next four pages The writer gave his rca-
sons for believing that he had right TO com
pcnsation No one who read the communication
could doubt that the mans heart burned with
/ the bitterness, of "A murderous hate. Three things
were pretty plainly shown. First that The writer
had at one time or another been involved III the
stocl, fluctuations Of Wall Street; second, that
ms IMAGINARY grievances dated back 10 the period
of the Erie Railroad troubles; third, that either
hc or some one near % him had been ruined IN
the Black Friday panic and that he believes Mr.
Gould was responsible for II. That Is why he
wants money or revenge.
The letter, II is SAID, gave minute details oi
| the movements of Mr. GouldS family, such rs
thcir visits 80 certain houses, the length OF time
that they had stayed, the particular box which
they had occupied at the opera, and many other
points. showing that the writer h I'D mllH'alhcd
constant surveillance over the hodlu mouse lh
Fitth-ave: and he asked iurther tlat the Sloooo
shnuld hc sent To IA hotel IN Canada. lhc CLOSING
words wcrr: -.
II know how TO get near you, and I you don't
scnd me a few thousand dollars ! VIII certainly
throw NY hat full Of dynamite under your carnage
thc ncN time YOU take IL drive. The dynamite
will explode without fail and blow. y9u al al to
atoms. ~ ID '''
Alter this it seemed safe to assume that this
cranl, meant business Detective SrrgcantS
McCluskcy Crowley and Titus were put to work
the case it dS, Is % S0Eo e Sf Gat did SfH' not
tran him He was fovy,r and knew better than
10 call for Lis expected reply at the address gwen
in his letter Instead he had leit instructions
with the hotel people 10 forward ms lcerS TO an
address in New Jersey and presumably came back
10 This civ From Ncw-Jcr the letters were
to be forwarded 10 "A third address IN Nrw->otk'
and there apparently all trace of the man has pceh
lost -, TT,
II is almost certain that Mr. Gould did not reply
10 the letter and il is equally safe to say mat ne
has not thought it worth while To proVidc hlmScl
virb n body guard As already said, neither JAY
GouId nor his SONS Will talk on the subject If
Inspector Byrncs and his men have clew 10
this latest lctter-writers identity, no one
but themselves knows of it, Anyhow, up TO now
a b 3D." has not been found and may throw
his NLairtc at any moment.