The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-01
TO KI NAP HELEN CONN
a Scheme IN Which "Prinoa vo,
Nichaels'' saw a ENlion.
WON, fbs 49, VI. W,

From the Neie York World.
am going TO elOpe with Helen Gould
we viii go west and travel for some tina
Jay Gould may miss his daughter. bu. b,.,lI
gam good son-in-law, and he needs ma
star terri 10 AO1
his and some more statements of the
same sort made up letter received bv John
+. Bassford. general agent Of the Union
Mutual Life Insurance Company. the dav
after Henry L. Norcross demanded 81 200 :
OOO OF Russell Sage aud threw the b6mh
millionaire's Office.
The letter was signed "Prince Won
mlchaels, and Mr.. Bassford recognized IN
tue writer man whom he had once be-
Irlehded through pity. In effect the writer
ASKED baSsford 10 aid him in an atteupt to
Eldnap the eldest daughter OF Jay Gould.
Inc plan was TO induce the young woman.
on some pretext or other, to enter q cab
near her fathers residence, Fifth avenue
ana Forty-second street. Won Michaels and
companion were to follow her into the
vehicle and draw the blinds, and the driver
was co carry the party to New Jersey, where
tram would be boarded for the west. Won
Mlchaels entered into no further details. but
asked Bassford for his advice and assist
aDce.
Mr. Bassford was appalled,. The audacity
OF the proposition add its terrible conse-
duences appeared TO him in no uncertain way
and he set about discovering Won Mlchaelsi
whereabouts. The letter was written from
hotel at Twenty sixth street and Eighth
avenue, but be learned that the writer had
gone from there TO Brooklyn. While the
insurance man was celebrating as to what
was best to do he received a postal card
from Won Miohaels
SENT LETTER TO MISS GOULD,
u have sent letter TO Helen, through
hosa, the cook, the postal card read. she
knows about the elopement plan. l want
you to go to Mr.. Goulds house, get &C
qualnted with some Of the servants and find
out about Miss Gould's hours for walking
and visiting. Help me out in this and there
Is million In 1t for both OF US"
Mr. Bssstord, now thoroughly alarmed.
hesitated no longer. He belongs to lodge
OF which Police Captain John Gunner's con
10 member and he has known the captain
for long time. He went to the East Sixty
seventh street station and met Capt. Guu-
ner and Ward Detective Campbell He
showed the letter and postal card aud told
what he knew of Won Miohaels.
de first met Won Michaels, be said, ten
months ago. when the latter had an Office
and fiat on Third avenue near Eigsty-frst
street. His sign read. "PaImist and Phre-
nolO9ist," and Bsssford found him q glib
talker, full of schemes and with a wonder
full knowledge of the domestic affairs Of
aristooretis households. He seemed to take
fancy to the insurance man and paid oc-
cssional visits to the latter's home at No.
1870 First ayenus.
Won idicheels said he was prince by
birth and heir to q vast estate now In liti-
cation 10 Germany He discovered great
possibilities In BasSford after examining the
lines in his hand and studying the bumps
on his head. and made several propositions
Of an extravaganza nature to him The
alleged prince admitted that he was ION his,
uppers" in this country aud made a living
by peddling trashy novels.
u go to the servants door," he said
land show the books. When I've gained
Abundance l use my gifts in palmlstrY and
phrenology and then learn from the maids
and buffers all about their masters and
mistresses"
GEORGE GOULD HEARS THE STORY.
Capt Gunner told Mr.. Bassford to come
to the station house on Saturday night, Dec
L. When the insurance man arrived he met
George Gould, the millionaire's eldest son,
In the police captains office. Mr.. Bassford
produced the letter and postal card. Mr..
Gould was startled.
"Wby, this fellow has sent letters to my
sister Helen" be said They came whils
we were at Irvington last summer, but /
didn't know that the cook had anything 20
do with them. One of the girls Ia the
HOUSE is named Rosa, the name ne uses on
the postal card. The letters were signed
Prince nichaels'"
Capt. Gunner expressed his opinion that
the man was a crank, and MIR. Gould affect
ed to coincide with him. The police cap
tain wanted to know II the Gould family
would like TO have Won Michaels arrested,
and Mr.. Gould said no. An arrest wonld
bring publicity. and the idea of kidnapping
some member of the family might be taken
up by some other crank. Mr. Gould took
possession of the letters, and said be would
have extra PROBATION taken about the
house. He thanked Mr. Bessford and the
interview ended.
When Miss Helen Gould's first reception
took place, Lost Saturday night, one of the
detectives on guard had special instructions
to look out for Won Miohaes. lie is about
q years old, ) feet inches tall with high
forehead, red hair and sandy mustache.
he did not appear in the netgh5orhood OF
tho Gould mansion that night.
A day or two after the interview in the
station house Mr. Bassford was greatly per-
turbed by receiving a visit from Won
Michaels. The insurance man berated his
guest roundlv. He asked him what he
meant by writing for assis ance in such
dlabolical plot, aud wound up by telling of
his meeting with George Gould.
HE says you ought to be in an asylum"
Mr.. Basstord declared, And / 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 If he could once induce her to
enter carriage with him, and began long
nv MIR hO ha md Poro-
ford could gain riches and Jay Gould sons
iu-law, il only his scheme were successful
Mr.. Bassford was scared and got rid OF his
unwelcome guest as soon as be could.
The next day he received this letter:
ROYAL HOUSE, MICHAEL. FRANCE,
ESTATES OF AVON.
PRISz Won MICHAEL SOLE TER.
DEAR FRIRED-It is singular fact that Inever
stopped to ask you in relation to the letter l
left in the insurance Office. Had il my number |