The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-11
you CAN'TCATCH ME"
RadlOf Writes a Letter to the
Chief of Police.
TELLS HIS STORY OF THE CRIME.
He Says He First Contemplated Suicide
Rambling Letter to His WIFE
His Whereabouts Concealed.

Three letters were received in the city
yesterday from William Radloff, the in
stlgator of the scheme to swindle the
insurance companies. One of the letters
was received by William Behrng, COM
monty called "Wild Bill" the livery
stable man; the second one was for Mrs.
Radloff, and the third was addressed to
Chief Jackson
In his letter to Behring, which Enclosed
IN sealed envelopes the other two letters.
Radloff said that by the time the budget
reached Seattle he would be far away. He
requested Behring as friend not to ''give
him away" and ended by saying: You
will no doubt see the inclosed letters in
print, for they will establish the innocence
of my wife in connection with this
scheme" Behring delivered the letter to
Mrs. RadIoff and dropped the one adj
dressed to the chief of police in the post
ofiice, Chief Jackson receiving it last
evening. The letters have no post
mark and Behring refused to tell the police
where the correspondence came from,
saying: II knew the man in days gone
by and he has asked me not to give him
away and l won't. The letters came from
long distance; it is six days since they
were written. don't know where he is
now. but he is out of the United States.
He is going into business for himself and
says that he will never again be guilty of
dishonest &C. so long as he lives"
The letter to Chief Jackson was written
on pale notepaper, with purple ink and
read as follows:
take the liberty Of addressing YOU. Please
accept my thanks for any favors as chief Of pc
lice you may be able to show my wife. May
heaven bless all those who help and assist
poor Mrs. Radloff in her hours of trouble.
hope, in the name of justice, that she will be
set free In short time; her mind is undoubt-
fully disarranged She is absolutely innocent
OF any completely In the case.
l understand that ruffan Kustrauch will
fully and falsely testified that Mrs. Radloff was
the originator of the life insurance scheme
This is absolutely base, false lie is also that
hint he gave a reporter that he had something
like . love affair with Mrs. Radioff. Well,
this shows sufficiently lack of any moral
principle. A person who stoops SO low as to
attack defenseloss woman In such way de-
serves life sentence in the penitentiary. There
are good many of his statements wrong, but az
they do not relate to my wife, duplicating her
in this matter, will omit them.
Now, here is the way / first arrived at the
idea OF the insurance scheme. A third party
managed some time ago, by devilish intrigue
to undermine our former marital happiness
This made me respondent l thought life
was not worth living any more
was thinking of committing suicide, then
the thought came to my mind might just as
well insure my life drst that my family might
be well provided for. KNEW that suicide for
feited life insurance policy, but soon found q
way to overcome this difficulty. l was to take
morphine; then lay down on pre-
viously prepared pile of bark and
wood to which one of those patent
would eftectually prevent any poison being
found in my stomach. After having my plans
completed I submitted them to my wife, but
she positively objected. She said that she
couldn't enjoy fortune thus OBJ
tanned. She told me that II
should materalize my plans without
her knowledge she would state the facts after
my death, thus not only getting no money, my
death would be covered with disgrace. So my
effort to make her consent to my plans were
futile. Finally the idea struck me that
instead of myself some skeleton might be
substituted. ! again told Mrs. Radlof about
the new plan. She even then objected and l
had to use my whole influence to persuade her
to give her consent l explained to her that
these companies were rich corporations and
that to them q comparatively small amount
was this $4,000, and would really make
no difference. that l certainly would never
attempt to defraud q private individual.
Finally she consented, under the conditions
that she would take no active part In the
scheme
Well, / hope that this will conciu-
svely establish my wife's innocence in
this case. also have addressed
letter 10 her to cheer her up. Tell her that
would use my whole influence to establish the
fact that her Innocence might come to light. As
far n ia Cr16i
or any other detective will have Q hard time in
catching me. / have found a true friend
and my hiding place is absolutely safe. The
time spent in trying to find me Is absolutely
wasted and If you will listen to my advice lie.
this matter drop. My dreadful deed gave
never intend to engage in any
unlawful act again. Now, even ii you would
capture me, what would you gain? would be
sentenced to the penitentiary then branded for
ever. and by my release be an outcast, Stunned
by honest people. 1t would naturally drive me
to other crimes, but for all that shall never
enter penitentiary alive Thanking you once
more for the kindness to my wife, remain,
yours very respectfully,
WILLIAM NJ. RADLoPF
The letter to Mrs. Radloff was full of
endearing words, and covered eight closely
written pages of note paper. In ramb-
ling way and with liberal use Of adject-
ives, he charges his wife to be a true woin-
an, and writes: I'VE will probably never
see each other again. Get divorce from
me, get married again and try to live
happily" He recounts their married life
and relates that their marriage was for
love; that they were each others choice
and lived happily until myster-
ious individual, whom ne refers to
as "B.,' caused barrier to rise
between them. He mourns for his
baby and said; II often think of cur
little darling girl. Kiss her for me-" He
said that he would like TO correspond regu-
larly, but argued that it would be TO
dangerous. He closed with: THE
confession of that coward Kos
trauch chokes me- The letter
is long and much of it uninteresting.
Though Mrs Radlotf was anxious TO have
it published, il is scarcely worth the space.
The letter published above embodies all
that the letter to Mrs. Radloff contained.
The fugitive says that when Chief Jack
son went TO Tacoma with Mrs. Radloff
two weeks ago he was in the vicinity, but
learning of the presence of the chief and
being told that Detective Cudihee would
Immediately follow he lost no time in
leaving the country.