The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-23
TO BLACK mail
DICK MCDONALD.
STRANGE CONSPIRACY OF DR.. JEN-
NINGSON, JOHN GAMAGE AND
D. NJ. BLANK.
THE THREE MEN INDICTED
REFUSAL. OF THE BANK WREcKER
TO SUBMIT TO ATTEMPTED
EXToRTIoN.

"Dr."William Jenningson, one of Dick
McDonald's old henchmen, John Carnage,
| the private detective, and D. M. Blank,
the oil man, were indicted yesterday by
the Grand Jury for attempting to black
mail Dick Mcdonald. None of the men
| have been arrested yet as the indictments
have not been filed with the court.
The attempt of DR.. Jenningson to black
mail Dick Mcdonald will astonish the
people conversant with the troubles OF
| the Pacific Bank and the Peoples Home
| Savings Bank, as Jenningson was Melon
AIDS confidential man during all the ras-
| cality connected with the celebrated case.
There is no doubt that Jennningson has
| evidence that would be very injurious to
Mcdonald. 1t was an attempt to sell this
evidence to Mcdonald which will cause the
arrest of the three men.
The witnesses before the Grand Jury were
| Dick Mcdonald his wife, D. S. Dorm,
Joseph Eastland, Charles Montgomery and
| John Carnage.
The story told was that about two weeks
ago D. NJ. Blank called on Dick Mcdonald
and impaired to him that DR.. Jenningson
had certain documents which, if placed in
evidence at McDonald's next trial, would
be sufficient to send him to San Quentin
The plot was evidently arranged by Jen-
ningson and Carnage. The latter un-
folded the plot to Blank one day and pro-
posed that Blank deal with Mcdonald
Blank has been a dealer in oils, with his
son, Eugene G. Blank, at 123 California
street. He recently went out of business.
He had had some trouble with the Tallant
Bank and had employed Carnage to secure
evidence for him. Witnesses claim that
Blank owed Carnage $500. Carnage pro-
rncaH of if R1anl ooT1l6 alya nicly
Donald put up money to suppress Jenning-
sons evidence he would cali their account
square.
Jenningson's excuse is that Dick Nc
Donald owed him money and he wanted to
force the payment by the means described.
When Blank first called on Dick Melon
aid he demanded $3.50 as bride for the
silence of the three blackmailers. Melon
aid refused to pay, and when before the
Grand Jury stated that though he had been
advised by Dorm and Montgomery to pay
the money he believed if he did give in to
this attempt at blackmail dozens of others
would follow, and his assets from the Pa
cific Bank would be eateu up by the de-
mandS of the hungry blackmailers
When Mcdonald refused to accede to the
demand of Blank the price to suppress the
injurious documents was reduced by de-
grees to $3.50. The blackmailers then
harassed Mcdonald and his wife until they
decided TO rio themselves OF the cons plra-
tors by giving the facts to the Grand Jury
The decision was reached yesterday morn
ing, and in the afternoon the members of
the Grand Jury were surprised to see the
man who has been in Jail for months come
from behind the bars to have other people
arrested.
McDonald's reputation as liar was so
well known to the grand jurymen that
| they questioned him very closely and tried
in every way to see whether he was treat
ing them to a manufactured story. His
statement could not be tangled up. Mrs.
Mcdonald was also questioned very closely,
and when she came from the jury room
she was in tears. She stated that she had
had questions put to her in such way
| that she felt her veracity was being ques-
toned. The grand jurors only wanted to
make sure they should not indict innocent
persons.
Dorm and Montgomery verified the state
ments of the McDonalds, admitting that
they had knowledge of the attempted
blackmail.