The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-27
BLACKMAIL AS A BUSINESS.
Examples That Show It's Great De-
veIOpment in England.
From CasseT's satnrdnv Ionrna1

From Cassells Saturday Journal.
There are in the west end of London
some half-dozen places where the ser
wants, male and female, of the wealthy
congregate in their hours of leisure. Some
of these are devoted to mems and wo-
mems use respectively; at others
"Jeames" meets Jane. Each rendezvous
is patronized by it's own particular little
clique. An outsider attending one of
these gatherings would be at once struck
by a peculiar feature. Amid the buzz of
conversation on all sides would be heard
the repetition OF famous names.
The business, the fads and the follies of
my lord" and her ladyship" are dis
cussed with a freedom that strikes the
generator of the aristocracy as being lit
tie short of sacrilegious. This circum-
stance is turned frequently to nefarious
but profitable account by an individual
who in the guise of a bona-fide servant
turks orten amid the throng. Skeletons
exist in not a small number of guided
cupboards. Their presence once suspect
ed, ingenuity and shrewd cunning soon
turn mere conjecture into evidence-sln-
ported fact. The Matchmaking valet or
ladys maid is a recognized terror to So
ciety. season or two ago the personal
servant of a well-known man. having
saved nice little sum, resolved to pur-
chase small country public house
Chatting one day with a colleague cas-
ually encountered, the stranger declared
ne knew of the very thing. Growing con-
hdential over their glasses the valet fool
ishly limited that his master was not alto
gether the saint he was usually set down
as. The blackmailer chuckled He went
G1liUQnflW n - G,,-l
Tor the valet; and, when he succeeded
made bargain that in return for his ser
vices he should be recommended for the
vacant place. He got it and at once com
menced to pry into his masters offairs
Bit by bit he learned the gentleroan,e
whole history, gathered proof of various
Things not to his credit and then one
evening, just prior to his masters NO.
riage to lady of position, he confrorto.,
MIN IN his own study, mentioned the owl
dence he was in possession of and denoan,5
ed $500 as the price of his silence An5 ~
money was paid on condition that az
man leave England 'He
Substantial as was the arno,,r+ 81.
torted, it is not every victim that esq -
even thus cheaply. Sacrifices vet doaro5
than the making of monetary navroents
are sometimes called for by the b1so1
mailer's demands. Not a great vybi1a 49,
a gentleman of position poisoned bin,SaIe
reason lot MS so doing there annearad
to be none. On the death of an ia So 81
ant of his, however, the whole truth 80
out. The man had, it seems. faitbfI,Ii'.
served his master and at last retired NJ,
days came, he lost all his money and On
phed to his late employer for aid
small sum was sent; the man asked for
more, and being refused mentioned ~
fact that he was in possession If a 80 ~
twenty POUNDS came in answer to tbo+
As nothing more could be extracted ~
man sold the information he possasea5
Tor another 40 to two villains. who goinr,
scientifically to work, squeezed bun5~a5sS
OF pounds from the unfortunate yyictt9
ere, harassed and worried out of his ne
ne sought the relief that a dose of STIR, -
nine offered him In a blackmaiIiner -
reported from the continent some -
ago evidence showed that a ladv Of T,nob
wealth had for years been paving 49,
or her income to her DISCHARGED ,r,atS
VINO mad obtained possession of some in,
terminating letters written by her mis-
tress, whom she threatened with exnosl,ro
whenever the allowance was DELAYED Sim
Harry a lady owning an important dress-
making concern was compelled "a 81
partnership 10 designing attendant vybo
discovering the particulars of a littla ~
trigue used the Information to her ~,
advantage Fear Of exposure IN 49,.
every case precludes resistance ana 49,
the victim gives way IT is an over 1,-itb
him or her. The blackmailing ser,,ar,t a.
one OF the most formidable foes ~ -.
that dog the footsteps OF the in6I,,,5,,a,
with past. NN'''