The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-23
PR0WLED FOR BLACKMAIL.
GANG OF FOUR MEN ARRESTED,
WHOSE VICTIMS WE'RE MEN.


up ss Ds.aies Finaiiy Catch tho Four.
Last September q man who Ia described as a
prominent lawyer sent for Angel" bennett
Of the Parkhurst society and said that he was
the victim Of blackmail. He had paid already
amounts reaching in the aggregate to several
hundred dollars, but had finally succeeded in
buying of his prosecutor and in getting an am
davit from him that the rascal had wrongfully
extorted money from him. bennett took the
case and began working on It.
The lawyer told bennett that one night In
August. as he was walking on Broadway, u
young man, sturdily built and strong. APP
preached him and asked for money with which
TO get n nights lodging. The lawyer refused.
saying that he never gave money to any one In
the street. Tho young man then poured forth =
pitiful tale of hard luck. He was nicely dressed
and Of respectable appearance. Tho lawyer
hesitated Q minute and then said:
II will not give you money. but I will get you
q room at q hotel"
He took him to q cheap hotel of Broadway
and got him a room. AS he was leaving the
young man said:
II don't know how to thank you for this.
Now. to show you that 1 am not q beat, come up
to the room and see that 1 go to bed"
The lawyer went up stairs. The young man
followed him into the room and locked the door.
ana thon turning 10 us UcnclhStot, oou.
Nov. give me what you've got IL you don't
I'll ruin your reputation. I'll expose you and
you'll have to get out Of New York"
Tho BLUM worked. Tho lawyer gave up his
watch and chain, ~scarfpin and ring. and n con-
adorable sum OF money. Furthermore. he told
the rascal to como to his office the next day and
he would redeem the jewelry. The man cane,
got more money. and continued coming until
the lawyer bracod up a bit and induced him. for
n consideration Of SIS. to make an affidavit tell
ing all that had occurred in the hotel, how he
had wropgfuliy extorted money from the law
yer, aud binding himself to extort no more.
when bennett began to work on the case he
learned of several Wall street men who had
been caught in similar fashion and had given
up money. One man said that he had paid
over So. 900 blackmal. But it was not until
bennett got from one of them q picture OF one
of the men who had been in the game that he
got . real clue to work on. 1t was n picture OF
Fred Hughes. alias Reilly, alias Stanton. 10
years old, and No. 1888 in the Rogues' Gallery.
The victims story was that he had met Hughes
in a hotel. struck up an acquaintance with him,
and finally went to Hughes's room to get .
drink. While they were there Richard Miller,
alias Hoboken Dick. No. 2542 in the RoEues'
Gallery, rushed in and demanded: What are
YOU doing here with my little brother ?" Under
threats of exposure of alleged wrong Miller got
money out Of the victim from time to time.
With hardly an exception the stories of the
victims we're the same. At first Hughes was
used as q "steerer," in green goods pariance.
but more lately Jack Let's. alas Edward Buron.
n boy of Is, has been used "a ihe lure. He got
the men to go to his room under various pre-
texts, an6 then Miller. in the role OF the injured
brother, would come in while Hughes and one
Harry Adams, alias Clarence I. Clark, alias
Jones, would follow him to intimidRte the vic
tim. The men hung about the hotels until they
picked out a man, and when, all was ready they
do the Job in.
While bennett was gathering all this evidence
he was also looking out for the men. He learned
that a gang OF four or five were to be found any
night IN Broadway between Eighteenth and
T II,5;,yn1 5o. aanars st Tss ,S and taS soGpe r sns aStsls.
Some of the hotel detectives also told him about
these fellows, and said that they wess anxious
learned, however. until about two weeks ago.
when one OF the gangs understuSles; as thsg
are used as lures. got into a row with his gang
xnd "sQuealed."
lin. Chief Conlin put the affair in tho hands or
Acting Inspector Harley with instructions to
he wanted was the most stylish-looking man on
the force. He would dress him mp IN all sorts OF
tinery, supply so him n Ninth ns, pig 1l sS,t 81 Of m diamonds Lo
Hurley found the man he wanted IN Police.
man James H. Post of The Eighty.eiEhthh ms str Sst
been on tho force but nine months. He has an
innocent looE and fits good clothes well;
Post was dressed up in a frock coat. nne over.
coat, silk hat, patent leather shoes and "spats:"
a big roll of money. was given TO him: bennett
diamond studs. and the game was begun; On
Thursday evening he was taken to q hotel
of London. England. Then he went down in the
lobby 10 look for the men. Lofts. the "steerer.'
vas I in the ,t hGtsl; an. nd t ssan, tnG Poi up ao hI I1r
broke the ice in the usual fashion By asking for
The two talked for a while and then went
out for a stroll. They walked about until they
reached Thirtieth street and Broadway. aHd
wanted his overcoat. He suggested that Post
go with him To his room a. 10 East Twenty
Tets pals. Hughes. Miller. and Adams, had
been following Let's and the intended victim
around. and when they started for Twenty
seventh street the three hurried 70 get 10 the
house ahead Of them; ,, bennett ne a,i mao on p s Sic sEae
and Detectives CostiGan,, Nugent. Adams,
Cowan. and Roundsmnn Russell OF inspector
Harley's staff were scattered about, waiting for
the time to come to nab the men.
The house in East Twenty-seventh street Is
respectable, Miller, under the name OF Harri'
son, had rented the room the Sunday before fol
a week. The l~andlady did not know anything
in the room hardly three minutes when the
landlady. suspecting that something was wrong
when so many men came % ip M1,e srs p room G opd i
asked FOR" Harrison She told Miller that he
would have to leave the next day.
After abe had gone Adams came int the room
where Let's and Post were. and Let's intro,
duced Adams as his brother. Evidently some
thing went wrong, Cor Adams proposed another
walk. The other two assented, ana they wen
out together. When they reached the sidewalk
Adams turned TO Post and said:
Now, look here. ! found you In the room
with my brother. | know you. all about you
know where you live. You CONS from n high
family, and you've got n reputation TO sustain,
Now. this is a game OF strike. seer Put up your
Post offered him a $50 bill. saying that that
was all the money he had. Adams refused tC
take this. and proposed that they 90 TO the hote!
and get n check caShed, They had resumed
their walk and had reached Twenty-third street
cashed. Then Adams said no would take thu
$40 bill and Posts diamonds as security. Is!
this time they had reached Fourth avenue and
Twenty first street.
where 1t is comparatively dark, the detective,
closed In a bit. fearing that the two men and
Miller. who was following behind. might try u
do up Post and get the diamonds. Post would
not accept the last proposition. but told Them t.
meet him at II o'clock at the hotel. Then h,
Jumped on an uptown car.
Post didn't sec tie men again that night. hui