The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-04
CRANKs LETTERS TO PUBLIC MEN.
officials at the Capital Frequently
Threatened, But Seldom Harmed.


From the Philadelphia Press.
Washington-The recent threa tening let
ters sent to Speaker Reed call attention
TO the thousands of such missives sent to
public men during the course of a year.
Ordinarily little attention is paid to them,
as they are usually the work of cranks
who are harmless in other ways. large
number Of these letters are written as
Jokes and with the expectation of causing
a brief sensation. Those sent to MIR. Reed
were evidently the work of some would-be
practical Joker, and their contents made
no impression on the big man. 1t Is as.
serted that they written by some one who
hoped to create a little sensation and prob
ably produce a story which could be sold
to newspapers, and a libel suit is now
pending against a Washington correspon-
dent who charged a certain person with
the authorship of the letters and with
motives of perpetrating a fake which
he might dispose of for money
These fake" schemes do not work and
more than one originator of spurious sem
sations has come to grief. 1t is not so
many years ago that a fertile-brained
young man who had an ambition TO shine
as a new journalist conceived the idea
Of sending an Internal machine to the late
Duitl JuStltt w dllt ne prepared an uS-
ly looking package, including a cigar box
filed with black sand, lead slugs pieces of
BRASS springs, fuse, etc, and had ii
sent to khe chief Justices house.
He then visited several newspaper offices
offering for sale a sensational story of how
an attempt had been made on the life
OF Chief Justice Waite, describing the
internal machine" its deadly character,
and all the other details required TO make
a big sensational scoop" ~
Unfortunately for the young man, he
tried to dispose Of his story before the
package reached the chief justice and the
inquiries made by the newspaper CORE
spondents to whom the story had been Of
fered revealed the fact. so when the pack
age did arrive the young man was imme-
diately arrested for having had something
to do with it, He broke down and con-
fessed that it was a hoax, but his practi-
cal Joke cost him a fine of $50 and led to
his retirement from journalism of any
kind.
The lesson was appreciated and that
Young man is to-day a respected members
of the bar in this city.
The person most frequently made the
object of threatening letters is the Pres
ent OF the United States. Every crank
hat imagines the country to be going to
tAe dogs blames the conditions on the
president, and straightway writes to the
latter threatening all kinds of horrible
deaths If he does not reform these condl-
lions or resign his high Office. There are
demands for money and dire threats as to
what fate will befall the President il he
does not respond.
These letters never reach the President
and he is never aware Of the awful doom
that overhangs him in the Imagination Of
some Eighty people in this country. This
correspondence is usually turned over to
the secret service bureau and an effort
made 10 discover the writer's, bur usually
without success The letters are written
In disguised hands and on common note
paper which cannot be traced to the own
err. When. however. series of letters are
received the detectives are able to find
the writer and oper punishment is given
Many OF the WRITER'S OF course. are harm
less lunaucs, and when discovered they
are put under surveillance and restraint
President MckiUley has not inspired
manli crarks with tho notion OF threaten
ing him by letter. Fewer of these letters
have been received at the white house
during the past few months than for many
years before.
The President is not the only public Off
cial picked out by these letter-writing
cranks Cabinet officers. senator's and
members OF the House get their share.
The congressman just now are receiving
any number OF threatening letters. but
they are signed by the fun names OF some
OF their constituents. They threaten the
political lives of congressman II the latter
insist upon making certain appointments
OF nostnasters. exc. They usually begin
with recitation OF what stanch party men
they have been ana Of the extent of their
influence the retinue OF relations they can
control. etc" and wind up by saying chat
" the congressman name John smith ar
sam Jones FOR the cross roads postoffloes
In their districts all this influence will be
fmTnHM AGAINST
threatening letters help to M the waste
baskets.