The herald., 1898-03-06
WAS CAUGHT IN A TRAP
nPRoF." J. p. HoFFMAN'S ExToR-
TIoN SCHEME FAILED
SIMON MAIER WAS HIS VICTIM
Demanded $500 or Threatened to
Prosecute the Butcher For Sell
:; ing Diseased Meat

AS result OF an elIOTl u uelIduu oiihoh
Maier out of $500 by one of the worst frauds
that has ever been called to the attention
of the police here, prof" ]. p. Hoffman,
a resident of Pasadena, is In the city jail
on a felony charge of extortion. The mon
ey was paid by Mr.. Maier, but it was In the
presence of two members of the detective
force, who Immediately afterward took the
unconscious worker of the scheme into
custody and found the money, consisting
of marked bills. on his person. The case
against him, according to the statements
of the intended victim and of the arresting
officers is most positive, and he will be
prosecuted to the full extent of the law
Hoffmans wife and mother-in-law, so he
says, were parties to the transaction which
may result in his being sent to the pepi-
tentiary for five years. At the time of his
arrest he was accompanied by his wife,
who witnessed the payment of the money
If she is not prosecuted she may be made
a witness for the state. The examination
of the case before Justice Morrison Will
take place Tuesday morning at $3.50 o'clock
Mr.. Maier is the well known butcher on
Spring street. Thursday he was seated in
his office when a stranger was admitted.
Asked his business, the man seemingly
became very angry and demanded to know
why the butcher had sold his wife dis
eased meat. OF course Mr.. Maier denied
having made such sale, his place being
under the inspection of a government IN
spector as well as of the local meat in
spector In spite of his denials of the sale.
the stranger asserted that he possessed
positive evidence of his guilt and stated
that he intended to use it against him in
the courts. All of this as was afterwards
learned, was a bluff, pure and simple, but
at that time Mr.. Maier was somewhat dis
turbed by the mans threats. Being asked
what he intended to do he said repeatedly
that he had it in his power to send Maier
to the penitentiary for year and have him
fined $1,000. and this he proposed to do. His
threat was SO frequently repeated that Mr.
Maier became suspicious of the man ana
pretended to be afraid of his threat. tie
asked him earnestly what could be done to
stop the matter, and after much parleying
the stranger told him that the matter could
be settled upon Mnier's paying him $500.
The stranger was asked his name. and
stated that he was Prof" j. P. Hoffman
of Pasadena. He also stated that his wire
and mother-in-law had jar of meat that
was so much diseased that it was unfit for
use and that they had purchased it of
Maier. No less than a dozen times did ne
remind Maer of the one year in the pen-
tentary and the $1,000 which, he said, Were
in store for him unless the matter was set
tied on the terms he mentioned. Finally,
Mr.. Maier appeared to agree with this plan
of settlement. but he stated to Hoffman
that he did not have $500 in his store. al
though he had twenty times that amount
in bank. He therefore asked him to call
again that afternoon This Hoffman agreed
to do and then left the place.
AS soon as he was gone, Mr. Maier tele-
phoned to the detectives office and asked
Detectives Hawley and Auble to come to
his store. When they did so he told them
what had occurred and asked their advice
In the matter. OF course he knew that he
had never sold Hoffman any diseased meat
and stated that he thought the demand
merely an attempt at eXtortion. Then
trap was laid for Hoffman. and how easily
he fell into it later developments will show.
When Hoffman returned in the afternoon
he was shown into Mr. Maiers private Of
flee but the door to tha, office had been
fixed in such manner that any person
who was near could hear and see what
Hoffman was given a seat
with his back to the door and after he was
seated Detectives Hawley and Auble sta
toned themselves near the door Mr..
Maer again asked Hoffman what there
was in the matter, and Hoffman bit at the
bait at once. He told the same story as in
the morning. AS instructed by the detec
lives, Mr.. Maier pretended to be afraid of
and asked what could be done
to settle the matter, and again Hoffman
told him that $500 was necessary to set
tie it.
Mr.. Maier again stated that he did not
have that amount in the store 1t was af-
ter banking hours. and he offered his visit
or check on the California bank for the
amount This was ony part of the plan
but Hoffman d!d not take the bait this
time. He refused positively to take
check. saying that he did not wish to be
identified at any bank or any other place
in the transaction. What he wanted was
the cash. and in demanding it he again re-
minded Ma'er of the penitentiary and the
fine. As Maier had stated that there was
not $500 in the house he asked Hoffman to
wait until his collector came in, when .he
matter might be fixed" To this Hoffman
agreed, and Mr.. Maier excused himself and |
left the room to consult with the detectives |
who Hoffman thought were clerks in the
store. The officers advised Mr.. Maier to |
pay the money with marked bills. the num-
bers of which he had also noted and have |
the teller at the bank also note the bills |
for future Identification. Returning to |
Hoffman Mr.. Maier told him that he would |
pay the money. and an appointment was |
made al the Natick hotel parlors for yes
terday. The $500 was secured from the Cal |
ifOrnia bank and the bills were carefully |
marked both by Mr.. Maier and the teller |
Mr. Maier went to the Natick house as soon |
as he obtained the money and was shown |
into the parlor. There is a door to thai |
parlor over which there is a transom ana |
at the request of Detectives HaWley and |
Auble this door was locked and a step !
ladder was furnished the officers In this |
they stationed the mselves in such a posi-
tion as to be able to see and hear all that |
transpired in the paror. They had taken !
their positions when Mr. Maier entered and |
he found Hoffman and his wife awaiting
him.
The demand for $500 was again made by |
Holman, and the same story of his alleged |
sale OF diseased meat was given him. He |
demanded that if the money was paid he
must receive the jar of meat held by Hoff- |
man as evidence. This Hoffman agreed
to. and, still protesting his innocence of |
having made such a sale Mr.. Maier paid |
over the money, which Hoffman placed in |
MS pocket The jar of meat was produced |
ana handed 10 Maier, who also demanded |
that Hoffman give him a recent for the
money This Hoffman reluctantly did. All |
OF this was witnessed by the detectives. |
VINO, as soon as the money was paid qui-
etly walked to another entrance to the |
parlor, and entering seized Hoffman Then |
there was a tableau Mrs. Hoffman |
screamed, ana Hoffman's face assumed a |
color of clean linen.
Snail send for Attorney Ladd?" shout
ed Mrs Hoffman, as her husband was
being led away. He told her to send for
Ladd and the woman departed in search |
OF the attorney. Hoffman was taken to the |
city Jail and locked up.
No., NT,ta