New-York tribune., 1899-07-07
ARANDONS KILLING SAGE.
s,,rHs LAWYER FRIEND HAS GIVEN
UP HIS AMIABLE DESIGN

sNITH SAYS III 10 ALL shIILED AND ALL
WOULD HAVE BEEN LOVELY But FOR
MRS SAGE CALLING IN THE POLICE.
.rtemus j. Smith. up to Wednesday night.
,.os so sure that anonymous friend Of his.
80 was badly in need of some ready money.
zss about to assassinate Russell Sage that he
a., compelled to write a terrifying letter TO the
,,uonaire's aged wife asking her to give him
nrivate audience. Yesterday Smith felt equally
o-taln that his murderous friend had changed
.ts mind and that all danger was passed Mr.
cogs had promptly turned the letter over 10 the
police.
Mr.. Smith who is secretary OF the Associated
colonies with tiny office in the st. Paul Build
,ng was not only surprised. but deeply panied
at Mr. Sage's action. and at the uncharitable
view which the fnancier took OF this disinter-
ss,ed effort TO save his life. "Blackman" was. il
snpears Mr.. Sage's first thought. To Mr. Smith
this idea seems utterly unreasonable. There
was no backmail intended" he said Yesterday
"I am not in need Of money. I merely thought
that II Mr. Sage were informed of all the cir
cumstances of my friends urgent need. he
might AFFORD relief
VIII you say who this friend is?" Mr.. Smith
was asked
Il will not" he replied. He has abandoned
4
settled. and 1t would have been settled sooner
without the public knowing anything about It II
Mrs Sage had done I requested and COM
municated with me"
Mr.. Smith ignored the reporters suggestion
that the case seemed to have been settled with
4 fair degree Of celerity. and without any ex-
pense to Mr.. Sage. by the unpleasant policy Of
publicity. Il think Mr. Sage has treated
shamefu'ly" he said sulkily
The Tribune told yesterday how Russell Sage
ran out OF his Fifth-ave house on Wednesday
evening in a state OF great mental agitation,
grabbed the first policeman he could find and
showed him the letter from Smith, which Mrs
Sage had just found awaiting her on her return
from her summer home at Irvington-on-t the
Hudson.
The policeman gave the contents OF the letter
10 the reporters from memory. and made some
slight mistakes in the wording. Here is an ac-
curate copy:
I am informed by your servants that you are out
o. the city and VIII not return untL e9nesud!. a
formation concerning member OF your fanny
came 10 me under most peculiar circumstances,
which ! only explain IN person, and by virtue
OF these circumstances am forced 10 seek your as
am a business man Of excellent reputation and
Human life hangs in the balance and must i'm
Communicate with me by telegraph upon receipt OF
this letter. appointing a time ana place Where
Your servants having refused 10 give your ad-
dress SO that could communicate with you direct
which no doubt according 10 your instruction,
have their assurance that they will forward ne
Letter d oy ocs or should await your return shah
hold myself IN readiness 10 obey your commands
ton also list OF our Board Of Directors show
You with whom l am associate that you may see
i5at am no crank Awaiting your favor. am.
dear mSoA'D' yours very 4ARTEMus J. SMITH
10. No russell MsS saFe No 5s Ftthave NewYork
Inclosed with the letter was circular ad-
vertisement Of the Associated Colonies, which
showed that Smith secretary Of the con-
Germ with Offices in the st. Paul Building. The
patrolman directed Mr.. Sage to the East Fifty
frst-st police station. where he took the let
ter. and asked the police TO investigate what
he considered 10 be the yelled threat contained
In 4, Then he returned home TO his alarmed
wife Reporters soon got wind Of the afair
and found Mr Smith az his boarding house
When told that his letter had been turned over
to the police Mr.. Smith expressed great IN
dignation and went at once to the ponce s'a-
ton. where he explained how he came to write
the letter.
His reasons. in brief, were that he had a
friend. a lawyer. who was In sore HhdhcIdi
straits and threatened with eviction Ihis
had so proved on his mind that ne oeleNeo
himself 10 be the victim Of an unequal ana
oppressive social system. which resulted IN
making a few millonaires and mulutuoe
Of paupers He had determined TO commit SUI
eide but first make example OF one mill
Ionaire by assassinating him. How ne came
to hit on Russell Sage as the victim MI SHlln
did not explain but such was the choice OF
his lawyer friend
TO POSTPONE EVICTION.
Mr. Smith added that he and some other
friends Of this desperate man had arranged 10
nave the eviction postponed for few days. and
In the mean time Mr. Smith had determined 10
IN, Mr. Sage on his guard against possible
murder and at the same time. hoped that the
kindly heart of the fnancier would be in some
unexnlainAd way so touched by the awful dan
ger ~ eviction which overhung the gentleman
who CONTEMPLATED assassinating> him that ne
would nav up the back rent at once II seem
lngly did not occur 20 the guileless MT oiili'h
that Russell Sage might be well content aI'ei
guarding himself carefully. to let so dangerous
slsv-ver be evicted. commit suicide ano 20 l"'o
the naxt world unaccompanied by any mlIlioh-
sire .
When asked why he had not written 70 MI
Sage direct. instead Of terrifying MS "he oS
asking for a private appointment win he'
Smith said he feared TO scare Mr.. sage VINO ne
understood had been extremely nervous aoou'
such things ever since Norcross a''e''P''O -
kill him with dynamite. In 1881
Why did you not have your lrle"u se"' ~
b,-a.,n .s,,,rro p" Smith was asked. "or call In
the police?"
Wv f-te,d &c not crazy" he replied. and l
boned that - Mr. Sage would lend him Slo" or
50 10 tide him over his difficulty. he would De-
nnrnn r0o,ronad 70 the present state OF society