The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-04
.CHILD-STEALING THREATS.
WELL-KNGWN ClsE RECdfLED ny
Mr.. sTRdSBtRGE DEd1H.
The Conspiracy In 1880 to Get 500 900 From
Her Husband by Threats to kil ii"r

Her Husband by Threats to KIN Her
Shild-A Detective Kills One "f the
Consp,rators - Another Sent tn Jn1'
II il Amos, nineteen years since the attempt
was made To blackmail Louis StrasbursGJ' n
dian merchant OF Maiden lane, by threats To
abduct his daughter RoSa who was then II years
old. The attempt ended In The shooting oI ono
Of the cunSpifaiurS by n detective and the sen
fencing Of another 10 a long term in sing sing.
Mr. S,rasburger's wife, on whom the b!GckmallcrS
exhausted their ingenuity 10 brighten her into
pcrsiading her husband 10 agree 10 their demands,
died on Feb II last, She died at the home OF the
daughter who was the object of the kidhhppcts
work Mrs S II. Bloch, who now lives at
a. Fast Fifty third street Mir SunSbITecr IL
sull living. In December, 1850. he lived at l2S
East Sixty first street,
Tn the day before Chfis,maS, 1880, Mrs, Stras
burger received an anonymous letter IN which
500, 600 was demanded of her, She WAS informed
that II she did not succeed in getting the money
from her husband at once something would happen
TO a member OF her family that she would forever
regret. Mr. Srasburger was repu,ed to be a
millionaire. and tits was not the first begging
letter that had conn W his home. Though Mrs
Strasburger was much frightened by the letter
nothing happened 10 bear out her fears, and she
had almost forgotten the incident when she was
reminded oi it by an experience Of her daughter
Rosa on March 81 following.
The little girl attended n class taught by Rabbi
Huebsch at the synagogue AT Lexington avenue
and Fifty ninth street. While she was there
on Sunday, March y, a man came to the door
and sent a note in 10 DR.. lluebsch asking
that Rosa llusbsch be sent home al once as
there was trouble there The note was very
indefinite, and DR. Huebsch could not understand
why IT should have been brought 10 the school
by a stranger. Rosa looked at the note and said
that II was not written by her fathers hand, or
by that OF any other member OF her IA mlly. DE-
lIuebech and Rosa went out and talked 10 tho
man. Neither OF them knew him. The man
said that II had been given TO him on the street.
His description OF the man from whom he had
receive e il was an excellent description Of Mr.
Strasburger DR. Huebsch was a good deal
troubled, but with the remembrance Of the Charlie
Ross abduction fresh in his mind he determined
10 take no risks. lie told the man that Rosa
could not go homo and detained her al the school
for half an hour or more, She was then sent
home with instructions 20 run all the way and 10
scream and make a great fuss II anybody APP
preached her as though 10 take hold OF her She
reached home In safety. Shs learned that she
had not been sent for and that no ono was sick.
AT 0 o'clock the next morning Mrs Strasburger
received a note saying that Rosa would be Md
mapped If $50, COO vas not paid 10 the writer Thi.
note was in the same fine German handwriting
that had characterized the note Of the dsy before
Christmas and the note that was sent 10 the
synagogue on Sunday. In part II said:
We made an attempt yesterday 10 take your
daughter Just to show you we can do It when We
get ready We warn you 10 comply with our
demands. and II by Monday at 4 o'clock you have
not given us the sum Of money we already men
toned you will And a moment in your family
history that will stand on, alone by itself. You
will force US to carry out our different plans"
The letter went on to say that Mrs Strasburger
must enclose SOC, 900 in an envelope and must
walk up and down Barclay stree, at an appointed
hour. Mr.. Suasburger had communicated with
the police and they advised that Mrs Strasburger
follow the demands o, the letter by keeping the
appointment with a letter stuffed with paper in.
stead Of money. Central once Detective lIeidel
berg was detailed to follow Mrs StIasburger and
70 seize any man who approached her as II 10
grab the en- velopa No such person appeared
The next Tuesday a note was received at Mr..
Strasburger's Office addressed to Mrs S,rasburger.
~ NV u A 'NH e"A ~
to the life {. the Strasburgers at the seaside in
the summer showed that the writer Of the letters
had an excellent source Of information about the
family affairs. On tho following Sunday cams
a letter to Mrs StrasbuIger saying that II she
did not want TO become a widow at once, she had
better persuade her husband TO meet the demands
that were being made on him through her, All
Of these letters were signed Executive Committee.
MIA .u.a Tkta ta,tar a.lnl hv. Ctr.n
burger to communicate her intentions through
the advertising columns Of the Stats /ciipn0
Under the directions Of the police advertisements
were printed that drew out extended communica-
ton from the blackmailers This Is one Of them:
Il am a Pole by birth and early imbihed a race
hatred against the Car. This caused me to BE-
come involved In Nihilist plots | entered with
real into the enterprise agains. you as the rela-
lions OF my people against a tyrannical govern
ment have bred In me inclina,ions for revenge.
| receive good pay as secretary OF the Nihilist
committee for this city, and my sole duty is to
translate for them communications in every lam
guage Eight days ago your daughter was to
he abducted. 1t was attempted through a stupid
blundsr. The plan was not calculated to succeed.
Properly Rosa should have been caught up in
the street thrust into a carriage and then away
WIN nef. j W lhCt nlul5Itl tnlS hltclnlL Lost
Thursday revenge was TO DO had by throwing
a bomb at Mr, Suasburger in the street but when
the plo, was aboutto be executed it was discovered
that he had an envelope sticking out OF his left
Goa, poke, and the order was recalled.
q am the only Israelite among the sixteen on
our committee. The others are all Roman Catho-
lies therefore resolved to warn you. I will
warn you always, but I will tell you exactly what
tho plot is, The revenge section Of our body
will set to work on Tuesday working on as they
please, and handling the tools OF their Goddess
according TO their own choica Every one will
act for himself Don't let Rosa go out Of the
house, either alons or with yourself Make few
visits and avoid returning home At night VIVA,
you could do for he safety Of your husband |
am sure ! do not know, since they value the
carrying out of their resolutions more than they
do their lives.
III you could acccde TO the wishes Of the Nihi.
lists even for q reduced amount you might get
some rest II were in your place I could not
close my eyes II you could do as they want