The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-09
WELdA-TO-DO BUSINESS MAN Ar
SCHUYLER, NEB., Is PLACED
UNDER ARREST
NEW SENATOR BLACKMAILED
THREATENING LETTER SENT De-
MANDING THE IMMEDIATE
MAILING OF $4,000
FOLLOWED PAT GROVE PLAN
Sadd If Money Was Not Forthcoming
Dire Results Would Be Visited
ON Senator Kearns and
His Family.

OMAHA, Neb., March S.-Ernest J.
Wolter, a prominent merchant of
Schuyler, Neb., who was arrested i'll that
city by United States marshal on n
charge of attempting TO blackInail United
States Senator Kearns, of Utah, was
arraigned before Commissioner An.
derson this afternoon. He waived pre-
liminary hearing and was held to the
federal grand Jury under $1,000 bonds.
The arrest Of Wolter was the result of
prompt work by the postoffice inspection
department, it's agents having been at
work on the case but five days There
were three letters written in connection
with the attempted blackmail The first,
Feb. 49, was addressed to the newly elect
ed senator at Salt Lake. 1t spoke of the
senator's success in life and newly
acquired happiness and of the writer's
need Of money. 1t made a demand for
$4,000 and went into considerable detail
IN directing how the money should be
sent. 1t was specified that it must be In
$20 bills and that Kearns must get a
bundle Of books and magazines and put
the money between the leaves 1t was
further directed that one corner of the
bundle wrapper must he torn open so
that the postoffice officials could see that
1t contained books and would not open
1t. 1t was threatened that if this was
not done, the writer would take Kearns
life, and that they would go to eternity
together
The writer said he cared nothing about
life unless he could have the money, and
he directed that the amount be sent to
Box asa, Schuyler, Neb.
THREAT OF KIDNAPPING
Two days later, Feb. q, the same party
wrote letter to Mrs. Kearns demanding
$1,200 at once, and another 81 200 by Aug.
!. A threat of kidnapping her children
was made a penalty for Noncompliance
and the writer stated that he was an
expert with dynamite and nitro glycero
ine''
These letters were put into the possess
sion of Inspector Sullivan, of Denver,
who at once started for Schuyler, arriv-
ing there Tuesday. He called at the
postoffice and inquired who had rented
lock box 4S4 and was told that ii had
been rented by Ernest J. Wolter. the pro-
prietor Of a leading retail establishment
of that city
The Inspector also learned that the
postmaster at Rogers, Neb., had received
letter signed J. 3. Walker, asking if a
lock box could be rented with a cofnbina-
ton that could be opened hurriedly. The
writer stated that he was a travelling
man and had occasion to receive mall at
Rogers and did not wish to ask for it,
The inspector confronted Wolter with
thlS letter and he admitted having writ
ten it, saying he had done so at the re-
quest of a travelling man named Walker,
whose whereabouts were unknown and
VOTERS arrest followed
Wolter refused to discuss the case
further than to say that he is not guilty
as charged
'The case may look bad upon its face,''
he said, "but have no misgivings as to
the outcome. There are other parties in
this. That's all I care. to say at pres
ent''
Wolter came to Schuyler from Salt
Lake, three years ago and opened a large
dry goods establishment at the latter
place, taking a prominent part in the
business affairs of the community.
Hitherto he has born a good reputation
and his arrest was received with much
surprise. While in Utah he conducted
stores in several towns, and during his
stay at Salt Lake, became familiar with
the replIted wealth of Senator kearns.
He gave bond and returned 10 Schuyler
this evening.