Omaha daily bee., 1901-03-22
BILL TO GOVERN BlACKMAlL
senate Recommends the Edgar Meas
urc ON This Point for
Passage.

LINCOLN, March 2i.-(special) Senate
file 30, bill introduced by Senator Edgar
of Gage county, the object of which Is to
prevent backmail and extortion, was CON
sidered in committee of the whole today
and recommended for passage 1t has been
practice in many counties for interested
parties to enjoin the payment of county
warrants for bridge work and other pur.
poses, with the sole object in view OF
holding up" the holder of the warrant, the
cases always being dismissed upon the pay
ment by the parties thus enjoined of cer-
tain sums of money which is demanded by
the party who enioins. Such work has been
carried on successfully for years in many
counties, the bridge companies and other
victims taking the alternative of putting
up the amounts demanded of them rather
than have their warrants held up pending
the injunction proceedings, and while the
bill has been made broad enough TO cover
other classes of eXtortion and blackmail,
IL was for this particular brand OF "holdup"
that L. was introduced. The provisions OF
the bill are as follows:
Section l. Any person or persons who
snail en1oin. advise or seek TO prevent the
payment of any bill or account legally and
lawfully made, for services actually len
dered, work performed or material FUR
county. township. district town, city or
ward, or other municipal or state or county
division in the state of Nebraska the same
having been contracted for by the lawfully
constituted authorities of such state,
county, township, district, town, city or
ward, with the intention of eXacting or eN-
tofting money or other valuable cOnsid sra
tlon from the owner of such bill or account
ON the promise of Withdrawing, or actual
withdrawal OF said Injunction or other pro-
ceedings I'm estoppe of said bill or account,
shall be deemed guilty OF backmail and ex-
ttortion and upon CONVICTION thereof sbal
be confined In the penitentary not more
than three years nor less than one year fcr
each and every offense.
directly or Indirectly. under threats of ex-
posure for crimes, misdemeanors, indiscro-
tions or SCANDALS, fancied or real eXt9rt or
demand money or other valuable considerd-
tion, or who shnll cause or advise the same
TO be done. from any citizen or resident OF
Nebraska, shall be deemed guilty of hlack-
mail. and upon conviction thereof shall be
confined In the penitentiary for not more
man fifteen years nor less than hVe wears
for each any every Offense.
Sec: B. Any person or persons who shall
by threats, intimidation, coercion, eNtor-
subterfuge, obtain, or seek to obtain, morey
or other valuable considera tion, or ehall
cause the same to be done directly, or in
directly, from any citizen or resident OF
this state, or compel them to perform any
act not consi sistent with common law or
equity, or who shall by such threats,
coercion, intimidation, eXtortion, injunc-
tion, conspiracy, deception or subterfuge,
induce any citizen or resident of the state
W -N'pI asha W Suileliu'i 'HS thiH6 ~ N"IuN
or relinquish any right guaranteed by the
laws of Nebraska, in consideration of the
withdrawal of said threats, coercion, IN
tmidation, eXtortion, injunction, conspiracy.
deception or subterfuge, shall be deemed
guilty of blackmail, and upon conviction
thereof shall be confined in the penitentiary
for not more than three years nor less than
Cne year for each and every offense.
Sec. 4. Any person or persons who shall
enjon or seek to enjoin the lawful issuing
of bonds of whatever nature in this state,
the payment of the same upon maturity,
or the payment OF interest accrued or uc-
cruing upon the same, for the purpose as
disclosed of extorting or demanding money
other valuable consideration, shall be
deemed guilty of blaCkmail and upon con-
viction thereof shall be confined In the
penitentiary for not more than three years
nor less than one year