The times., 1901-04-05
THE CONSPIRACY HEARING
Proceedings Against H0pp and
Hudson in the Police Court.
Mr.. Pickford on the stand Declares
He Was the Victim of Black
mailing Scheme-Says He Was Told
Proceedings Would Be stopped.

Proceedings Would Be stopped
The preliminary hearing in the case of
! Ferdinand Hopp, manager of the Twen
| tieth Century Cafe. and James Hudson,
| a painter and decorator, who has been
| making his home at the Colonial Hotel,
was begun before Judge Scott in the Po-
lice Court yesterday afternoon. The de
PENDANTS are charged with having enter
ed into a conspiracy to blackmail and
defraud Thomas II. Pickford, grocer
NJ the corner of Ninth Street and Louisi-
ana Avenue northwest.
Mr.. Pickford and three other well
known residents of the city were recent
~ indicted by a Montgomery County
grand jury on charge of arson, and 1t
is said that Mr.. Hudson was the prin-
cipal witness before that jury Attorneys
a. a. Lipscomb and Philip Walker ap-
peared in behalf of Hudson yesterday,
while Judge Franklin j. Mackey repre-
sented Hopp. Henry r. Davis and Ar
thur Peter were present and looked al
ter Mr.. Pickfords $ interests, while the
case for the Government was conducted
by Prosecuting Attorney Alexander X.
Mullowny.
Mr.. Pickford was the first witness call
ed to the stand. The attorneys for the
the ether witnesses be excluded from the
room. The court granted the request.
Mr.. Pickford told of his relations with
IIopp, whom, he said, he met about year
ago as steward at the Colonial Hotel.
Aterward when Hopp embarked in bust
ness for himself, Mr.. Pickford said he
not only extended him credit, but loaned
him $500 to tit up his place. Mr.. Pick
ford testified that he was approached last
fall by Hopp, who told him that Hudson
was going to appear before the grand
jury of Montgomery County and charge
Pickford and others with having set fire
to the house at Four Corners, Md, in
order to secure the insurance money, but
that Hopp could prevent Hudson from
doing so by paying him $500.
Pickford paid no attention to the mat
ter, he said, until some time in January,
when Hopp again made the proposition,
to which he replied that he never wanted
to hear another word about the matter.
He considered Hopp's repeated PROPOSE
tion insulting. he said, and instructed his
employees TO no longer extend credit to
him.
Mr.. Pickford continued that Saturday
last Hopp came into his office and opened
a conversation regarding the action of
the Maryland grand jury. During the
course Of the conversation Pickford said
he told Hopp that the matter was injuring
his business, annoying his family, and
almost killing him. He said he almost
wished he had accepted the offer If that
would have settled matters.
Hopp, he said. replied: II wish you
had and added that it might still be
possible. Mr.. Pickford said It was ar
ranged that he and Hopp should meet
again regarding the matter.
That evening. Mr.. Picllford said, he
went to Police Headquarters and laid the
matter before Inspector Boardman, who
after comforting with District Attorney
Anderson, directed the course to be pur-
sued and detailed Detectives Helan and
McNamee on the case. The detectives,
Mr.. Pickford stated, were present at ali
OF the following interviews.
Continuing, Mr.. PickfoTd said that on
Tuesday Hopp visited him three times
and each time stated that more money
would be necessary tnan had been pre-
viously agreed upon. Hopp, he said,
stated that District Attorney Talbot, OF |
Montgomery County, would receive $zl,-
GO) in case he secured conviction IN
the arson case, and that he had agreed to
give Hudson, VINO is said to be the all
important witness in the case, half OF
that amount Hopp, he stated, turther
said that sos had already been PAID Hud-
son by Talbot Mr. Pickford said he
asked Hopp why they had connected him
with the case and was told that Hudson
had said that there was nothing in the
case, and ii could be easily dropped; but
that he would 20 on If he did not get as
much from Pickford as he would receive
from Talbot In case of a conviction
1t was agreed. Mr. PiCkford explained,
that Hopp should meet him at his Office |
Wednesday morning at II o clock, but
that il was 1:30 in the afternoon before
Hopp put in an appearance. Hopp then
according to Mr. Pickfords testimony
stated that Hudson insist on $ll 300, and !
would, on receipt of that sum, leave the
city and keep out of the way until after
the quashing Of the arson charge, which
could not be proved without him. HOpp !
the witness added, further demanded |
81 500 for his services In the matter All
Of this PickfOTd says he agreed 10 and |
asked that Hudson be brought to his Of
fee and the matter settled right there.
He stated that he had 5000 in bank and
sent his cashier ostensibly to cash
check After she had been gone some
time he called UP a telephone number
that did not exist. but which was ostensi-
bly, that Of the bank to which he had sent
the young lady and asked the cause oi the
delay.
TO Hopp he represented that he had
only 81, 800 in bank. according to the state
ment of the officials OF that institution,
and that he would step around and draw