The St. Louis Republic., 1901-01-14
"The Invincible Thieves" Send
Their Prospectus to Four Prom
inent Illinois Citizens.
DEMAND MONEY FROM EACH.
Declare Their Homes Will Be by
namited if They Fail TO Comply
Madison County Authori-
ties Puzzled.


nois, are puzzled and several farmers arr
greatly worried over a case somewhat sim
liar to that OF the famous Cudahy lddnap
ing case at Omaha, Neb, in which an ef
fort is being made TO extort money from
the most prominent residents OF the county
through threats to kill them and their fam
lilies by dynamiting their homes ThOs'
threatened are John Huebener. Fred Pen
ming, George Shillinger and Leonard Hoehn;
all OF whom reside near East Alton.
Letter Was Nailed TO the yell.
On Friday morning John Huebener found
nailed 10 the curb OF the well In his back
yard the following letter. printed as a child
would write:
Oldenburg, III. Jan. IL IsJl-Mr. John Huebe-
neT. East Alton. Ia: Dear Slr-lou want TO be
this ietter II is intended only Tor YOU aai \, "
three acquaintances-Mr Fred Penning. Nj.
George ShiLInger and Mr.. LeOuard hOehns. YOU.
and each cf you must resfi u all over carefully.
BE sure you all understand Il very thoroughly. "a
It ts u great Importance that you DO not MAKE
n single mistake IN carrying out this pan per
fectly-
our business IS TO find bunch Of farmers
living not far apart who are IN good cifcun-
stances and then make = demand on them for
spare without any Serious injury 70 themselves
family. We 10 not choose farmers because
or other city people bat because their property
and families are more easily gotten at than city
II you follow our instructions carefully you
will not be hurt N the least But you must
make up your minds pay the money We
ask Of you and DO It willingly. Before We write
TO a man We know Tor sure he IS able 70 pay
what We demand Of him and We MAKE ample
preparations 10 force him 10 pay II sooner or
later. our methods are dreadfuly severe Bat n
you wiil look al II from Our standpoinl you can
see that IL Is Necessary when We have once
made a demand on man that We either make
MN pay IL as ne Is tea or make a hotriole ~
ample Of him Then We can Te-er TO his case
and our next man VIII De glad 10 resrCnd
quickly and thus escape unharmed- Su.lose,
now. you gentlemen should fail 10 do as We tell
you. and We not bother you any more, bu{ Just
let you go2 Don't you know you would laugh
az Us and say We were nothing but big eowardiy
failure Therefore. y0u can now depend upon II
that We Will. regardless Of all the help you can
getting money from you 90 the very bitter end
II necessary Do not think We are hard on yOu.
neighbors who. perhaps. are leFs able than you
Here is what you must do. Go right now and
begin on #. Take this letter 10 Fred Penning.
near East Alton. then 10 George Shiinger. near
your place. then TO Leonard Hoehns just a piece
farther down the road toward oldenburg. We
have not written to them. you must be mail
men. each Of You get your part Of the money.
which must be In amounts a. follows; Fred
ner 500, in ten-dolar bills: Leonard Hoehns. 500
in rve-doliar bills; George Shillinger, Sl50. in
dollar bills and George shilliRgeF. 300. in silver
Instructions About Money.
Understand. now. each OF you get the amount
written on the lines with your names. which.
when all put together. amounts 20 80. We
mink We nave dlfiQeo the AMOUNTS aiming you
have made bad guess II can't be helpsd. Now.
whoever is the best hand for the job must wrap
Roll I the silver dollars up in strong wrapping
Get Il tight. So It can't ratt.e. Now. fay u he be
four rolls close together on piece OF wrapping
nice and straight. dfst ths tE enties next the
tens. next the fyes. Nov. fold the wrapping pa
Now. wrap the whole business up in a piece 81
dark cloth and tie it tight with strong hemp
"a IA IA a II
Then. on Saturday evening. January IL. at
Huebener's house. Get q box bed top buggy put
the side curtains on and let the back curtain
large bed blanket around the back and sides o:
the top. 1t ITS smooth and close. Be sure no
% snd ed OF Of The r. bass or 5 es must f the he
open. Fold a couple Of wheat sacks together and
Fin all the room under the seat chnct fuli Of
horse blankets. stur them in good and tight
sacks. Don't put anything over the package Of
money or M iasten Il 70 the buggy IN any way just
sacks lOose.
Be sure the horse blankets are stuffed under the
seat tight enough 70 keep the money from slip
ping forward under the gest for It must be laying
In rg ss HSs S s & as b. s.s GS shi
up without making any noise This + the busy
leonard Hoehns must fias in il. shiIlinser must t
drive the horse and Hoehos must hold q lantern
your Keep @ e sss Ii anS shining @
bright all the way from start 70 finish.
on and roll The back curtain up Pennins must
iern in n bis hands The sn,srn % must is Be burning i
and have red mosquito bar around the globe so
drive behind and always keep 2eo yards behind
sSiirser 81 n era snd , HSehns; star away from Husben-
Y; 1901, shillinser and Hoehns in the front buggy
en as asSVs siD ana In md
Pe5nins In Pennins's npssy side curtains % down
sTa y0u Fsep 20 Sara a. spar Go m aaebB
trs house direct by wagon road TO East Alton
IS the bottom Of the hill the OIL tanks. Here
YOU turn north and go up the him. following that
Alton running east and west past a large brfck
Turn to your right here and go
gain. 20 south one block: then turn to your ett
and east back TO East Alton and on down TO
Penalty for Backslfders.
II everythinE has gone according 70 our In
I receive letters telling You u how 70 saTe yS9f SSI
buildings and stock and perhaps your families.
with. Use the following signals: One One Blast Blast
means stop: two blasts means go ahead three
signals often a is necesssEy. Do not use ANY
others. Go over the route BY daylight Saturday
Drive in walk ali the way except I'm town.
Soon as you come to street lamps in East Alton |
Or Upper Alton. you must drive in a trot going
Fred Pennlng E-ust keep looking behind his
buggy and as any one comes up behind !
.ither riding or walking or when you pass read
y lane opening into your road whistle one lone !
both buggies long enough for any who may |
ave g9tten between you 70 get ahead Then |
he leaders will whistle two blasts. the others !
answer and 20 ahead again. BY this method you I
;an keep the right distance apart. with no one /
between you. II any is close in front OF vou |
NJ between you. or IL YOU not about go 1
ards apart and you not sti!I moving forward
We VIII consider that YOU trying 70 trap us 4
md will open fire you at sight.
But In going through Upper Alton you cannot !
Ieep people from getting between you account /
II 50 many cross streets. don't bother about I
there. nom the nrst street lamp until you 1
iro out cf town. Then stop your whistle /
md be sure no one is between you. DO this same !
way IN East Alton. il either Of you hapucn 10 /
De sick on that night You cannot 60 out send 4
icur son or one OF your sons. No hired man or
'on-in-law will do. unless you want to see how Z
ave two people in it, They must be either your
elves or some OK your children Because am out
( any Of you want to be smart and no. I.nv I
-our part the others put in their share with {
lace We viii know by this method who did 4
ettlement with him.
We advise that you keep your wives from
moving anything about this Because women
ct awful excited and nervous over anything
Ike this. We had where the woman's
eaIth broke down entirely with nervous cx-
itement. We sent all the money back. but fhsr
one good. She has been a wreck eve sine
won't be our fault 1T IL not our aim TO ruin
nybody's happiness. All we want Is money. sl
Viii tell you something. We old. we'll
egulated organization. Some Of the best de-
/ paws them well. We have sood man Il. IL ali
important cities As soon : ya,I make an effort
i,siaed Of IT. n or>f tsLe Io1e 70 Sers.sde are are
to stop proceedings
Here is what you must not do. Don't answer
iith tho norey. Don't forget that zee
the dark as well you cais. We will know
ou but you won't know US from innocent people.