The sun., 1902-11-21
One taste convinces
kORN-kRISp
Always ready to eat
C0NFESSES TO BLACKMAIL.
fOt Nc fNfM HfSTIC LETTER
WRITER WOULD kILL HIMSELF.
Says That He Alone Is Responsible for the
Letters Demanding None! and Tries 10
Steal q Revolver From a Policeman
Win which to Commit Suicide.

Botho S'rubel the seventeen-y -year-old
ships cook who was arrested with three
other Germans in Hobokon on Wednesday,
confessed To Police Chief Murphy Of Jersey
City yesterday that lie WAS the author of
the threatening letters received by wealthy
men in this city and Jersey city calling
upon them to hand out money in sums OF
$500 and 81 900 or suffer death al the hands
of a cruel and bloodthirsty V band Of Russian
Nihilists, who were temporarily embar-
rassed He eNonerated Jacob Ganbetz,
Fritz Seeber and Fred Becker who We're
captured with him, from any participation
in the plot, and they were discharged
Struhel did not take tire cl;ef into his
confidence until after the quartet were
arraigned before Police Justice Murphy
in the Second Criminal Court on COM
plant of Cappel Rubens and O. A. Van
Ojen, Jpr1cy City grocers who had re-
ceived blaclmailng letters. On returning
to police h adquarters Ire said that "a"
wouldn't mind making a o'an breast o.
the whole business, and th" chief didn't
put any obstacles in his way
Strubel said at he thought 4 would
be n comparatively easy matter 70 compel
men who had plenty Of money 20 part with
some of II providing that they were led
10 fear that their lives were In danger.
He got the names Of his intended victims
from the directory and had an idea he said
that al least one out of ten would be silly
enough 10 forward the cash To hi m as di-
rected. He admitted that ne never roceiy ed
a cent.
Strubel said that he never had any part
ners in his schemes. He was boarding at
I2s Garden street, Hoboken. where he
conceived the plan of getting rich quickly
by playing on the fears of others He mailed
ten letters on Nov. I, after spending several
hours in writing them, and unierscoring
the more convincing phrases with red
ink This batch included the missives
received by Mr. Rubens, Mr.. Van Ojep
and Capt T.. ID, NJ. Birdeye Of los Hudson
street, Manhattan.
Strubel said that he met william Becker.
who was arrested al the New York Post
Office last Thursday for completely in tho
plot, al the Hoboken boarding house.
They went to Manhattan togoth her and
on the trip Strubel asked Becker to get
a letter for him al the Post Office addressed
to G. &. Morton, promising 10 give him
one-half Of any money found in IT. Strubel
said he wrote to Capt. Titus explaining that
Becker was innocent
The youth did not seem to appreciate
that he had involved himself IN serious
trouble until after he had mad" his cor
fession. Then he bcamc downnaSi. The
chief left him alone in hi- Office while he vert
to the telephone, On returning he found
the Young man twisting a silk handkorcli,f
in his hands.
what are you going 10 do with that?'
asked Murphy
Il was thinking OF hanging myself"
was the reply
Il Wouldn't do il here il were you,"
said The chief. taking the handkerchief
away from him.
The chief directed Policeman Iurvcv TO
remain on guard ou side S'ut els cell
to prevent him from trying 10 kll himself
The con sat on a chair with his hip pocket
containing n loaded revolver tniuItiuglv
near the prisoner. S'rruhol spotted l..
put his hand through the bars and took
hold Of il Will" Iurvoy WIS looking in tho
opposite direction, Tie officer Eel n slight
tug IL the revolver and moved suddenly
away from the bars, Struhcl assured
Lurvcy that h" would have committed
suicide had he secured 'h' revolver.
The youth was r"'naud,d bv just zoo
Murphy until io-moiroW morniug on a
charge Of obtaining money under false