Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-11-20
CASE OF HOLD Up
T,''> PROMINENT MEN ARE AR.
ED IN NEW YORK FOR
EXTORTiON.
MEN ARE PAID IN MARKED BILLS
THREATENED TO HOLD UP
WATER FRONT WORK UN.
LESS PAID.
MEN ARE PAID IN MARKED BILLS
THE DETECTIVE DRAWS TEEN ON
PERSoNATES AN OFFICIAL OF
THE COMPANY AND PAYS
THE MONEY.

New York, Nov. ia man giving
the name OF Harry A. Williams, but
who the police declare is Henry c..
Wilson, for twenty years chief clerk
and civil engineer in the department
of the East, U. S. A., with Offices in
the army building in this city. was ar
rested last night on charge Of ex.
tortion. Benjamin F. Whitmore, who
says he is reporter, was arrested
with him on similar charge.
The two men are accused of trying
to hold up the Water Front Improve
ment Company of Jersey City, which
is engaged in filling in crib work on
Ricker's island in the East river, I'M
der contract with the street cleaning
department. The men are charged
with extorting S4,500 which the police
say was given to them in marked bills
under threats of stopping the work of
the company by causing to be with
drawn an army tug, a dredSe and
some scows which had been loaned to
expedite the work. According TO the
statement of Deputy Commissioner of
Police Piper. who was formerly in
charge of the work. he was informed
six weeks ago that representatives Of
the company had been
Approached by Whitmore,
who protested to be the agent of the
men who had power to stop the work
by withdrawing the government YES
sells. Capt. Piper, Police Commission.
err Partridge. Street Cleaning Commits
sioner Wood. District Attorney Jerome
and Capt. Davis OF the detective bu-
reau. had a conference at which it
was decided that a detective personal
ing Oscar l.. Guberlman, the treasurer
of the water front company, should
continue the negotiations with Whit
more. After some dickering over
terms, a meeting was held in the
rooms of the directors of the water
front company in Jersey City on Nov.
s, when, the police say. Whitmore
made the statement that he represent
ed Mr.. Wilson, who was connected
with people at Washington who could
stop the work in twenty-four hours if
the money was not paid. The detec-
tive, as Gubelman, said the company
did not want
To Pay the Money
unless the man to whom the money
went could be seen personally. Whit
more assented and a meeting was ar
ranged for yesterday at down town
cafe Capt. Titus says that his. de-
tective, as representative of the
company, met Whitmore and Wilson
in the cafe yesterday and handed to
each of them s2,25O in marked bills,
Whitmore turning over the money
given to him to Wilson. and the whole
transaction being witnessed by other
detectives and by representative of
the district attorneys Office through a
window. The arrests We're then made.
Neither of the prisoners made any
statement.
The police say Whtmorc is a ply
sician
DR.. Benjamin Thomas Whitmore
was born in Charles county. Md. He
was educated at Cote Brillante COL
lege. st. Louis, Mo-. and at the Louis
vile School OF Medicine. He has re-
ceived the degree of Ill. d. from Man
haitian college for his services in med
icine. He is head of the scientific de-
partment of Parke, Davis G. Co. of
New York, Detroit and London. one
of the most prominent drug houses in
the world.