The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-20
TRAP FOR BLACKMAILERS.
FOUR MEN NABBED ~ THE
NIHILIST LETTERS CASE.
One OF Them Had Deen ASKING for Mail In
the Name Given by the Biackmaiiers
Prisoners Held In Jersey (1ty-Thc

Detective William Prescott Of Jersey
City arrested, IN Hoboken yesterday after
noon, four Germans who are believed 10y
tho police TO belong to gang Of self-styled
Russian Nihilists." who have been send
ing letters to wealthy men in this city and
Jersey City demanding loans of money
on pain of death.
The prisoners describe themselves rs
Botho Strubel, II years old, of 1926 First
avenue, Manhattan; jacob Ganbetz, 20
years old, Of 1872 Greenwich street Man
haitian; Fritz Seeher, "a years old, Of 355
Van Brunt street. BROOKLYN, and Fred
Becker. 80 years old. of i52 Greenwich
street. Manhattan. They were taken to
Police Headquarters in Jersey City and
locked up in the city prison on a chagc
OF attempting TO obtain money under false
pretenc5s
A ships carpenter named William Becker
was arrested az the Post Office In this city
last Thursday when he called for mail ad-
dressed TO c. c. Morton, to whom several
New Workers. who had received threaten
ing letters, were directed TO send money
The letters were similar TO letters received
by Capped Rubens and o. H. Van Ojen,
wholesale grocers in Jersey City, COM
manding them to send $500 each in an en-
velope addressed TO A. II. Ysop. General
Delivery, Hoboken Post ONCE
Police Chief Murphy Of Jersey City sent
decoy letter to the Hoboken Post Office
and waited developments. young man,
who was recognized yesterday as Strubel,
made inquiries for mail directed to Ysop
He explained that he did not want 20 take
fsop's letters away with him. but simply
desired to oblige man who requested him
70 find out If his mail had arrived
Chief Murphy received a telephone mes
sage from Postmaster Edward Martin
yesterday afternoon. sa wing that a regis
tered letter had been received for Strubel
He asked the chief to send a detective over
to nab the young man when he called.
Detective Prescott got 20 the post office
ten minutes ahead of Strubel
Strubel is a smooth-faced German, with
light complexion. He has a decided limp.
one of his legs is shorter than the other.
Struhel did not get his letter and left
the post office in disgust. Prescott fol low
ing close behind. At the Hoboken ferry
the young man joined three other me n.
who are now In custody.
Prescott let them talk together for a
few minutes and then placed them all
under arrest, They didn't act like blood
'hirs,y Nihilists. but submitted after
ono or two faint-hearted efforts TO break
away
They were taken 10 Chief Murphv's office
where the chief took Strlibel IN hand ana
Questioned him for over an hour Strubcl
d MED any knowledge Of "Nihilist" con
~piraCy 70 eNtort money by blackmail
He said he was n ships cook who came
u Rstt 4.
Mckinley died. lie had visited Tampa.
Jacksonville. savannah. Baltimore ard
1tncr southern cities and had returned 10
Europe in September. He came back
fourteen days ago and had been in this city
and Hoboken.
He declared that his father was chief
of police of one of the boroughs Of Hamburg
Germany, a statement which, Chief Murphy
SAYS. has been confirmed by a man in
Hoboken.
He denied that he had ever met the other
prisoners before yesterday. Strubel said
that one day last week he met a man com
ing IN a ferryboat who asked him TO 20 To
the hoboken Post Offico and get "A letter
Tor A. H. lsop, writing the name on the
business card Of n cafe in Baltimore
Strubel willingly gave Chief Murphy
sample of his writing. which. the Chief
said bore n strong resemblance to the
writing on the card.
The threatening letter which was sent TO
'aplNl hut~nN OF El3 New YORK avenue,
Jersey CITY said that the Russian Nihlis,s
wanted him to help them out with $500 for
six weeks
Don't be afraid that you will loso your
money. said the letter. There is no risk,
for the Nihilist1 have money enough ton
I he other sidel, and don't need 10 keep
yours. II yon don't do exactly as we want
"" poison all you love and YOU al last in
the terriblost and cruelest way with our
,ful East Indian poison. Excuse that
We tall so cruel, but We mean ii, for we
picked YOU out with gamble"
Mr.. RubenS was also warned that the
NlhllS's We're "cri"l and very devili-h
If somebody works against them"
Nr Rubens and MIR Van OJen sent their
letters, which were signed "Kempenski
Chief, To Chief Murphy MANY words in
the letters were UNDERSIGNED with rcd
ink
Chief Murphy said last night that n.
believed he had a good case against Stribal.
He hopes also TO work mp a strong case
against the other prisoners
Tho Jersey City poliCa notified Cap,
Titus of Strubnfs Manhattan address and
Detective Sergeant Hitch went M 10 the
First avenue house last night He found
that Sjrubel had spent Monday and Tuesday
nights with Pfalcer family who live there.
Mrs Pfdlcor told Hitch that she came oyer
her" on the steamship Patricia Of the Ham
burg American Line which arrived oct
3, ami that on the trip she met Strubel.
who was working in the ships pantry
Sirubel. sh" sad came to her house on Mon
dtr night and asked for furnished room
He got it. Sh. said that he went TO Ho-
boken yesterday morning. saving that
he WINS going n look for n iob