Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-15
A Prominent College Student
Attempts to Extort Money
From H. w. spaulding
THREATENS TO BURN PROPERTY
Thom.. Fuller Write. Threatening
letter. Signing Fictitiou. Name,
Demanding Deposit of ssoo-clevsr
Trap Laid and the Student Now In
Custody Of Federal Officials.
peciai to rimes-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Grinnell, Feb. IA tremendous
sensation has been caused here by ttAA5
attempt Of q student of Iowa College to
extort money from H. w. Spaulding.
one Of the weaittfest and most promi-
nent citizens OF the town, by means Of
a threat 10 burn his property unless
certain demands were complied with.
Thru the clever work OF Mr.. SpaMld-
ing. United States Marshal Christian
and others, the would-be Pat Grove II
now under arrest and is hold to tho
federal grand fury to answer for his
crime. The name Of the student d
Thomas Fuller and his home il at Mar.
sha1ltbwn.
On Thursday fast at p. M. n. w.
spaulding received thru THE nfail let-.l
ter demanding that 5000 be placed IN q
box and left at THE Hotel Monroe di-
lreoted to Geo H. Watkins" The de-.
mand was coupled with threat that &
unless this were done. Mr.. SpaMldine's = !
property would be burned within
|twcnty-1oh1r hours. The letter was At {
once placed by Mr.. spauiding in the.
hands of his attorneys and deNective,
was put on the case. A box wsss pre-,
pared and sent thru the postofhce by
special delivery no Hotel Monroe. a. the
letter directed. II was carefully sealed.
but no one called for II. On Fr4day tbs
box was returned 20 the postplIloe. the
speciai delivery released, and the1ak
sers 20 sise noteis BY general eiivety
Nothing further occurred on Frd0ay
might.
Between IL and 4 o'clock Frtdays
afternoon. a second letter was mailed
Ito Mr.. spauading repeating the de-sS
mand for money and the threat, and
lalso demanding thar detective be call e
loff. Saturday evening bog similar IN
appearances to the first one. but cons
tanning marked bills, was exchanged
for the original box and l.ft at the
Hotel Monroe for the same person.
Iae = Ii p
This bait proved sunfciently tempting
and Walking took the box from the
hotel general delivery between II and
O'Clock Sunday morning: United
states Marshal George ~. christians
had been called into the case and pro-
ceeded to arrest Thomas Fuller at his
room on Elm street about Z O'clock Sun
day evening. The marked bills were
found in his possession and ne made q
fun confession. He was taken by Maf-s
sbal Christian to Des Moines where
the United States commissioner bound
him over TO appear before the federal
grand jury.
Fuller was college student OF com
siderable prominence and had been
connected Will, the athletic Department.
being an athlete ct more OF less note.
For time he earned at least a portaon
of his expenses by waiting on tables at
the Hotel Monroe but recently lost his
Job there. He had borne good rapu-
tation and because OF the fact that ne s
had been partially earning his way and s
had undoubtedly become financially
embarrassed by reason or having lost
his position sympathy has been exc
pressed for him. His people at Mar.
shalltown are said to be respectable
= nd honorable