The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-06-23
WRITES LETTER
ASKING PRESIDENT MELLES
 FcR $IO,OOO.

ArraIgned in New York Police Court
 Michael ]. Sullivan Proves to be NO-
 tOrious criminaI-Has Bad Record as
 Forger, BuneOer, and CrOolk-DetaiIs
 of Attempted Train wreeIking.
 In the Center street police court yes- terday in New York was arraigned the man who wrote the letter to President c. S. Mellen of the New York, New Ha- ven and Hartford Railroad company, asking him to give slo,O00. if the writer would give the name of the persons attempting to wreck the Pitts- field express train on May 2S. The ac- cused is Michael J. Sullivan, alias Hart, alias Edwin Stoddard, and was arrected by detectives employed by the railroad at Tunkhannock. Pa., Tuesday and brought to New York.
 To the detectives he said that he was one of four persons who were present at NorthfieId, Mass, when the railroad ties were chained together for the pur- pose of wrecking the train, but that he was there simply as an onlooker. He also declared that his story was corrob- orated by officials of the railroad, who visited the scene of the proposed wreck. The only reason the train was not wrecked, he said, was that wildcat engine went ahead of the express and the crew cleared the track of the ob- struction.
 Sullivan was identified at the police headquarters as a notorious forger, buncoer. and all round crook. His ne-
 farious schemes have extended all over the country, and among the victims of his bunco games are Daniel Lamont former secretary of war: Tiffany, the jewel magnate, and members of other large firms. He has served several l sentences in the tonbs. One of his spec ialties is his way of getting money from people whom he induces to look upon him as a long lost relative. He has rais- ed several hundred dollars from these pathetic appeals.
 On a short affidavit, sworn to by De- tective Sergeants Vallely and Collins, Magistrate Breen held the prisoner in 1 s5,00O, in default of which he was com nitted to the Tombs to await the arriv- | al of extradition papers from Connecti- l cut.
 | The only statement the railroad off, l cials made in regard to the matter is 1 that there was no truth in the story of ] a hold-up, attempted hold-up or any 1 threats against President c. s. Mellen. The Chicago special train, declared To- cal officials was not guarded nor were any. threats made against it.
 There have been rumors current to l the effect that Sullivan is a resident of 1 New Haven, and that the local detec- 1 tive department looked up certain man by the same name residing on Meadow street. But telegraph dispatch l es srom the west to the effect that an 1 attempt on the special had really been made and that the Consolidated road was as anxious as any of the big roads for the apprehension of Sullivan, would seem to indicate that the train wrecker 1 was in no way connected with New
 Haven.
 1 There are several opinions in regard to Sullivan. A belief that is gaining
 credence among railroad officials of this
 city is that Sullivan may be mentally
 deficient. His course in attempting to
 get money from President Mellen as he
 did, and then in cashing a money order
 supposed to have been sent by the lat
 ter indicates this as such a course l would naturally at once lead him into the hands of the police. Another opinion is that Sullivan is the tool of gang but the surface indications are that he is a dreamer.