The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-15
SOCIETY WOMEN
FIGHT BLACKMAIL
New York's 400" Furnishing
Evidence in Hope of Convict
ing Solicitor.
Nv York Sun Special Service.

New York Sun Special Service.
s New York, July 1.-two women and
i a man, all high in New York society,
have informed the district attorney s
office that if their services are required
they will appear as compliments
against Charles E. Able of the Socie-
Z ty Editors association, who was held
yesterday in 800 bail for the grand
jury on the charge of attempted black
mail lodged against him by Edwin M.
Post, a member of the New York Stock
exchange. These offers are conditional.
q The persons are ready to testify against
Able, only if guaranteed that no ques-
tions be asked concerning the scandals
which they allege were mentioned when
their subscriptions We're solicited.
Post Tells of Blackmailer.
Edwin NJ. Post went on the witness
stand and under oath told how he had
been blackmailed by Charles H. Able.
Mr.. Post swore that he had submitted
to blackmail because he feared that a
Scandalous article would be printed in
Town Topics.
Post told how Wayne, one of the
editors of Town Topics, had sent Ahle
to him with letter of introduction.
scribe to America s Smart Set, and that
the $500 for it was to go to "the boys
on the paper. After Post had told Able
that he would not pay $500 for such
q book he said Able told him: we
have very good story coming out in
Town Topics about you. Maybe you
wouldn It like to see it in print, and
therefore you had better subscribe for
the book He quoted Able as saying
when the money was paid that in case
anything scandalous should appear he
would refund the $500.
Detective Flood said he overheard
%Ahle say that Town Topics had many
cases of this kind in the office and that
Town Topics made most Of it's money
In that way.
Society Folk Subscribed.
William L. Daniels, under subpoena,
supplied Assistant District Attorney
krotel, in charge Of the prosecution of
Able, with all the books of the Society
Editors association. One book con-
tains the names of the subscribers for
stAmerica's Smart Set,' the publica-
ton offered to Edwin Post.
In addition to the list heretofore
printed of Astors, Va'nderbilts and 9th
ers who subscribed for Americas Smart
Set, the books show these names and
j. B. Haggins, $500; J. J. Astor
(July 10, 1000 $500; J. j. Astor, Nov.
rs 30, 1904, $500; W. B. Leeds, 5000; Mrs.
3. g. pun, $500; ": F. III aay ye
White, $io0; James Gayley, $500;
Thomas Walsh, Washington, $500; Har,
Armour, $500; Mrs. 3. G. Hubbard
$500; L. NJ. Waterbury, $500; James
Hebbagd Moore lpaidl S direct to n: r.
w. end used dz by hi Ha, 5000; Mrs; 81 Harry
$500; Frank Tilford, $3.50; F. ziegfeld
800; Mrs. Howard Gould, $1,000;
Clarence Mackay, $1,000; Edith F. Han.
nan, $500; James w. Merard, $3.50;
James j. Coogan, 500; Ex-Judge E. H
Gary, $3.50; Isaac Guggenheimer, $3.50
The books of the society association
and July 3, 1905, for America s Smart
Set there. showed received $4,000
Denial of Blackma1l
Justice Deuel., of the court of specia
sessions and one of the directors Of the
Town Topics Publishing company, cit
ed the following incident to show thai
he and Colonel Mann, the publ:iIshe1
IT was in the office of Colonel Mann
one day when a man came in and sale
B he understood that Town Topics was
going to print something about him thu
hext day. Colonel Mann asked thu
stranger his name. Colonel Mann thel
sent FOR the dummy sheet, as they cal
I it, and there was a small paragraph
about that man. When he saw it, h
said that it was worth $4,000 to hin
to have it kept out of the paper. H
gave us his reasons and they seemed t.
be good ones. He said he would b
damaged to that amount; he had tina
much money with him, which he Wante
to pay us if we would only keep tn
q ~, al nf thn no
do you think Colonel Mann did, H
sent to the pressroom and had tn
presses stopped. Then we took tina
page out and had it changed SO tina
the article complained of did not az
pear.
'And did the man pay the $5,OOO7'
He did not, replied Justice Deue
Z 5ttAll Colonel Mann charged him wa
the actual expense incurred for maxim
4 the change in the paper. That wa