The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-06-19
obtain a light sentence.


PHYSICIANS are in more danger Of fail
ing victims Of blackmailing plots than
men Of many other professions. They
are called to visit people who are stran-
gers to them, in houses into which they
have never entered before, 50 that unless
doctor is guarded he may fan i victim
Of badger game much the same as an
unsuspecting countlyman.
Pr. g. Halsted, for example, some
Years ago received a letter at his once,
IT. West Tenth street, which read as
follows;
sDr. G. Halsted; am suffering from
severe attack Of asthma and bronchial
troubles I have been advised by several
OF your patients to place myself in your
care VIII you pleasec all at once, as I
am suffering great distress.
LAURA HOKEY.
No. - West sixty-sixth street. .
The doctor called at the address and
was surprised to find the woman looking
well He was just about to examine her
throat when a burly man burst into the
room and after threatening the doctor in
various kind Of language it was an
nouneed that the physician would have
TO pay several hundred dollars before he
could go, The docpor showed fight and d
struggle esrsued which attracted a po-
liceman. The man was arrested and af-
forwards sentenced. The patient,
however, escaped.
Now and then London and New York
business circles are disturbed by the ex-
posure Of nasuIarly organized gangs Of
blackmailers. who levy tribute especially
ON the promoters Of companies. At the
time Of the recent financial boom when
companies Of large capital were being or
ganized in great numbers on each side
OF the Atlantic. blaekmail bureau in
London arose TO great proportions BY
bleeding American promoters. It's head
was a man who moved in the highest fin
aneial circles, and in his employ were
men, both in London and New York.
who dug up whatever evil they could
find concerning fhe biggest new compa-
nies. If they found that the ore of
certain mine on exhibition in the pro
motors Office had been taken from some
other mine, on that the secretary had a
bad record in the West. or the title Of
the company's property was under
cloud, they would transmit these faets
to the head Of the bureau.
No sooner did tie promoter land in
London in his quest for British capital
than he received an emissary from the
bureau asking for employment, the
wages ranging from S1o0 to $1,000
week. # the man was refused he sim
PLY dropped hint that he knew such
things about the company. which might
leak ont and generally the blackapail-
er found work
Blackmailing in England is practiced
more widely and secretly than here, al
though it seldom wins as large stakes as
in teh New World. The British extor-
TONER is not likely TO become as rapa-
sciops as his American cousin. and hence
he is less likely is make his victim tuIn
against him. The many noble families
offer field for the blackmailer which
he does not find in America, for the
British nobleman values the name of
his house so highly that he often would
willingly spend a good part of his estate
10 save IFS eseuteheon from stain.
Even if he has not past himself which
he is ashamed to let the world know
about, he possesses a skeleton in some
closet of his castle perhaps. whose expo
sure would bring him lasting disgrace.
Some relative Of his may be a black
sheep.
There are several clubs which exist in
London for no other reason that thar
their members are all prosecuted by the
and have thus united for
some measure of protection. OF such
characters was the Society Of Reformers,
the existence Of which was brought to
light in 1898. BY the suicide Of one of Is
members On Investigation it was found
that this unfortunate was only one of
fourteen who in their desperation had
killed themselves in the preceding twelve |
months. The Reformers had a stylishly
furnished ciub house III Kent road and
among those who sought its rooms for
the slight solace which an association
with fellow victims might bring them
were three whose names were to be
found in Bus'k's Peerage.
There is where the vast bulk Of black
mail is paid in secret, unknown 10 the