Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-31
HUNCHAK|ST PLOT
BEING UNCOVERED
Jerome Takes Personal CHARGE
of Investigation.
ARMENIANS COME FORWARD
Are Hmid About Testifying Against
Blackmailers.
IMPORTANT PAPERS UNEARTHED
Father Martoogessian Is Locked UP,
Being Unable to Furnish
$3.50 Bail.
IMPORTANT PAPERS UNEARTHED

Facts are being dug up in con-
nection with the murder of NJ.
Tavshanjian, the Armenian mer-
chant, in New York. District At
torney Jerome has taken personal
charge of the investigation. Many
letters and papers bearing on the
Matchmaking conspiracy have been
secured. Father Martoogessian, the
Armenian priest, is still locked up,
pending the production OF $4,000
bail. Some Armenians have given
further evidence to the district at
torney, but they are timid about
testifying, fearing the vengeance OF
II embers of the Runchakist Society
still at large. .,...
NEW YORK, July 31.-District Attorney
Jerome has taken personal charge of the
investigation into the plots Of the Arme-
man blackmailers which led to the assas-
sination Of H. S. Tavshanjian. and all the
forces Of the district attorneys office and
the police department worked zealously to-
Ody " lclIcl Oul more cues tndI WOulQ
lead to the arrest of the murderer or MUIR
derers who are believed to have masked
their operations under the name of Hunch-
akists, the Armenian revolutionary society.
Several Armenians appeared today at the
district attorneys Office and were closely
questioned as to methods of the dreaded
band of blackmailers who systematically
extorted large sums of money from their
wealthy countrymen under threats of death.
District Attorney Jerome Is seeking every
possible bit Of information concerning
Father Levont Martoogessian, the Ar
menian priest who is now held in the Tombs
under $4,000 bail for attempted robbery.
A trunk is reported to have been found in
Lowell Mass, where Bedros Hampartzoo-
milan lived, which is said to contain papers
revealing the plots Of the blackmai.ers.
Handwriting experts examined today sew
eral letters which were sent to rich Ar
menians demanding money. The district
attorney will obtain the handwrtings of
the Armenians now under arrest. The
Matchmaking letters demanded sums rang
Ing from $4,000 to $4,000 The police have
discovered that certain Armenians not only
extorted money, but ran fence" where
stolen goods were disposed Of. The police
believe that the blackmailers not only have
been guilty Of extortion, but have been rob-
bling their victims as well.
The grand jury today found three addi-
tional indictments against Father Martoo-
gessian Two of the indictments charge
attempted robbery and the third extortion.
The Armenian priest was brought before
Judge O'Sullivan in the court Of general
sessions after the indictments had been re-
turned, and entered a preliminary plea of
not guilty. On Monday counsel for the
priest will file formal plea to all four in
dictments against him.
Record of Murderer.
LOWELL. Mass, July 31.-A1 the ac-
quaintances here of Bedros khacbadorian,
or Bedros Hampartzoomian, as he is known
in New York, the slayer of the Armenian
merchant Tavshanjian, have been inter-
rogated by the police, but little information
could be obtained that would throw any
light upon the alleged Matchmaking con-
spiracy 1t was learned. however, that
Khachadorian had been in America about
five years, and, after working for a while at
Providence, came here and worked for
more than a year in cotton mills, leaving
the city about three weeks ago.
Yesterday representative of District At
torney Jerome'S office came here from New
York and, after a conference with the
police, returned to New York, taking with
him trunk belonging to the alleged muir
derer. What the trunk contained is not
known