The Washington herald., 1907-07-31


New York, July 3o-District Attorney
Jerome turned up Unexpectedly at the
Criminal Courts Building to-day and took
personal charge Of the investigation into
the Armenian blackmail and murder
case.
Mr.. Jerome, who had been at his home
In Lakeville. Conn, said upon his ar
rival:
This Is a very important case. an6 ono
that demands the most thorough official
action. I think that the developments are
far reaching and deserve aggressive ac-
ton"
Father Martoogessian, who was ar
rested On a charge Of attempted robbery,
was arraigned in the TOmbs Police Court
this morning and Magistrate Cornell held
him in $1,000 bail District Attorney Je-
rome Immediately had the prisoner taken
before the Grand Jury and as a result the
priest was indicted
In arranging the priest before the
Grand Jury, District Attorney Jerome
made a strong plea When Father Mar
tOogessian had been indicted, he was
taken before Judge O'Sullivan in the
Court Of General Sessions. Addressing
the court. Mr.. Jerome had this TO say:
Your honor. this man has been indicted
for attempted robbery in the second de-
gree. Circumstances warrant my asking
you TO fix bail at a high figure. as there
Is a possibility that the investigation now
being made win result in his being in
dicted for an offense. that is not bailable.''
Bail Is S25, 700.
Judge OSulliyan thereupon fixed bail
at $500
Father MartoOgessian admitted in the
Tombs this afternOn that he would 10
unable 20 raise this amount, and would
have TO remain in cell until his case
was disposed Of.
District Attorney Jerome said tonight
that the action taken so far was merely
preliminary.
The district attorney stated that in his
opinion the murder Of Tavshanjian was
one Of the most important cases that
/ has come TO his attention IN some time.
/ He said that he intended 10 devote all OF
]
| and finding out just who It was that told
the prisoner IN the Tombs TO kill the rich
rug magnate.
Tie other prisoners gathered fl on
1 Monday night in the raid on the ArmeR-
/ ian restaurants were ali held with the
exception Of Malich, the proprietor Of the
restaurant at TweutF-seventh street and
| Lexington avenue. He was discharged.
but was rearrested tonight on a charge
Of having stolen goods in his possession.
The police found in his place a lot OF
stuff. and this afternoon found a man
who said that the goods had been stolen
/ from MS place several weeks ago.
/ Il was reported at the district attor-
ney's office late this afternoon that Ma
Itch had ''squealed," but Mr.. Jerome said
| that this was not true
The complainant in the Indictment found
to-day against the priest is Houstian Cul-
tenkian. Of 225 Fifth avenue.
100000 Was Demanded.
Earlier in the day Father Nartooges-
sian was held in the Tombs Court on com
| plant of Inspector McCaferty.
In one case Assistant District Attorney
Manley told Magistrate Cornell he had
good reason to believe that an attempt
was made by the priest to extort $780,
000. On this account he asked that the
| prisoner be remanded for forty-eight
hours in the sum OF $4,000.
According 20 an affidavit drawn up by
/ Mr. Maniey and sworn to by Inspector
McCafferty, Father Martoogessian in June
and August. 1905, attempted TO extort S5W
/ from Miriam HarpOOtian, - Union square;
/ So 600 from Bedros Kasanjian. o Union
| square: 81 200 from Houstian Gultenkian
/ of Z5 Fifth avenue. and $4,000 from Ri
ram Karagdiensian. of 225 Fourth avenue
| Five other ATmenians were held in
! 500 bail each as suspicious persons
/ These prisoners We're PatgOs Papa
/ fan, proprietor OF the Araat restaurant;
| Nicholas Molisch, who keeps a restau-
rants at Lexington avenue and Twenty.
| seventh street; Souran Couianian. editor
of the Hunchakist newspaper. 254 East
/ Twenty-fifth street; ACraik AShjiaH. 81
/ East Twenty-eighth street, and Sarkis
/ Alsetian. a baker. of 81 Washington
street, said to have been the bodyguarc
Of the priest.
Merchants Tell of Letters.
| Each Of the merCahnts who summoned
up courage 10 appear to-day and tel
what they knew received threatening let,
| ters from the Hunchakist Society, ac-
companied by demands for money.
It is said that subsequently the priest
called on the merchants.
| It was said by Fourth Deputy Police
Commissioner Arthur Woods to-day that
Father Martoogessian had collected $50.
600 from wealthy Armenian merchants IL
| this city.
He declared that as a result of dOcu.
meuts which had been seized the polio,
/ had ample proof against some of the
| suspects as to the collection Of blackmai
! from merchants and others
While Martoogessian was in court. ths
executive committee in America OF tn,
Armenian revolutionary HUnchakis
party through its representative. N
Lambert. Of l34 East Twenty-fifth street
issued the following statement:
Like all patriotic and law-abiding Ar
menians, the members Of the Armenian
revolutionary Hunchakist party have
been shocked and filed with hcrror ant
CONSERVATION by the cowardly assasslna
ton Of their honored countryman. thi
late II. S. Tavshanjian. They are espe
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