Omaha daily bee., 1907-10-17
SCHEME TO KlDNAP FOILED
Superintendent Grier Of Homestake
Mine Object Of Plot
BIG SUM OF MONEY DEMANDED
Thrent 20 steal Child aud Murder
Him Unless Payment Was
Made - Austrians Arc
Suspected.
BIG SUM OF MONEY DEMANDED

LEAD S. D., oct. 16-(Special Telegram)
Black hand methods have reached Lead.
and although the plot to extort money un-
der the threat Of violence has failed for
the time, It is believed the end OF the
scheme OF blackmail, which originated
among a group of Austrans who are tenn
porarily making their homes in Lead is
not yet, and that further effort will be
made by them to carry out their threats.
Some months ago Superintendent GrieT
of the Homestake Mining company beg m
to receive threatening letters, dropped In
the postofiice at Lead. The letters were
not signed. but all Of them were filled with
threats OF murder should the superintendent
not comply with the demands Of the gang
to make a payment of a large sum Of
money. On Saturday last Superintendent
Grier received a letter which not only
threatened to dynamite his residence, but
also informed him that should not large
sum OF money be at specified place before
Monday evening his residence would be
blown up and that an effort would be made
TO kidnap one OF his children, and that
then dill he not pay over the money, the
child would be sent back to him piece by
piece Mr.. Grier's friends became alarmed
ami induced him to consent to personal
bodyguard and to allow his residence to be
guarded night and day by armed men.
This was done and a guard vas also placed
over his children and now accompanies
them to and from school and watches over
them while at play.
Sunday a dummy package was left at the
place designated by the gang and a watch
was set over it. During Sunday no one ap-
preached the package, but Monday after
noon a woman. Mrs Chris Miljas, an Aus
trian, was seen to take the package. She
was followed to her home in South Lead
and placed under srrest, together with her
husband ard an uncle who were found in
the house
Mr. and Mrs. Grier are absent in the east
and will sail from New York tomorrow for
n visit in Scotland, but during their alb
sence their children will remain in Lead
under guard all of the time. for IT is not
believed that the three arrests made in
clude all who are implicated in the plot
The works and hoists Of the mine are be-
ing guarded night and day, for previous
letters contained threats to burn them
down destroy the tramways with dyna-
mite and to inhict other injury TO the mines
which would cost thousands of dollars tc
repair.
The sum demanded in all of the previous
letters received was $4,000. The city Il
worked up over the matter, and should ar
accident happen to any of Mr. Griers chill
dren or any of the works suffer injury
there will certainly be riot and the sus
poets. besides those now under arrest, viii
be roughly dealt with.
Mr.. Grier left for New York Sunday
evening. accompanied by Marshal Bullock
who remained with him until the dangel
zone was passed.
Mrs. Mljas. who belongs to one Of th'
best known Austrlan-ItaliaH families II
Lead, was taken quietly before a polio,
magistrate this morning for a preliminarl
hearing, but on the request Of her attorne!
the hearing was postponed. The woman
who had previously been arrested on
charge of larceny and forgery at the tim
she was taken into custody yesterday, wa
out on bonds for her appearance before tn
grand jury.