Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1908-07-23
SON THREATENS
MOTHERS LIFE
Van Rennslaer Arrested in New
York on Charge OF At.
tempted Extortion.
4SMART SET IS GIVEN SHOCI
Calls Mother Selfish Peacock" ana
Threatens to Kill Her il
She Doesn't Dig Up.

New York. July 22-John A. van
Rennslaer. son of Mrs. John King van
Rennslaer and member OF one Vi
New Yorks oldest families, was taken
into custody last night on charge Oh
attempted extortion. The arrest was
made on advices from Chief OF Ponce
Crowley of Newport, r. l., who re-
ceived complaint from Mrs. van
Rennslaer that her son had written
letter threatening her bodily narm
unle~e she provided him with funds
Van 7ernslaer is thirty-four years OF
age and married
Van Rennslaer is connected with
local brokerage house. The detec-
tives and Lieut. Mannion. before
when Van Rennslaer was brought In
the police station, declare that the
young man stated that he had written
the letter. which is without any con-
ventional beginning or ending. and
of which the postscript is unsigned.
The letter reads:
Writes to His Mother.
II have just seen Lawrence Lee,
and | am given to understand that
you will pay thirty dollars per month
for my board If | will 60 three hun.
dred miles from New York. and that
| must have your written consent to
leave the place that you may select.
did 1t ever occur to you that !
have an absolute remainder interest
in Aunt Frances estate securities
and that by blowing your head OIL
my wife would have an income sum
cient to support her?
Il will take that course If necessary
and upon my head will rest the con
sequences. (Thaw is still alive; may
be will be.)
In any case, my wife, God bless
her. will benefit by your demise, even
If l don't.
Calls Her "Selfish Peacock"
Il have seen many disagreement
and much suffering in my life, and
must say that most of it is due tt
you, a selfish peacock, whose name
in these times amounts to nothing
and who is almost If not entirely for
gotten in circles once trod.
Il am not in any humor to be trified
with, and wish to go on record tina
II will take action on sight unles.
something is done at once. You gave
Harold $4,000 and trip to Europe
What have had for being honest?
u A. Van Rennslaer.s
Il want you to raise on that fame,
name OF yours $4,000 for me. If 70,
are such great lady. make good; Il
not, keep out of my sight. can raise
cash enough yet to go to you wher
ever you are, and have a goos
name.'
Van RennsIaer Explains.
Admitting to Lieut.. Mannion tina
he had written the letter, Van Renns
laer. according to the police. mad,
the following statement regardin,
the demand on his mother:
gave her q thousand dollar
when che was on her uppers. an
now ] wanted FIVE thousand to go int
the brokerage business When wa
In business before had good frien
who used to loan me any amount
wanted up to couple OF hundre
thousand. This friends mother wan
ed to get into the Colonial Danes {
America, of which my mother was
member. but my mother blackballe
her. Then soon after that went /
this friend again for another ioa1
but he told me II my mother was to
good to associate with his mother h
GUESSED his money was too good "a
me-