Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-21
UNDER ARREST.
|,.inn Of Old NeWYOrk Fam
ly Held by Police
N Writing Threatening Lei
isr 10 Mother at Newport.
l,lId XII! Her J.. That Mis- Wife
Might Benefit Thereby.

j
.sso,,acr son of Mrs. John King
~ rensselaer, and a member of one
Now Works oldest families, was
.steu into custody tonight on charge
: attempted extortion. The arrest
y, made on advices from Chief OF
na,;ee crowley of Newport, r. l., who
.esived complaint from Mrs. Van
oonsselaer that her son had written
litter threatening her bodily harm
u,less she provided him with funds.
Van Rensselaer, is "a years old and
married.
Van Rensselaer, is connected with
heal brokerage house, and when he
,eturued to his home tonight on Way
srIv Mace he was placed under arrest
hv detectives, who produced the letter
alleged t. have been written by him
10 his mother The detectives and
Ijeut Minnion, before whom Van
rensselaer, was brought in the police
station. declare that the young man
stated that he had written the letter,
which is without any conventional be-
dining or ending and of which the
rstscript is unsigned The letter
reads:
~ have Just seen Lawrence Lee and
am given to understand that you
will pay $50 per month for my board
4 will go 300 miles from New York
and that / must have your written
consent TO leave the place that you
may select.
"Did it ever occur to you that I
have ar absolute remainder interest
IN Aunt Frances estate securities and
that by blowing your head off my
/ wife would have an income sufficient
to support her?
4 will take that course if necessary
and upon my head will rest the conse
quence. (Thaw is still alive. maybe
| will be- In my case my wife, God bless
her, will benefit by your demise, even
L ! don't.
Il have seen many disagrccmcnts
and much suffering in my life and
must say that most of it is due to you,
asefsh peacock whose name in these
tines aint UNITS to nothing. and who is
almost, il not entirely, forgotten in
circles once trOd.
"I am now in no humor to be trifcd
with, and wish to go on record that
will take action on sight. unless
something is done at once. You gave
Harold $4,000 and a trip to Europe.
What have / had for being honest?
81 want you to raise on that fancy
name of yours $4,000 for me. If you are
such a great lady, make good: if not
keep OUT of my sight. / can raise cash
nough yet to go to you wherever you
IRE and | have IL good name"
(Signeb - A. RENSSELAER,.
Van Rensselaer, was later taken to
ypolice headquarters and the police of
Newport. where Mrs. Van Rensselaer,
l Is row residing, were notified of the
| arrest. The prisoner made inquiries re-
l garding lal and spoke vaguely of a
man named Lee. who would be glad
to furnish it: Van Rensselaer, will be
carefully observed by the police. Ad
hitting to Lieut.. Mannion thai he had
| written the letter, Van Rensselaer,. ac
| cording t. the police, made the follow
Ing statement regarding the demand
Ion his mother:
i gave her $1,000 when she was on
her uppers, and now | want $5o0o to
20 into the brokerage business. When
was in business before | had Il good
reno who used to loan me any
anount | wanted up to a couple of
uhdred thousand. This friends moth
g wanted to get into the Colonial
James of America, of which my moth
was member but my mother
adekballed her Then, soon after that
went to this friend again for another
aah' but he told me as my mother
vas Too good to associate with his
n0'her, he guessed his money was too
coed for me-"
van rensselaer, is son Of John
aihe Van Rensselaer, and grandson of
o''sadlcr General Henry Bell Van
%hsselaer, aided e-camp to Major
seheral Winfield Scott The Van
Mhsselaers are descendants from
wohial jeremiah Van Rensselaer,. who
!, vas member of the Colonial Assem-
y, y IN this state and its Speaker in
va Van Rensselaer, was twice mar
WI having divorced his first wife.
,Newport. r. L., July 20.-Mrs. John
,"s van Rensselaer, whose son. John
van Rensselaer, was taken into
~, lss'ouy in New York tonight has been
lug Tor few days at fashionable
afuhg house in this city, recently
~ w left there last Sunday. 1t is
r.asnt here that she went to New
,, aA put no one at the boarding house
%t knew where she had gone.
MI van Rensselaer, came to New
~. iast Friday and on that day had
!, ,nonierence by telephone with Chief
81, Juice James r. Crowley. The chief
NJ, she told him about the letter
NY a.eh she had received. and he sent a
~, ny OF 1t to the New York police.
Va crowley said tonight that Mrs.
:" RENSSELAER, did not request him to
Continued on Page Two.)
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