New-York tribune., 1908-07-21
ADMITS DEATH THREAT
I'm RENSSELAER, HELD.
Mother accuses Him of Writing
Her Letter Demanding Money.


ran Rensselaer, and well known in New York
I'd Newport as member OF one of New
xorxs oldest families. was arrested late yester-
5ay afternoon on q charge OF attempted extor-
go, made by his mother. The arrest was made
.x Central Office detectives at the instance Of
Chief Crowley OF the Newport police. Mrs. Van
p.nsselaer lives in Newport, and Chief Crowley
..,s she had complained 10 him that her son
N,a written her a letter demanding 5000 on
,hyeafs Of bodily harm Van Rensselaer, when
.-rssted. admitted openly that he had written
Oh. threatening letter which was shown him by
the detectives
In response TO the questions put TO him when
y. was arraigned at Police Headquarters. Van
p.nsseaer said he thirty-six years old in
.he brokerage business. and lived at No 164
wsveriey Place. He did not give any explana-
,ion as TO his motives in writing the letter but
when seen at her home, his wife who kath-
,vn Buxton, an actress before her marriage, ard
:. Mt Van Renesslaer's second Wife. said that
,he letter was only joke and childish act
The letter upon which Van Rensselaer, was ar
rested was written On July IA, and was turned
over TO Chief Crowley after it was re-
ceived Crowley forwarded it to Inspector Nc
Ca~e-ty Of the New York detective bureau and
Yesterday it was given 10 the two detectives
who made the arrest.
ADMITS WRITING LETTER
Before taking Van Rensselaer, into custody
Detective WILDER produced the letter and asked
him II he hed written it The detectives say
Ven Rensselaer, replied that he had. II is with
ou. any conventional beginning or ending and
the postscript is unsigned. Some words are
salicized as if for emphasis The exact text of
,he letter is es follows:
have just seen Lawrence Lee. and am given
to understand that YOU viii pay $50 per month
for my board II [ Will go three hundred miles
from New York, and that 1 must have your
written consent 10 leave the place that you may
select
lute remainder interest in Aunt Frances's
estates securities and that by blowing your
bead off that my wife would have income
eushcienr TO support her?
I will tske that course If necessary, and upon
ny head will rest the consequences. CThaw is
efln alive; maybe viii be.)
In any case my wife-God bless hert-will
benefit by your demise. even if don't
] have many disagreenents and much
suffering IN my life. and / must say that most
Of II is cue 10 you--a selfish peacock whose
name In these times amounts TO nothing and
who is almost, il not entirely. forgotten in cir
cies tread.
wish 10 go on record that I viii take action
sight unless something is done at once You
gave Harold 5000 and trip to Europe. What
have lad for being honest?
J. A VAN RENSSELAER,
want you to raise on that fancy name OF
.ours 1000 for me- II YOU are such great
9ady, make good; if not. keep out Of my sight
can raise cash enough yet, to 60 to you wher-
ever you are, and I have a good name
The two detectives went to the Van Rensselaer,
apartment late Yesterday afternoon and were
met al the door by Mrs. Van Rensselaer,. She
told them that her husband was usually home
by 4 O'Clock in the afternoon, but had been de-
isyed, and the detectives went outside to await
him
ARRESTED IN STREET.
Soon after Mrs. Van Rensselaer, came out OF
she house. accompanied by large collie dog,
snd walked toward Sixth avenue. Detective
Browne followed her, and saw her come out Of a
Sixth avenue drug store a moment later with
her husband. AS they came toward the house
Mrs Van Rensselaer, dropped behind her hus
hand, and he walked up 10 the two detectives.
saving his wifi. had told him they wanted to
see him
The letter was produced, and Mr.. Van
Rensselaer, admitting that he has written il he
was arrested and taken to Police Headquarters
On the way down Detective WILDER says, he
asked the prisoner If he had threatened to blow
his mother up and received the astonishing re-
pig. Yes. she ought to be killed"
To Lieutenant Mannion later the prisoner ad-
fatlsd again that he was the writer OF the let
'ef and he police say added in explanation:
! gave her $1,000 when she was on her up
lers, and now / wanted 5000 TO go into the
brokerage business When j was in business
before had a good friend who used to loan me
snF amount ] wanted up to a couple of hundred
thousand. This friends mother wanted to get
1ntO the Colonial DANES of America, Of which
ny mother was member. but my mother
ssokbaled her Then, soon after that. / went
% this friend again for another loan, but he told
ne Il my mother was too good TO associate with
MS mother he guessed his money was too good
.r ne"
Who this friend was Van Rensselaer, refused
70 say. according to the police.
Several futile attempts were made by Mrs
van Rensselaer, 10 get bail for her husband
When seen al her home last night she denied a
Fory that her husband had recently spent a
isacy Of s60.o00 She said that she had been
married about two years. and that most OF the
uae her husbands father had lived with them.
Out that he was away now visiting and she did
iVl Know where She said that there had al
Navs been more or less differences between the
aunef and SONS one side and the mother on
Ne Other, and that the letter ought not TO have
Hartied her mother-in-law. as she had received
many Of the kind, written in joking way. from
az husband and sons. She said that she had
- the letter when it written, and that
:bke
''0f CRAZY, SAID MRS VAN RENSSELAER,.
~ look at the letter" said reporter, "one
uu think that il written either by a
eazy man OF child"
Nj Van Rensselaer, is certainly not crazy"
-, - MIS-. Van Rensselaer,. although VIII ad-
N'si The letter is very childish.
MS Van Rensselaer,. who is d handsome
4ah OF about thirty wears excited when
- ~ Der home and seanned To have only one