The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-07-21
TRIED TO EXTORT.
MONEY FROM
HIS MOTHER
John A. Van Rensselaer, Arrest
ed on That Charge
MEMBER OF FAMOUS FAMILY
Threatened TO Blow Head off Mrs.
John King Van Rensselaer, Unless
Given $1,000.

New York, July 20-John A. Van
Rensselaer,, son of Mrs. John King
Van Rensselaer,, and a member of one
ol New York's oldest families, was ia
ken into custody tonight on charge
made on advices from Chief Of
Police Crowley OF Newport, h. l., who
received a complaint from Mrs. Van
Rensselaer, that here son had written
a letter threatening her bodily harm
unless she provided him with funds
Van Rensselaer, is "a years of age and
married
Van Rensselaer, is connected with a
local La.,..~. age house and when he
returned to his home tonight on Way
erly Place he was placed under arrest
by detectives who Produced the letter
alleged to have been written by Van
Rensselaer, to his mother. The detec.
tives and Lieutenant Mannion before
whom Rensselaer, was brought in the
police station, declare that the young
man stated that he had written the
letter which is without any conren-
tiCnal beginning or ending and Of
which the postscript is unsigned. The
letter reads:
Il have just seen Lawrence Lee.
and am given 10 understand that you
will pay thirty dollars per month for
my board if | will go three hundred
miles from New York and that | must
have YOUR written consent 10 leave
the place you may select
Did II ever occur TO you that !
have an absolute remainder interest
in Aunt Frances estates securities
and that by blowing your head oil that
my wife would have an income suf
fiCient to support her?
Il will take that course If nece ssary
and upon my head will rest the conse-
quences. (Thaw is still alive, maybe
viii be)
In any case, my wife. God bless
her, will benefit by your demise, even
If ! don't.
Il have seen maLy disagreements
and much suffering in my life and
must say that most of 1t is due to you,
selfish peacock whose name in
these times amounts TO nothing, and
who is almost If not entirely forgotten
IN circles once treau.
II am now in no humor TO be trined
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?
(Signed)
-. A. Van Rensselaer,"
II want you to raise on that fancy
name OF yours 5000 for me. If you are
such a great lady make good; If not,
keep out of my sight. can raise
cash enough yet to go to you wherever
you are and have a good name
Van Rensselaer, was later taken to
police headquarters and the police of
Newport where Mrs Van Rensselaer,
is now residing, were notified of the
arrest The prisoner made inquiries
regarding bail 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 Lieutenant Mannion that he
had written the letter. Van Rensselaer,
according TO the police. made the fol
lowing statement: Il gave her thous
and dollars when she was on her mp
pers and now | wanted five thousand
10 go into the brokerage business.
When | was in business before | had
good friend who used to loan ME any
amount | wanted up to cuple of hun
dTed thousand. This friends mother
wanted to get into the Colonial Danes
of America of which my mother was
member but my mother blackballed
her. Then, soon after that, went to
this friend again for another loan but
he told me inasmuch as my mother
was 100 good to associate with his
mother, he guessed his money was too
good for me-
Van Rensselaer, is son of .bhp King
Van Rensselaer, and grandson of Bri.
gadier General Henry Bell Van Rens-
selaer, aid-de-camp to Major General
Winfield Scott. The Van Rensselaers
are descendants from Colonel Jeremi-
all Van Rensselaer, who was member
of the Colonial Assembly in this state
and its speaker in 1864. Van Rensse-
laer was twice married, having div
| crced his first wife,