The Washington times., 1908-07-06
Barnard Watts. Of Laurel,
Accused of Attempt to
Blackmail Citizens.
INSPECTOR TELLS
OF TRACING YOUTH
Three Complaining Witnesses Do
Not Appear TO Prosecute
the Prisoner.


Watts. the young man charged with
having practiced BLACK Hand" tactics
on Edmund Pendleton. a wealthy man
living at Montpelier Manor: Emmett
l.. Petit, Of Laurel. vino conducts a
large furnishing store in Washington,
and Dr.. Coates. of Anne Arundel coun-
T., was taken before a commissioner in
Baltimore today for his preliminary
hearing.
None Of the three compliments ap-
peared against the young man. the
sole Government witness being Post
office Inspector King. who offered the
letters written as evidence. Watts was
charged with violating Section $3.50 of
The Revised statutes OF :he Postoffice
Department, the sad section relating
to frauds sent through the mail The
maximum penalty IL four years and
half IN Jail
Unique Cas-.
4 unique attempted blackmsfi case
is believed by the postofice inspectors
10 have been cleared by the arrest of
young Watts. whose personality is il
itself a mysterious feature Watts, the
officers believe. had no outside aid in
his alleged operations. and. although
he has been regarded about his home
as being mentally weak upon some
things, the Matchmaking plans for which
ne IS accused of being responsible, were
laid with remarkable ingenuity.
April IS. Edmund Pendletou, a wealthy
and retired citizen, living about three
miles from Laurel, Nd, received let
ter purportins TO be from the Black
Hand. and written IN n Cramp. printed
style. This misslve demanded that Mr..
Pendleton. within the course OF the
next five days. leave near a pin. bottle
under the Black bridge, over the Pa
tuXent river. on the Annapolis road.
and not far from his country place. the
sum OF $500.
This money. the letter continued,
was not wanted for any improper pur-
pose by the Black Hand. II would not
be used TO purchase whisky and similar
beverages, nor spent in vicious living
The money was not needed for anything
bad. but would be sDeLI for bread and
other good purposes. Should Mr.. Pen
dleton fail 10 place the $500 under thu
Black bridge he was warned that his
lie would pay the forfeit.
Pendleton Alarmed.
Thoroughly alarmed, Mr.. PendIeton
went 20 Laurel and laid the matter be-
fore officer James L. Scott and DIT.
Baldwin, the town magistrate. Private
detectives from Baltimore were detail
ed. but afterward the case was turned
over to the Postofhce Department I'M
der the direction Of Inspector J. II.
Keane-
The second letter came May 6. This
was written in a back hand. II re-
minded Mr.. Pendleton that the time had
expired and that he was now being
offered his last chance. The Black
! Hand needed the money, II said. and
X must be forthcoming. Your life IS
worth moro than $500 10 you You will
I rrfsH
it, cheeTfUlly argued the Black Hand
artist.
The investigators noticed that both
envelopes were addressed in small
printed letters, evidently made by a
rubber stamping outfit. and efforts were
directed toward locating this.
Their diligence increased a month ago,
when +. L Petit. a Washington mer-
I chant, who has a country home just
beyond Laurel. received a letter similar
20 the one formerly sent Mr.. Pendle-
ton. The point selected by the sender
| for Mr.. Petit to leave his money was
a spot in the swamp in the rear Of the
I Petit property, the particular spot be-
ing yi3ibIc from the surrounding ground.
Watts Arrested
Here Z. package was placed. and after
a wait young Watts approached to seize
It. A. moment later he was poUnced
upon by Postofice Inspectors Keane and
Robertson, Officer Scott and Magistrate
Baldwin. A search OF Watts home fol-
lowed. and there a rubber stamping out
fit. such as had been used in addressing
the letters. was found. Watts. the
threatening letters. and the stamping
outfit were MI carried 70 Baltimore by
the postoffice officials yesterday after
noon.
Tho residents OF Laurel and vicinity,
who were acquainted with the sO-called
Black Hand operations, have been in
suppressed state OF excitement fol
several months. The arrest OF Watts
came as a surprise to every one.
Watts g twenty-fOur years Of age and
I lives with MS parents about two miles
oeyond Laurel, IN Anne Arll:.2>' county.
lie would make no explanation wien
! confronted with the CircCnstantiai evil
dence connecting him with the attempt
I &C blaCkrioI- His aged mother and
/ father seemed cheerful saying today
1 that there was mistake somewhere
and tnat their son could not be guilty
/ OF any wrong.
Doctor Receives Letter.
D.. Coates. a resident OF Laurel. has
/ been TIE recipient Of a sfr,ilar threat
ening letter. but up 70 this time nc
! conn sction has been shown between its
authorship and young Watts.
Watts, known about the countryside
rs Bunny" has always been regarded
( cs harmless. II was indeed a surprised
/ and shocked village that awoke
| this morning to learn that Bunny
! Watts was IN the tolls Of the LAW
! charged with engineering a most DELHI
| erately planned and well executed black
| mall scheme.
! The blackmaiIcr's in ended victims re.
! ceiveG his letter witt. varied feelings
/ Mr.. PenGleton, VINO has recently pur-
! chased the magnificent country place
/ Montpelier Manor" and who went 20
laurel 10 live in peaceful retirement
! was alarmed at the threats directed to-
J ward him. He has awaited anNiouSIy
I the unravcliug Of the mystery Mr.
/ Petit. who has a clothing store #
/ Seventh and l streets northwest, Wash
! inGton, did not take the matter so seri-
oCsly, although interested to a great
! degree in the solution Of the affair
Not Alarmed.
There was really but small danger
20 me-" said Mr.. Petit this morning
| and felt sure that the wild threat
| made in che letter sent TO me would
/ not be carried ont.
| For several days things had beer
! quiet and / had paid but little atten-
| ton to Tho matter, when tho letter ar,
l rived. i1foTmiHg me thSt unless I paid
| tribute % the BLACK Hand and placed
/ the money beneath q plum tree near
| my house l would be killed.