The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-04-08
YOUTH ATTEMPTS BLACKMA1L.
Tries to Extort Money From Asa G.
Candler.

Atlanta, Ca, April 6.-Charged
with attempting to blackmail Asa G.
Gambler, president Of the Atlanta
chamber of commerce and banker,
and Atlanta's wealthiest citizen, out
OF $4,000 by BLACK Hand meth
ods, Daniel W. Johnson, Jr., IL
years old, and a member of Gamblers
Sunday-school class, was arrested to-
night at the instance of postoffice in
spectors and lodged in the Fulton
county jail.
Johnson admits writing the letters
and takes his arrest very coolly. He,
however, declares that he was the
catspaw of three strangers, who, he
claims, dictated his every action IN
connection with the affair and forced
him to write the demands for money
under penalty of death. He furnish
ed the officers with a description OF
the three men.
On Friday of last week Mr.. Cand-
Ter received the first OF the two let
ters written by the BLACK Hand
plotters, in which he was asked to
place $4,000 under the steps of the
pastors study of the Inman Park
Methodist church on Monday night,
April 5, "or you and your family
will meet a horrible death at our
hands," Sunday he received a sec
ond letter, warning him to comply
with the demands and further threat
ening him and his family if he fall
ed to comply of If he made mention
of the matter to living soul.
Mr.. Gambler called George NJ. Suit
ton, chief postofice inspector of the
Atlanta division, in consultation and
it was decided to trap the black
mailers. Mr.. Gambler drew $4,000
in cash from the bank of which he is
president, so as to guard against any
possible betrayal of his plans. Mon
day night he made up package and
placed it at the point designated, the
real money in the meantime remain
ing at his residence, guarded by de-
tectives. Two detectives kept watch
near where the fake package was
placed, but no one appeared during
the night for the package.
Another Letter.
This morning Mr.. Gambler received
message demanding that he place
$1,000 at a secluded spot on More
land avenue, between Annabel and
Walker avenues. Again fake pack
age was prepared and placed at the
spot designated tonight, and John
son appeared from the darkness,
grabbed the package and started on
a run, but was in the grasp of Detec-
tives Lockhart and Coker before he
was aware that he had been observ-
| ed.
He was taken to the Flower" and
after a grueling examination made
confession, admitting having written
the two letters, but saying he acted
under compulsion. The police give
little credence to his story of having
been forced to write the letters by
three strangers.
The first letter, dated April 1,
warning Mr.. Gambler that if he fail
ed to put the sum at the spot indi-
Gated you alone shall meet death.
Tell any one of it and you and your
house-that is all that live with you
shall meet the most horrible death
at our hands. Pony up with the
sum and keep your face closed about
| it and all will be we'll. Fail to put
the sum there or blab it and hell will
be to pay, nothing more nor less
than DEATH"
The second letter advised Mr..
Gambler to "slide in close up to the
side of the steps and put it under
them and then '23' as hard as you
can. Do not fail or you will be
blown to kingdom come before day
Tuesday, April g."
Mr.. Gambler was little disturbed
over the incident, and it was stated
tonight that he would lose no sleep
over fears of his home being dyna-
mited.