The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-10-21
TRAPPED IN PLOT
To BLACkMA|L
PRETTY ACTRESS
Money or Your Life, Was Threat
of Jacob Nerod to Miss
Emily E. Miles.
CONFESSES PLOT IN COURT
AND Is HELD IN $500 BAIL
Police Think BlOOd-curdling
Stories May Have Turned
His Brain.

| delicate and d1fficult roles OF black
mailer and disinterested friend of his
intended victim, Jacob Nerod, 19-year-
old student of mick Carter" and other
popular-p priced authors, arrested last
Theatre, was arraigned in the First
Precinct Court today and held in $500
ball for the action of the grand jury.
Nerod's downfall was directly re-
sponsible to his inordinate ambition,
which caused him to attempt to play
both ends against the middle in his
blackmailing game, instead of consign-
ing one of the conflicting spheres of ac-
tion to a confederate.
The story of the series of correspond
ence exploits which led to the arrest
of Nerod is long one, and should be
told from the beginning to properly
bring out its true flavor and inward
ness.
AS sort of curtain-raiser and III
explanation of sCne of the strange
events about to be related, 1t may be
said that young Nerod, when he is at
|
released from the State Home for Boys
at Jamesburg three months ago, and
on one occasion Before had escaped
from that institution. Three weeks
ago, while the "Rialto FOUNDERS" were
playing at Waldmann's, Miss Ethel Hall
received a letter demanding $50 and
threatening instant and horrible death
If she refused. The letter was regarded
as a hoax. but Manager Lee Ottolen-
gui, of the theatre, quietly investi-
gated 1t without making it public.
On Tuesday, the second day of the
engagement of the "Parisian Widows
at Waldmann's this week, Miss Emily
e. Miles, one of the principals received
a remarkable letter warning her
that second letter demanding money
and threatening death If she refused to
comply would be sent her. This kindly
letter of warning went on to explain
that the man who was about to begin
to hound Miss Miles for money was
long and thin, with long neck to
match, and that he wore brown over
coat. This epistle was signed e. N.
Nerod.
Punctually on schedule time the sec
ond letter arrived yesterday 1t de-
manded $1,000 of Miss Miles, and de-
clared that If she told anyone of re-
ceiving this demand it would be her
last act on earth. The letter continued: !:
1.-THE young man will call on you, II
you accept our terms, and he will hand
you some papers. If you intend to pay
the money, drop your handkerchief
while playing your part. Remember,
don't try to find US. If you do it will
be your last act on earth" 1t was ar
ranged that Miss Miles should drop her
handkerchief. Nerod left the theatre
and was arrested.
The letter was signed with the in
itials J. d. F. S. l.. A. M, and below
this, in parenthesis, the legend I'm
three different handwritings."
After the receipt of the first letter,
Miss Miles confided in the manager of
the "Parisian Widows" Frank Abbott,
and Mr.. Ottoengui,
They had investigated, and to their
own surprise had seen a man answer
ing the description furnished in the
! first letter in the audience at Wald-
manns and later slkulking out the
stage door. Mr. Abbott personally took
Miss Miles to and from the theatre
after the receipt of the letters.
Last night a young man handed a
third letter to Stage Carpenter Isaac
| Wall, of the Partisan Widows company.
The letter was unsigned, but it had
been written apparently by the author
of the first warning note. 1t was ad-
dressed to Miss Miles and said that the
plot to murder her was complete and
an attempt would be made to carry
1t out that very night as she left the
stage door
Believing the matter had gone far
enough, Ottolengui and Abbott laid 1t
before Captain Carroll, of the detective
bureau. The captain assigned Ser
gSants Walzer and Koerber to the case.
Koerber waited near the stage door
while Walzer roamed around a bit At
IL p. m, shortly before the show was
over Walzer came upon Nerod in a
dark hallway across from the theatre.
He seized the youth and summoned his
partner The two detectives took Nerod
to police headquarters searched him
and found in his pockets a Jimmy, a
piece of rope and a book by the just
ly celebrated Nicholas Carter, entitled
"a Cigarette Clue"
| Nerod confessed, willingly and at
once. that he had written all of the let
ters received by Miss Hall and Miss
Miles He said he intended to use the
jimmy to force an entrance to Miss
Miles's room and then intended to tie
her with the rope. "a Cigarette Clue
and other books of its ilk are believed
to have furnished the inspiration for the
whole daring plot.
In court today Nerod duplicated his
confession, but was little vague about
his motive and the reason for the warn
ing he had sent Nothing was said
about examining him as to his sanity.
The first letter, which was not dated.
was as follows:
Miss Emily Miles:
! / know that you will be surprised
i to receive this letter from a person
whom you have never seen in your
life, but I feel that 1t is my duty to
save young lady from two ras-
Gals who are going to blackmail you.