The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-04-14
VERY BOLD PLOT
To BIackmail a Rich Man of
Atlanta Failed
The TRAP PREPARED

an Eighteen-Year-Old Youth, a
Member of His Would-be Victims
Sunday School Class, Is Caught
and Confesses 1t All.
Atlanta, Ca, April 6.-Charged
with attempting to blackmail Asa G.
c .ndler, president of the Atlanta
Chamber of Commerce, banker. and
Atlanta's wealthiest citizen, out of
$4,000 by BLACK Hand" methods,
Daniel w. Johnson, Jr., IS years old
and a member of Mr.. Gamblers Sun
day school class, was arrested to-
night at the instance of the p%ostottice
inspectors and lodged in the Fulton
county Jail.
Johnson admits writing the letters
and takes his arrest very cody. 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.. Can
dler received the first Of the two let
tiers 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 second letter warning him to COM
ply with the demands, and further
threatening him and his family if
he failed to comply, or if he made
mention of the matter to a living
soul.
Mr.. Gambler called George NJ. SUIT
ton, chief postoffice inspector of the
Atlanta division, in consultation, and
it was decided to trap the black
mailer. 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.
Monday night he made up a package
and placed it at the point designat-
ed, the real money in the meantime
remaining at his residence guarded
by detectives. Two detectives kept
watch near where the fake package
was placed, but no n appeared dur
ing the night for the package.
This merning Mr.. Gambler receiv-
ed a telephone message demanding
that he place $1,000 at a secluded
spot on Moreland avenue, between
Annabel street and Walker alley.
Again a fake package was. prepared
and placed at the spot designated
tonight, and Johnson appeared from
the darkness, grabbed up the pack
age and started on a run, but was
in the grasp of Detectives Lockhart
IL SohCl DC1olS hS "oS awe / ludl
he had been observed.
He was then taken to the Tower,
and after a gruelling examination
made a confession, admitting having
written the two letters, but saying
he acted under compulsion. The po-
lice give little credence to his story
of having been forced to write the
letters by three strangers.
The first letter, dated April l,
warned Mr.. Gambler that if he failed
to put the sum at the spot indicated,
You alone shall meet death. Tell
anyone of 1t 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
1t, 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 up close 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 Tues
day, April g."
Mr. Gambler was little disturbed
owe the incident, and it was stated
tonight that he would lose no sleep
over fears of his home being dyna-
mited.