The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-22
MRS. NORTON GETS
 BLACKMAIL LETTER
Well Known Lady Left Money
 On Street Car
CHILDREN THREATENED
Lady Who Picked Up Package on Car Was Arrested, But Later Released. Detectives Are Watching
 the Norton Home.

Threats of harm to her children caused Mrs. E. B. Norton to leave $1OO on a Gate City car yesterday morning for blackmailers who had written her a let ter demanding that she give them this sum or suffer the consequences.
 The presence of detectives on the car, however, probably frightened the black mailers, and resulted in the detention for while by the officers of a lady of prominence who happened to pick up the package containing the money.
 Mrs. Norton received the note yester- day morning, it having been left on the front porch of her residence, POPS Thir- teenth avenue, south, and being found by the servants. It was marked per sonar' and had a note in the corner reading, We saw you shut the blinds last night" The note was apparently written by a person who writes a good hand, but who attempted to disguise the handwriting, and who at the same time is apparently ilIiterate.
 Instructions contained in the note were that Mrs. Norton was to leave the money
 
 car leaving Birmingham at 10 o'clock yesterday, she to leave the car at the point where the Boyles car branches off
 One hundred dollars in one-dollar bills were secured by Mrs. Norton and wrapped in a package. The instructions also said for her to leave the package in the space between a certain seat and the wall. She followed out the instructions to the let ter.
 The police authorities were notified of the case through a personal friend of Mrs. Norton. Mrs. Norton was opposed to letting the police know about 1t for fear the blaclsmailers might wreak their vengeance upon her children.
 Detectives Cole and Bennett were de- tailed to the case and took the same car as did Mrs. Norton. She left the car at the place appointed, leaving the package as Instructed. Two or three blocks be- yond this place a lady occupying a seat behind the one occupied by Mrs Norton, picked up the package and then left the car, the detectives following.
 She went to two houses and made in- quiries for a certain person. The off cers then approached her. told who they were and asked for the package she had picked up on the car. She turned it over to them readily, and was then escorted to Chief Bodeker's office. She proved to the officers satisfaction that she had no connection with the case, and that she was searching for a dressmaker. Her req son for not turning the package over to the conductor was that she had once found package on car and had turned it over to a conductor. She later found out that the package belonged to a friend of hers and that the friend had never recovered the package. For this reason she had intended to bring this package to town and turn it over to the proper au- thorities.
 Chief Bodelser has detailed men to watch the Norton home, while detectives are endeavoring to run down the writer of the letter. It is thought that the black mailers must be familiar with the police department, and that they recognized De- tectives Cole and Bennett.
 Mrs. Norton is the widow of the late druggist, b. B. Norton. The excitement caused by the receipt of the note has al- most completely prostrated her.
 The letter reads:
 Mrs. E. B. Norton This is to notify you that unless you carry out following request you will regret same within next 24 hours. We want you to catch Gate City car tomorrow, Wednesday, April 21, at 10 o'clock, get off at East Bir- mingham, where car branches for Boyles and place s500 on seat next to wall be- tween car seat and wall where it cannot be seen. Use paper money. Remember, now, to, place money so it cannot be seen. You are also warned not to mention this to no one. We do not care to give you fu- ture trouble, and will not do so if you carry out instructions. But If you do not you will have trouble with US. We don't want to give you any trouble about your home or children, but if you refuse to comply you will have trouble in future either with your children or home Re- member, now, to get on Gate City at 10 o'clock tomorrow, Wednesday, and if you mention this you will be sorry. You have been watched very closely for past two weeks. You are now being watched, every | move you make, and now if you fail to comply you will be sorry in less than 24 l hours. You will be watched close today. | So if you refuse or try to let this be known you will be severely dealt with. We don't want to destroy your home. Now. get money. Leave on car seat so 1t cannot be seen. Get off at East Birming- ] ham and return to Birmingham. You are cautioned under penalty not to con- suit no one about this. You will not be bothered again, but if you refuse you can | look out. Remember to get on Gate City car at 10 a. m. Leave money between seat and wall Use paper money So you are cautioned now to carry out what we ask and to keep quiet about it, too. If 1 you fail, your life or either home. Don t forget you are being watched every move 1 you make. UNKNOWN"