The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-04-08
BOY BLACKMAIlER
Atlanta Miliionaire Receives
T,rribIe Threatx
SUM OF Sss.oo0 DEMANDED

Gambler wishdr-w Aoa~y f~om
Bank Hat Had d GUARDED ., Hi.
Hoxnr.
Atlanta. Ga. April Charged
with attempting TO hlaekmail Asa q
Gambler. of the Atlanta Chamber of
Commerce. banker. and reputet to be-
Atianta's weaithiest citizen. Of tsb.-
600 by blackhand methods. Daniel ".
Johnson. Jr.. eighteen years old. aud
member of Mr.. Gamblers sunday
school class. Was arrested tonight at
the Instance OF post-offiee inspectors
and lodged In the Fulton County
Jail.
Johnson admits writing the letters
and takes his arrest very coolly. lie.
however. declares that he vas the
cats paw OF three Stranger. who be
claims dictated his every action sn
connection with the affair and forced
| him 10 write the demands for money
| under penalty CT death. lie furnish
ed the authorities with a description
of the three men.
On Friday OF last week MIR. Can
dler received the first of two letters
written by the biackhand plotters in
which he was asked 10 place s35.00o
under the steps of the pastors study
of the lnman Park Methodist Church
on Monday night, April 9Th. "or you
and your family will meet horrible
death at our hands" Sunday he re-
ceived a second letter warning him TO
comply with the demands and fur
ther threatening him and his family
IL he failed TO comply or IL he made
mention of the matter TO a living
soul.
Mr.. Gambler called George NJ Sut-
ton. chief post-office inspector OF the
Atlanta division. In consultation, and
1t was decided to track the black
mailer. Mr. Gambler drew $4,000
In cash from the bank. of which he IL
president. SO as to guard against any
possible betrayal OF his plans. Mon
day night he made up a package and
placed IL 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.
This morning Mr.. Gambler received
a telephone message demanding that
he place 81 900 at a secluded spot on
Moreland Avenue between AnEabel
Street and Walker alley. Again a
fake package was prepared and
placed at the spot designated. to-
night. and Johnson appeared from
the darkness. grabbed up the pack
age and started on run but was
overtaken by Detectives Lockhart and
Cooker before he was aware he had
been observed.
He was taken TO the tower and af-
ter a gruelling examination made n
confession admitting having written
the two letters, but saying he acted
under compulsion. The police give
credence to his story OF having been
forced to write the letters by three
nlTduBeTs.
The fret letter dated April 1st,
warned Mr.. Gambler that IL he failed
to put the sum at the spot indicated.
You shall meet death. Tell any one
of 1t and you and your house-that
is, all that live with you-shali meet
the most horrible death at our hands.
Pony up with the sum and keep your
face closed about II and all will be
well. Fail to put the sum there. or
blab II and h-ll will be TO pay. moth
| ing more nor less than death"
| The second letter advised Mr.. Can
dler to slide in close up to the side
OF the steps and put IL under them
and then '23' az hard as you can.
Do not fail or you will be blown to
I'Kingdom come before day Tuesday.
April 18th"
Mr.. Gambler was little disturbed
over the incident, and IL was stated
tonight that he would lose no sleep
lover fear OF his home being dyna-
| rx,SfoS