The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-04-07
ATLANTA BOY CAUGHT IN ACT Tries to Rob Asa Can
 dler. SENT THREATENING LETTER Dan Johnson a Member of Sunday
 School Class. He Wanted Georgia Millionaire To Leave sss.oeo for Hi. or suffer
 the Agony of

Atlanta, Ga, April 6--Charged with attempting to blackmail Asa c. Cand- Ter. President of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. banker and one of At lanta's wealthies citizens. out of $35,- 900 by Black Hand methods. Daniel w. Johnson. Jr.. IS years of age, and member of MT :. Gamblers Sunday School class, was arrested tonight at the instance of post office inspectors. 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 m connection with the affair and forced him to write the demands for money under penalty of death. He furnished the officers with description of the three men.
 Friday of last week MT. Candier re- ceived the first of the two letters written by the Black Hand plotters, In which he was asked to place ssb.0o0 under the steps of the pastors Church. Monday night. April 6. "or you and your family will meet hor- rible death at our hands"
 Sunday he received second letter warning him to comply with the de- mands and further threatening him and his family If he failed to comply or if he made mention of the matter to living soul.
 Baited the swindlers.
 Mir. Candler called George M Sutton, Chief Postoffice Inspector of the Allan ta division, in consultation. and 1t was decided to trap the blackmailers. MT Candler drew $35.000 in cash from the bank of which he Is president. so as tc guard against any possible betrayal oi his plans. Monday night he made ur package and placed 1t at the point designated. the real money in the meantime remaining at his residence guarded by detectives. Two detectives kept watch near where the fake pack age was placed, but no one appeared during the night for the package.
 This afterroon MT. Candler re- ceived telephone message demanding that he place s1.0o0 at a secluded spot on Moreland Avenue, between Annabel Street and Walker Alley. Again . fake package was prepared and placed at the spot designated, tonight, and Johnson appeared from the darkness grabbed up the package and started on g. run. but was in the grasp of De- tectives Lockhart and Coker before he was aware that he had been observed.
 He was taken to the tower and after a gruelling examination made a con- fession, admitting having written ths 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.
 Threatening Letter. g
 The first letter. dated April 1. is as follows:
 MT. Asa c. candler. Atlanta, Ga:
 Dear sir--We are asking you to please put thirty-fiye thousand (ss5. .0oo.00) dollars under the steps of the pastors study of the Inman Park Methodist on . Monday night, April 5. '0s
 "Don't let any one see you put 1t there. nor fail to place the above sum mentioned, at the place above named, at the peril of your life.
 Let no one know of this or you and your family will meet a horrible death at our hands.
 Put the asked-for sum at the place mentioned on the night mentioned and never go back to this place to look for the money and your life will be spared. Tell no one about 1t. and all will be we'll But if you fail to put them sum at the place, 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 well. Fall to put the sum there or blab 1t, and hell will be to pay, noth- ing more nor less than death.
 ''It would be well to place 1t there late in the afternoon or early in the night.
 ''Follow the instructions exactly, as they are given. or you will never awake in this world to see the morning of Tuesday, April 6th. '0s.
 The second letter advised MT. Can't Ter to slide in close up to the side Of the steps and put 1t under them. and then 2S as hard as you can. Do not fail or you will be blown to Kingdom come before day Tuesday. April 6th."
 MT. Candier was little disturbed over the incident, and 1t was stated to- night that he would lose no sleep over fears of his home being dynamited.
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