The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-12-22
BLACKMA|L PLAGUE
AFFL|CTS GERMANY
Berlin Police Overworked Try;aa 3
to Protect the Public
from Harpies
KNIGHTS OF ROUND TABLE
"Man from Overseas" Had One Wom-
an Put Where She Can Do No
Harm for AwhIle-How the Old
Badger Game is Played Abroad.

Badger Game is Played Abroad.
Berlin, Germany.-Increase OF pros
perity In the empire and growth OF
night-life in the capital have brought
an increase in the number Of those
harpies who prey on the weaknesses
of mortal nature and, having led
men and women into the broad and
easy way" demand heavy sums for
their silence about the slips along the
downward path.
The department Of the German
criminal police which deals with
blackmail is overworked and fresh
men have to be drafted.
Criminal Commissary Tresckow,
the terror of blackmailers, never had
his hands SO full and with all his ef-
forts he probably does not get on the
track of one-third Of the offenders.
Almost every week the Berlin press
prints something intended to encour-
age blackmail victims to take their
cases to the police. The recent trial
of Dahsel and the open admissions OF
the character of certain Berlin news
papers show what money is made by
the blackmailer and how hard 1t Is to
protect the public.
In the last fourteen days at least
seven blackmailers have beeh render
ed harmless by the police.
UP to a few months ago most at
tempts at blackmail were made on
the ground of the victims nominal or
actual offense against the famous Sec
ton ITS of the German criminal code,
the section which was the basis of
the trials of Prince Eulenburg, Count
Lynar, etc. There were certain
streets in the centre of Berlin where
1t was not safe to speak to a stranger.
One became suspect" in the eyes OF
persons looking for chance to extort
money. But the police have been so
active lately that the evil has dimtn-
ished. So the blackmailers have most
ly taken to other lines of business"
Perhaps the most shocking method
adopted was the one chosen by bar
ber's assistant, Otto Fitting. There
had been a death in the family of q
we'll known publisher. The wife had
lost her sister, to whom from child
hood she had been passionately de-
voted. She and her husband happen
ed also to be we'll known for their
great charity and kindness to their
unlucky fellow-creatures. A few days
after her sisters funeral the wife re-
ceived a letter signed -Four Friends,
in which the writer's said they well
knew her charitable nature and felt
eha fn fhnOo
emigrate. They would be content
with 5000 apiece. which was to be sent
to a certain address in one sum. Al
the end of the letter came this SEN
tence:
1--WE regret to have to add that un'
less you send the money and all the
- money asked for we shall be obliged
to revenge ourselves for a slight once
put upon us by your sister. II you re
fuse we shall Immediately proceed tc
defile her grave as sign of orr dis
pleasure"
The lady took the letter to the po
nee, who naturally concluded that the
writer must be some one intimately
acquainted with the affairs Of the fam
lily who would realize that this threat
was the one most likely to produce
the desired result. Ultimately they
arrested Fitting, who had been dis
missed some time before from the pub
fishing house.
A well-dressed, very pretty young
woman had been guest at some o
the best hotels in Germany. She made
the acquaintance of gentlemen staying
in the hotel, and selecting the ont
who seemed most suited to her pur
pose gave him to understand that hi
company was agreeable to her. Th'
gentleman, being flattered, allowed
himself to accompany her on shop
ping excursions, etc.
Rather late one evening he was SUI
prised to meet his fair acquaintanc
outside the door Of his room weepini
bitterly. In the midst Of her tears sh
managed to find her way into the room
and proceeded to unburden her griei
Her husband was brute and woul
not allow her enough money for he
expenses. She was a simple littl
thing and not understanding how he
money was going, she had got int
debt and did not know what to do.
Suddenly there was a loud knoc
at the door. The gentleman went t
see who knocked and to his surpris
found the key turned. He unlocke
the door and was confronted by tn
husband.
But this 'lady" and her male az
quaintance played the game once to
often. She selected as her victim
gentleman from overseas. When tn
injured husband" turned up the gel
tleman called the police, who 500
ELECTED facts enough to keep the won
an from playing any more such trick
for some years.