Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-12-21
Mails Are Reported Flooded
With Letters to Atlanta
Capitalist Demanding His
Death or Fabulous Sums
BURBAGE DENIES ANY
COMPLETELY IN CASE
But Is Identified by Bank Of
ficiaIS--M Mr.. Gambler RE-
fuses to Talk, but De-
tectiVes Show Letters

Despite the efforts Of federal agents
and private detectives. Black Hand let
tiers to Asa G. Gambler, president OF the
Coca-CoIa company. the Central Bank
and Trust Corporation. and other prom
inent concerns. continue 10 flood the
mails
The last addition to Mr.. Gamblers coll
lection was received Sunday through the
regular mail to the Central bank This
letter, with others. was Immediately
turned over to the Carter-Patterson De
tectlve agency, employed by MI Cahoier
70 ferret out the mystery
The fourth letter received by Mr.. Can
der demands under the threat OF the
penalty OF having his home dynamlted'
that $4,000 be placed i'm an ash barrel in
front of the public school on EdgeWood
avenue near the Gambler home Monday
night at Z o'clock. This letter bears the
date OF Saturday. The handwriting on
the inside OF the letter is similar 10 that
Of the other letter, but he envelope is
addressed IN an enirely different hand.
showing conclusively that more than one
person is interested i'm the plot.
Only one arrest has been made in the
case J. II. Burbage. held In default OF
n $40 bond at the Fulton county jail.
WAS admittedly arrested In the case by
n federal detective. Burbage was con-
rected by the case through suspicious
circumstances surrounding two visits
made by him TO the Gambler building,
and by the similarity OF his handwriting
with that on several of the Black Hand
letters
since the incarceration Of Burbage.
one letter, making the threat of dynamit-
ing Mr. Gamblers residence in event he
failed to comply with its demands, has
! been received
since the arrest OF Bmbage. A. p.
Coles and John S. Owens, two of the
Central Bank and Trust Corporation Of
ficisia, both are said TO have positively
Identified Burbage as the man who. on
Tuesday, made suspicious inquiries about
1Ir. Gambler shortly before the time APP
pointed for him to leave $4,000 in the
alley By the Grand theatre
Burbage, according TO detectives. was
recently arrested in Birmingham IN con-
nection with a forgery case. While never
having lived In Atlanta. he has paid
number OF visits TO the city.
According TO the reports, the first Of the
recent Black Hand letters received by
Mr. Gambler demanded that $4,000 be
placed at designated spot in the Uni
versaIist church. A second letter gave
another place. and the third designated
a spot In the Grand alley.
Decoy money bags were placed in each
instance, but the writer OF the letters
was evidently too smooth for the detec-
tives.
The letters have all contained threats
against Mr. Gambler and members OF his
family. saying that his residence would
be dynamited In event he failed to
comply with the demand.
In one letter the writer said the wires
OF the Candler home had been cut to
prevent a message to the police.
Four letters have now been received by
Mr.. Gambler.
J. H Burbage, arrested for completely
In the case. declares that the first time
he knew the charge on which he is real
" held was when he read his name in a
newspaper as a Black Hand suspect.
Burbage was arrested last Thursday.
A letter had been received by Mr.. Gambler
demanding that he leave the bank at 10
o'clock and place t2o.oo0 in the alley by
the Grand theatre. A few minutes before
that time Burbage was found hanging
around the Gambler building. He was ar
rested as he was starting to enter the
elevator in the building.
According to Burbage he was on his
way TO visit a local dentist who is re-
lated TO him by marriage. when the de-
tecttve placed him under arrest.
Burbage says that he was then taken
20 the Terminal hotel. where he was held
J for IS hours. two detectives guarding
him all the time. His meals were sent
up to the room from the hotel restau-
rant and he was allowed 20 talk with no
one. According 10 the suspect his guards
refused 10 discuss his case with him, ana
until he read the story OF the Gambler
Black Hand letters he did not know what
charge he was held for.
- HeTa II ~ Il =,
tel. the city marshal OF Conyers. at the
detectives request. came 20 Atlanta and
Identified him as a man wanted In that
town for highway robbery.
Burbage. while denying that he 10
wanted in Conyers. stated that he left
there last Sunday. and the following day
he was in LithOnia, coming to Atlanta
Monday night and Immediately starting
q search for job When arrested he
had only a few dollars on his person.
Burbage states that he has relatives in
Birmingham and In Greenville, S. c. He
has made no attempt to raise the amount
OF his small bond. as he believes that
IN the course OF q few days the detec-
tfves win voluntarily release him from
custody.
From conversation with detectives
working on the case II appears that they
believe that there is more than one per-
son concerned In the case. In fact II
appears that there Is an organized plot
against Mr.. Gambler.
This IL the second time Mr.. Gambler
has received letters Of the Black Hand
variety. Before they were traced to Dan
Z. Johnson, a young man, who was not
prosecuted owing to a friendship exist
ing between his father and Mr.. Gambler.
This, the second attempt to secure
money from Mr.. Gambler in the same
manner, bears none OF the amateurish
landmarks OF the first attempt.
GAMBLER REFUSES TO TALK.
Mr. Gambler positively refuses to dis
cuss the situation, and win neither deny
or affirm the allegation that he has re-
eeived the letters or that he has placed
the matter in the hands Of detectives.
However, there are several letters adj
dressed 10 Mr.. Gambler in the possession
OF the Carter-Patterson Detective agency.
These letters are said by the detectives
H. -. a.