The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-05-11
OIL FIELD EMpLOYE
PLACED UNDER ARREST
DsVIIIsh Plan Defeated BY
Wealthy Widows ScoTn
Of Threats
Special 10 Daily Leader

oDtctat 10 DhttF AtNaAttt
Tulsa, Okla. May i1-~A cooperate
attempt on the part Of BLACK Hand
men to extort sg.50O from Mrs. Iulia
a. Friend the wealthy widow Of the
late D. A. Friend. on the threat thai
unless she complied with their do.
mands her children would be klsi.
mapped and her property destroyed.
became known yesterday when Ed.
ward Miller, an oil held employe, waa
placed undor arres, and the police 0f
the state notified TO look out FOR hla
accomplices.
The plan had IN It al the elements
Of that terrible organization which has
swept The country like ac0urge ~
the past two years. Planned with dcv.
ilish cunning, Il was frustrated only
by the courage OF Mrs. Friend IN her
determination 10 tight the matter to
the bitter end The beginning Of The
affair WIS Tuesday OF last week bat
only yesterday did the afgalr become
known and then In spite of tha efforts
OF the police department to keep &
quiet lest Il Interfere With th0lf plane
lOt catching the other consplratcfa.
On Tuesday morning laat, Mrs.
Friend, Who resides With her gamllg
In their new home IN the Orcutl nd
lditlon found an unsigned letter under
the kitchen door, Opening the letter
she was startled 10 read that II she
did not place package containing
$4,000 on the dam nt Orculf'a lake That
might her children would suddenly dia.
appear and the destruction 81 her
property would follow.
! Greatly frightened, Airs friend
placed the matter In the hands 81 the
police. She was told to have some ore
dressed as q woman leave the FRIEND
home at 10 o'clock, proceed 20 the
dam and deposit deeoy package. II
the meantime Chief Thompson ar
ranged 10 have four officers watch aH
cry approach 70 the place.
] Edward Miller who had been kesn
ling company with Mrs Friend and
who had been acquainted with ths
facts. offered to take the package
MILLER followed the Instructions OF the
letter and left thu deeoy. The police
watched an night. but no one ag
prOaehed Che shores of tho lake
On Saturday Mrs Friend received
another letter Il read we know
/ you have the police watching MS, but
we are watching You ana another false
move on your part will mean trouble.
Leave $500 on thar dam tonight of
YOU VIII regret Il TO the END 81 your
days
Again acting under police lnslrnc.
lions, Mrs. FrIend on Saturday Al
ternoon came 10 ihe city. entered
bank and drew the money, The police
at the same time Watching every per
son Ia sight She returned to Der
home and prepared 10 carry out lha
I demands Of The cUnBplfalora, except
ilat she substituted paper f0r money
/ Nh the package Miller agaln oiierad
10 take the Backege end again ST.
l0Hef was accepted.
Saturday night was one long 10 BY
remembered The rain poured IN tor.
rents and the occupants 0E the Frsand
home were clazed with tear that sofns.
thing would happen Mllcf lelt tho
Friend home shortly after s.u0 o'clock
and proceeded TO The dam
A few minutes later d Wild SELL was
heard and William Friend rushed 70
the banR Of the lake. tie found Miller
under a tree near The dam. but as
Friend came up Miller covered hin
with revolver Miller then said that
he bad heen hlt with & club from be
hind and that two shots came al him
In the darkness. He said he thought
Frlend was oao Of the men coming
back
The two returned to the Friend
home. When the police listened co
Mlllers story they thought Il queer
Fnlally Under are, Miller admitted that
be had not been hit and thai ne was
only playing up" lie was Immediate,
ly taken to the city jail tie refused
10 discuss the matter fuflher saying
that no had told all be knew
The police closed every avenue 1y
which tlie facts could become known
and started 10 unravei the conspiracy
lsvfy clue has been exhausted bot
The oiilo rs still feel that lhef Win be
able 10 land the other conspIFas0fH
] The anair has put the Friend family
on the verge of aervona pF0slrntEon
4 Mrs Friend IS nnw lilfrohA thd erect
Of the Proceedings No other letters
have been received and It Ii believed
that the capture Of Miller has fright.
ened his accomplIees and they have
left the country.
j. Friend died some ihree nontha
ago. leaving an estate estimated Al
10000, Shortly after his death The
family moved from their home In tlNih
RE 20 their fine now home Ia lhN
Oreutl addition, which BIT Ffiend bad
built shortly befofe hts death. The
Frlend home IN iha Oreull addition ii
about lhFee blocks from 0fealt laAn
Continued q FaHs ElEas