The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-18
BROTHER PREPARES
TO GAIN FREEDOM
j. N. Knott Visits Alleged
Blackmailers at Jail.
CONFERENCE, WITH ATTORNEY
Determined 40 Fight for Release of
Quartet Held In "BRdger Game"
Case, Rich Relative Meets Prison
ers and Pathetic Scene Ensues.
Legal status Discussed.

| Armed With a big roll of bonk notes
and determination 90 night as valiantly
as though struggling TO save his own
f., life ]. NJ Knott business man OF
North. s c.. arrived in Washington yes
terday afternoon and at onceA plunged
into the work of gaining freedom for his
brothers, James and Benjamin Knott his
| sister-in-iaw, Mrs. Florence Bennett
Knott, and their friend and companion.
! Alton Armstrong, all of whom are await
| ing trial on charge of attempting TO eX-
tort $500 from Harry Rosenthal young
! sporting goods merchant, by the opera
| ton OF the notorious badger game"
From Union Station the South Caro-
| linian. on whom the four alleged black
mailers are banking their hopes made
his way directly 10 the Offices of his
brothers attorney. Campbell Darlington.
where there was a brief conference. The
/ attorney then escorted Mr. Knott 70 the
/ District JAIL where the prisoners were
eagerly awaiting his arrival A pathetic
scene ensued.
Saw Brother Year Ago.
The last time J. NJ, Knott saw his
brother James was more than year ago,
when young Jimmie" who is now only
twenty years old, left the old family
home in the village of North to seek mis-
fortune In Washington. or whatever city
offered success. Letters sent by James
Knott told OF his work at the Eliss Elec-
trical School and his graduation ana
breathed of the future of success which
James expected.
Then within the last month Benjamin
Knott left home and joined James in
| Washington. The next word the eldest
brother received was that both OF his
younger brothers had been arrested. and
we're in jail, awaiting his arrival with
money ana influence g aid IN the fight
/ for freedom. The elder brother lost no
time in reaching Washington. but he was
! not prepared TO ind his brothers In such
a serious predicament
When "A guard at the jail accompanied
J. NJ Knott to the cells where his
brothers looked al him through the bars,
the South Carolnian nearly lost con-
troll OF himself. He first shook hands
| with the youngest brother, james, and
then clasped the hand OF Benjamin. who
lis thirty-twO years old There was 2
long silence. and then the visitor en-
| tered into a discussion Of the legal
status OF the case, as though anxious 10
hide his emotion
James and Benjamin inquired for the
| aged mother and were glad when they
were told she would arrive IN Washing
ton this morning. There was a Tumor
| current last night that Mrs Knott ar
rived in Washington with her son in
The afternoon, but efforts TO locate her
were futile. II - known she did not
accompany her son 20 the jail
Denies Self To Visitors.
]. NJ Knott returned TO his room a;
the St James Hotel after leaving the
jail. and after dining left the hosiery
about O'Clock and remained out until
| after Il He denied htmseTr-to visitors,
and when seen by a reporter for The
| Washington Herald would only say:
II do not care to say anything at pres
ent. as / have Just arrived in the city
and have not had time in which TO OBJ
tain a grasp OF the situation
Floyd Bennett, a brother OF Mrs. Flor
ence Bennett-K did not arrive in
this city yesterday. as was expected, He
is coming here 20 aid in the defense. OF
his sister, the seventeen-year-o Indian
| girl-wife OF James Knott Press dis
patches say Floyd Bennett left Flint
Mich. Friday and was coming direct "a
| Washington. II is portable he will ar
rive to-day.
All of the four prisoners are anxious
! to obtain their release on bond and are
making every effort 10 raise the $1,000
| bond which is asked for each. IT is prob
able that James and Benjamin Knott
and Mrs Knott VIII be released in the
next few days, but Alton Armstrong,
alleged accomplice of the trio. entertains
little hope Of gaining temporary free
dom. Armstrong says he has no rela-
tives who a e in a position to aid him in
his hour of need and he says his fight
for freedom must be single-handed.
His aOther All Alone.
My mother is a widow, and has de-
pended on me for support" said Arm
strong last night. "She has no money
with which / might engage legal aid.
and I'm one of those unfortunate cusses
who have no wealthy relatives or in
fuential friends. 1 guess 1 will have to
take my medicine. 1 don't know how
mother will fare. now that I'm in Jail,
but I suppose she will find some way to
get along. II hurts. though, to think of
her all alone, when l might be out and
helping her
Campbell Darlington last night said he
has learned his clients, the Knott broth
| ers. come of one OF the oldest and best
| known families in South Carolina. He
/ declares no member of the family has
ever done a deed which, has brought dis
| credit upon the family. and that James
and Benjamin are the first of the Knots
TO know how il feels to be inside a prison
cell.
Il have talked with members of Con
gress from South Carolina who are close
friends of the Knott family, and / have
authentic information that neither of tbs
boys has ever before been in Jail" said
Mr.. Darlington. ''The reports that they
are hardened criminals, with police rec
ords, are untrue"
1t was said last night that Representa-
tive Lever. of South Carolina, who is
said TO be a friend of the Knott family
called on the prisoners yesterday at the
Jail. but the report could not be verified
So far as could be learned, Attorney Car
rington and J. NJ, Knott We're the only
visitors at the jail yesterday to see thu
alleged badger game quartet.
The three men and girl spent a quiet
day in their cells. deVoting the greater
part OF their time to perusaI OF news.
papers. Zach showed much interest in
the press reports concerning themselves
White Leads Miners Poll.
Chicago Dec l7-Partial returns from
the election of the United Mine Workers