New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-12
WILSON THREATS BUCOL|C
Authorities Do Not Think PriS-
OnerS DANGEROUS.

With the Dunn brothers and SNAKE
CSeeley) Davenport, the three Jersey
mountalneers who are charged with at
tempting TO extort 5000 from President
elect Wilson in letters threatening death.
lodged in the Essex County Jail in New
ark. some OF the federal authorities eV-
pressed doubt yesterday whether the evi-
dence which the government had against
the prisoners would be strong enough 10
hold them for trial The prisoners will
be arraigned for examination before
United States Commissioner Stockton. I'm
Newark, Monday.
The case appears 70 hinge principally
on the comparison OF handwriting in the
threatening letter sent to Governor Viii
son and the handwriting Of Jacob. alias
Mig" Dunn. one Of the prisoners. which
was obtained through ruse by the Post
Office inspectors and Deputy United
States Marshal Beekman, who made the
arrests Tuesday I'm the sparsely settled
regions of the Sparta Mountains, near
Wharton. y. J.
The possibility Of having eventually 10
turn out the prisoners. after the long and
perilous search which the inspectors and
the deputy marshal underwent in the
mountain Businesses and despite the fact
that they are morally certain they got the
right men, was matter Of serious dis
cusslon Yesterday. IL was said. between
the government officers and Commissioner
Stockton
Unless the handwriting Of the defendant
was obtained in an entirely voluntary
manner at the time, and without duress
or connivance on the part OF the officers,
II cannot be used as admissible evidence
at trial. according to recent decisions in
the federal courts in similar cases. II
is understood that James T. Cortelyou,
Chief Postal Inspector who had charge
of the Wilson case. communicated with
. Commissioner Stockton in regard TO the
matter. and called attention to the court
decisions in which the manner Of oh
tanning standards OF handwriting as evil
dence vas set forth.
The absurdty Of tine letter has led the
authorities to place little crcdcncc in the
threat it contained They point out that
the writers asked that 5000 in gold bee
sent "by mail TO a rural free delivery
| box. and arc inclined to believe that tin
I mental calibrc OF the writer IL not suii-
GENTLY high to make them especially dan
! eerous. The government inspectors be-
! lieve that they have sufficient evidence
against the prisoners besides the com
rarisons Of handwriting. 10 warrant an
indictment by the federal grand jury.
| The penalty for using the mails to de-
fraud. which Is the technical charge
against the prisoners, is a fine of $1,000.
or five years Imprisonment, or both.
Deputy Marshal Beekman said ycstcr-
day that Mig" Dunn confessed to the
officers after his arrest that he wrote the
! letter TO Governor Wilson. and said he
did II when he was stupid and drunk
Joseph p. Tumulty, secretary TO Gov
ernor Wilson. said yesterday that the
letter was the second Of the kind. and
apparently in the same handwriting that
( tho Governor had received. The first
similar I'm its context. was received last
! Nav before the Governors nomination for
/ President, and was turned over to Charles
A. Rathbun. prosecutor OF Norris County
Mr.. Tumulty said.
/ Governor Wilson has not yet been in
formed Of the receipt Of the letters and
may not hear about them until his return
/ from Bermuda.