New-York tribune., 1912-02-02
DEMANDS 100000
FROM J.P. MORGAN, JR.
Banker Gets Letter Apparently
from SpecuIator Seeking RGsti-
tuition for Market Losses.
THREAT THOUGHT GENUINE
Police Watch Without Avail Spot
Designated by Writer, and
Guard Home and Person
of Wall Street Man.

of Wall Street Man.
II was made known at Police Head
quarters yesterday afternoon that a let
ter was received two days ago by J. F..
Morgan. ir.. threatening his life unless
he left $1,000 in a designated place in
Central Park. The letter was alleged to
have come from once well known Wall!
Street operator, who declared that he
had lost heavily in. financial transac-
tions In which the Morgan firm hap
pened To be on the opposite side. He de-
manded the SlOO,OOo as restitution Of
the fortune he had lost
This is the second time Mr.. Morgan
has been made the victim Of lawlessness
in less than a week, for on the night of
January - his home, AZ No. 23l Madi-
son avenue, was entered by burglars,
and iewelry TO the value, according to
the information given out by the police,
of between $4,000 and $1,000 was taken
T g police refused to say whether they
suspecte' any connection between the
two crimes. as they declared they had
information in their possession which
they were unwilling TO make public as
yet
When the story of the attempted ex-
torticn from Mr.. Morgan was first re-
ported in the form of unsubstantiated
rumors. all parties to the affair made
complete denials Of H. Mr. Morgan.
when seen at his office. was particularly
emphatic in his denials.
Il have never received a threatening
letter in my life" he said, and ! have
never been blaCkmailcd. This story "
all poppycock. There is not a word Of
truth in il. have To bother with too
many stories that are real 10 bother with
those that aren't"
Police Also Try TO "cover Up
He stuck to- this statement throughout
the day. and at first only little more
satisfaction could be obtained at Head
quarters Inspector Hughes refused to
say anything about it. and the detectives
of the East 6Ith street and 10Th street
stations, who were said 10 have had
charge Of the plant" whereby II was
hoped 10 trap the would-be blackmailer,
also disclaimed any knowledge OF the af
fair. They showed their assignment
books, and there was no entry discover
able In regard 10 the matter
II was made known later. however,
that il was the detectives Of the West
hA n
trusted with the attempt to trap the let
ter writer.
The letter. In demanding the 100000
from Mr. MorGan. prescribed the way In
which the "wid" should be delivered. II
was 10 he tied NJ g. a large brown legal
envelope, in a." form Of bills. and left
under q bush, dcsoribcd as standing just
inside the ION street and Seventh ave
nue. entrance 10 Central Park. II vas TO
be- left there before midnight on Wedncs-
day night.
In accordanCa with this a detective
was sent early In the evening to plant
large brown envelope in the prescribed
place. and then the spot was surrounded.
There were four detectives from the
West l2.th street station house on the
lob. under the command Of Lieutenant
Hawkins Two men concealed them
selves behind trees within sight of the
bush and the three others watched from
hiding places Huross the street. They
shiycred at their watch throughout the
night. but the package was not taken,
nor. so far as they were able to discover,
did any suspicious looking person APP
proaCh the place
Il was said, however, that the police
had in their possession facts that might
yet help them To hang "A case" on the
suspected blackmailer. The nature Of
this evidence was withheld yesterday.
The letter was sent To Mr.. Morgan at
his home, and he Immediately placed it
in the hands of the police George ).
Dougherty. Second Deputy Commissioners.
i'm charge OF detectives, gave personal
directions for handling the situation.
He at once detailed plainclothes men To
guard the Morgan home and to stay near
Mr.. Morgan as he went to and from his
offices.
To other detectives he committed the
task of attempting to trap the author of
the letter The police of the Arsenal
station, in Central Park, were not
brought into the case at all, the work Of
the plant" being carried on i'm their
territory without their knowledge-so
completely so, I'm fact, that Captain Car
son, commanding the precinct, branded
II all as "A fake.
1t was said the letter contained the |
statement that the writer knew of the !
manipulations of the Morgan Wall Street !
house and through IT lost all the money |
he had" He also declared he considered !
'it up to Mr.. Morgan 10 make restitu-
ton" and threatened violence If this /
were not done.
While refusing to divulge the nature !
of their theories, the police said yester- !
day they did not believe the letter was |
from "A harmless crank, but that it was
serious enough to keep Mr.. Morgan's !
house guarded and 10 prosecute "A vigor- |
Gus search for the sender.
HARD tn MEASURE WOMEN