Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-20

BEFORE BAR FOR
WILSON THREATS
Prisoners Appear in Court Smil'
ing and Confident of Their
Acqnittal.
THEIR ATTORNEYS MOVE
FOR OUASHiNG CHARGES
Bench overrules Motion-Sec.
Tumulty Chased by Local Viii
sonites After Testifying.

Joseph +. IumuliN. PfeSluent VIII
sons private secretary, and Warren
F. Johnson, confidential stenogra pher
to Tumulty, were the principal wit
nesses called by the prosecution to-
day at the trial of Seeley Davenport
and Jake Dunn, both of Wharton, on
charge of sending "black-hand"
letters to President Woodrow Wilson
and wealthy residents of Ledgewood
Tumulty caused stir as he entered
the courtroom and was Immediately
placed on the stand.
When he left the courtroom q
number of the more ambitious. mem
bers of the Wilson League followed
him out into the corridor and talked
confdentially with him for some time
The result was not made public.
Assemblyman John A. Matthews
was in serious conversation with the
Presidents secretary for more than
half hour.
Mr. Tumulty, upon leaving the wit
ness stand, telephoned the White
House.
The wires between here and WASH
ington were kept open to facilitate
matters. Mr.. Tumulty then left for
New York and will return to WASH
ington this afternoon.
johnson was called to the stand to
explain how the black hand letters
were received in Trenton
When shown the letters sent to
Wilson he said he did not recognize
those particular letters. but remem-
bered letters Of that character
what character" asked Attorney
Bacon.
.Why. black hand letters such as
these evidently are" replied the wit
ness.
william J. Kinsley. of Nutley, the
handwriting expert who figured in the
Patrick, Molyneaux and other fam ous
| trials, took the stand for the govern
n1cit. After exhibiting Photographic
plates of the four anonymous lett ers
and the letter written by Jake"
Dunn, he explained the peeuliarities
! in each
IN my opinion the same hand
wrote all the letters, including the
fifth one, written at Deputy Beck
mans dictation, said Mr.. Kinsley.
Postoffice Inspector Larabee, who
figured in the arrest. told of con-
versation with Davenport as he was
being taken from Wharton in an au-
tomobile. When he was told he was
under arrest he asked How long will
| get?' the inspector testified.
The first witness called was Theo-
dore F. King, 6S years old, who said
he had lived in Ledgewood forty
years, was postmaster and kept a
general store there.
Mr.. King received Va letter similar
to the ones sent to President Wilson.
Henry j. Misel. also of Ledgewood.
received one of the black k-hand let
ters, too.
Mr.. King identified the letter he
had received and said he took a bag
full of stone instead of money to
the place where the letter told him
to leave money, but nobody showed
up.
He said he opened the letters and
read them, but did not remember
which letter he read.
The body of the letters sent to Mr..
Misel, of Dover, and Postmaster King
are identical except in their addresses
and in the request that Mr.. King
bring the money asked at s o'clock
and Mr.. Misel at 9 o'clock, was as
follows:
Dear sir, we are now going to in
sist upon you for some money~as we
are the black hand club and what we
say we do, so we ask you for five
hundred dollars in gold coin bring 1t
or we shall sure shute you at the first
chanse, bring this money to morris
Co. r. r. crossing near burkshire
and there is a small freight house
about TT. from the ground hang 1t
up under this house in a bag. now
if you bring this money don't say
word to no one about it. but If you
don't bring 1t just tell your wife or
some of your friends about this let
ter so when we shute you they will no
what you get shoot for. your not the
ondly man we'r going to ask for
money so if you think more of the
$500 dollars then you do of your
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