Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-09-18
BLACKMAILER
SOCIETY FOLK
tContinued From First Page]


cording to Hinton G.. Clabaugh. head
of the Chicago bureau of the Federal
Department of Justice. Both are at
liberty. They will become witnesses
for the government. however. when
the eight members of the alleged syn
dicatc, arrested in the raid on a fash
ionable apartment hotel Saturday
night, are brought to trial, Mr.. Cla-
baugh said.
Operations of the syndicate which
now appears to have been of inter-
national proportions, were not on=y
confined to the blackmail of wealthy
men and women, according to infor-
nation developed to-day. Among the
effects in the office of Doc" Edward
Donahue, one of the men caught in
the Saturday night raid, was stationery
of the United Turf Exchange" with
headquarters in New York and offices
all over the world" There were also
cipher codes for deciphering messages
received by wire, telling what horses
to bet on, how much to bet, what races
and positions to play.
Fake newspaper clippings detailing
the wonderful clean-ups made by O
young eastern plunger in pool rooms
apparently had been used to lure vic
tins. One letter found in Donahue's
room, at the fashionable South Side
apartment house, was from the horse
mans association" of Louisville, Ky.
signed by j. c. Saulsberry, secretary
and addressed to A. T. Karger. The
secretary said he was sorry to hear OF
Mr.. Karger's notoriety lately and
hoped he wouldn't have another oc.
currence like that again."
According to Department of Justice
officials here to-day the United Turf
Exchange" must have been an ex-
elusive affair. The rules stated that
members using the club rooms in the
evening must appear in full dress.
According to the Federal officials
to-day here are some of the things
done by the syndicate:
They f1eeced multimillionaire OF
New York out of $4,000 by threaten
ing him with arrest for alleged viola
ton of the Mann act, two of the men,
bers of the syndicate impersonating
secret service agents for that purpose
They frightened a wealthy Phila-
delphia woman who had been too
friendly with stranger in a cafe into
giving them $500 They took $40,
600 from each of five ChIcagoans, two
of whom are women. They brought
about their own arrest by allegedly
taking $4,000 from Mrs. Regina Clip
per of Philadelphia, and afterward
kidnapping her.
1t was said to-day that the organiza-
ton had worked as a whole since the
first of the year. and 1t is believed to
have cleaned up in that time $1,000
900. The government officials say that
for one known victim of the syndicate
there are probably twenty unknown.
Those under arrest gave the names
of Henry Russell, Edward Donahue,
Helen Evers, Mrs. Frances Allen Mrs.
Edward Donahue, James Christian,
Frank Crocker and George Bland.
George Irwin, alleged director of the
group. is still at large.
The chief charge against the band
is the alleged kidnapping of Mrs.
Regina H. Clifford, of Philadelphia,
one of their alleged victims, who is
wanted as a Government witness.
She was spirited away to Canada, it
is charged, at the time she wanted to
testify against the gang.
THE chief offenses charged against
the band occurred in Philadelphia,
there for trial." said Clabaugh.
"They will be arraigned for prelim-
mary hearing here Tuesday and will
be started for Philadelphia immedi-
ately afterward."
Clabaugh said there were fifteen
known victims of the gang and that
the amount obtained from these vic
TINS will reach probably s250,0O0.
From one person $4,000 was obtain
ed and $4,000 from another, Cla.
baugh said.
The authorities refused to reveal
the names of the victims Some, ii
was said, are men prominent in poll
tical life, who were victimized while
at the Republican convention here in
June.
During the raid, which had been
planned for many weeks. an elab-
crate opium outfit was found in one
of the apartments.