Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-05-05
fails 70 SECURE Bill !
NELSON LUCE, CHARGED WITH
USING MAILS TO ExToRT
MONEY, IN cREsToN JAIL.
ALLEGED THREATENING
LETTERS PUBLISHED
Communications Purportina to Have
Been Sent to John Hammaek, Of
Malvern, Demanding Hush Monsy,
Are Made Public - Luce Claimed to
/ Have information Of Criminal Action.

Special to Times Republican,;
Creston, May 5.-Efforts of friends Of
Nelson Luce, Of Shenandoah. to secure
bond and his release from the Jail
here. have been without avail. While
Luce was indicted by a federal grand
jury in United States court. in Cres-
ton. March %, 1916. the government
officers were unable to locate and ar
rest him until recently.
Luces case, as disclosed by the in
dictment, is remarkable one. He Is
charged with using the mails in an en-
fort to extort considerable sum Of
money from John Hammack, Of NAL
yern, and copies Of letters alleged to
have been written by Luce, included
in the indictment, disclose an .appar-
ent gross effort to induce Hammacx
to come across. According to these
letters Luce claimed to be in posses
sion Of information of criminal nat
ure. in which Hammack was vitality in
terested, which information Luce was
willing to go away and forget all about
for consideration. ySa5
The indictment recites that threats
were made by mail that the
said Nelson Luce had then and there in
his possession certain information of
9 criminal act or deal committed by
the said John Hammack and one,
Horace, the publishing of which in
formation would tend to disgrace ami
| degrade the said John Hammack." 49,
p. rE Copies Of Luce letters -.
A copy of one letter sent to Ham
mack read: - f$:e-2
Shenandoah, Iowa, Jan. 20, 1916
Dear Sir-I thought would write yo.,
about some business affair. It is to
your interests that am writing this.
Horace Is causing quiet bit of trouble
between me and my wife, And it is
agoing to stop now, it lays on that
zeal between him and you. Now am
agoing where he can never find me ano
my wife. @ r.. ~r. a--aE-s r-
If everything turns out all right:
Now You know what this deal means
to you and Horace. 1t means that you
AMI him are afacing the pen. Now my
wife and have got all the evidence
about this deal and we have got the
amount that you paid Horace in small
payments and the dates of everything
right up to the last notch. Now you
had better talk business to me. .s
Now it will just take $500 to keep
1t still and my wife and will leave
| where that he can not find us. II 4 /,
But II You refuse to pay the $500
| my wife and will start the case and
| it is hard telling what will become Of
you and Horace. y @.a.s e ~ :. N,
but you know what / mean. And it
is up to you whether you pay me the
money or fight the case. Write and let
me know what you are agoing to do so
that ! can start the wheels rolling
either way. Either leave the country
, or fight the case. Now our evidences
are as firm as stone wall for ], am
going to get rid of Horace or leave.
Now it is up to you on this deal
whether you pay the money or fight the
case. 80, 500 IL
IF You want to talk business to me
you Will half to be atalking pretty
quick after you receive this letter !.
will do right by you If you do me right
but ifyou go the other way against me
II will sure send that deal as far as I
can send it.. Let me know at once.
Now think it over and let me know.
Drop me a few lines and let me know
Just what you intend to do about that
deal. - + e 51y y s35sEE
Il would give you little time on
money. Write me full particulars now
this means business. If l don't hear
from you my wife and 1 will be up
there and start the wheel arUlling Your
sincere friend" .lgs
Sum Demanded Reduced.
A second count against Luce Is
named in the indictment in which 1t is
charged that on or about Jan. 81, 1916,
or one week later, Luce wrote Ham
mack another letter. copy of which
appears in the indictment and Is as
follows: sa
Shenandoah, Iowa, Jan. 81, 1915.
Dear Sir-I received your letter. And
thought would write on return mail.
Now l will be reasonable with you. ]
will just cut 1t to $500. not pennie
less nor pennie more. And say no
more about that deal to you and to no
one else. But want the money by
the LIST of February or sooner If possi-
BILE. Now this is business rember.
Write on return mail and let me know
what you will do. Or what you intend
to do. Now It is just up to YOU about
1t. You can raise the money, and send
me draft for the sum of $500 and
nothing more will be said about the
deal. Now 1t is either thai or fight the
case. viii give you between now and
the first Of Feb. to send me the monsy.
The sooner You raise the sum and send
1t the better OFF you will be.
Now is 1t q go? Write on return
mail and let me know about this deal.
Your sincere friend. Address my letters
Nelson Luce, 706-5 avenue"
Luce disappeared about the time
that the United States court met in
Creston and was not located until a
few days ago in Marshall county, and