Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-09-22
DEATH THREATS
BY BLACKMAILERS
Star Witness Held in Seclu-
sion; Plan of Operations
Told

Washington, D. c., Sept. 22.-Many
sensational developments in the
roundup Of the international gang of
blackmailers, who have collected mill
lions of dollars from men and women
victims were disclosed by A. Bruce
Bielash, chief of the Bureau of In
vestigation in the Department of Jus
tice. Federal officers are closing in
on the blackmailers throughout the
country with the result that death
threats are being sent to members of
the gang who are reported to have
confessed or who show signs of re-
vealing the identity of their as
Sociates.
Striking Developments of the Day
Among the developments which Mr..
Bielaski outlined late yesterday fol-
lowing an extended conference with
division heads from Philadelphia, New
York and Chicago on the preparation
of the cases. were:
First. At least three members of
the gang sent word to Frank Crocker
cause he made a full confession to
the Federal agents of his part in
blackmailing and kidnapping Mrs
Regina A. Klipper of Philadelphia.
Second. There are twenty-five men
and women on the blackmailing
gang.
Third. Some of the victims of
bogus arrests by members who posed
as United States officers were held as
prisoners for as long as ten days.
Fourth. The Department of Justice
has secured possession of scores of
fake badges worn by the Officers"
as we'll as forged warrants for arrest.
Fifth. To add reality to the raids"
made by the pseudo officers on other
members of their gang when they
were caught in compromising situa-
tions with wealthy women COM
panions, fist fights sometimes occur
red. The man would make vigor-
GUS defense of the woman, but would
be overpowered and she would have
to pay for protection.
Sixth. Another member of the
gang has made partial confession.
Seventh. Hundreds of pictures of
pretty women in bathing suits have
been seized by agents of the Depart
ment of Justice.
Eighth. DOC" Donohue, of Chi
cago, is reported to have peen identi-
fled as a man wanted to answer an
other charge in New York.
Ninth. Publicity of the activities
of the Federal agents in the present
extensive blackmailing system have
resulted in the disclosure of many
private cases of eXtortou OF sums of
money by women who threatened men
companions with prosecution.
Star Witness in Seclusion
Because of the threats sent to
Crocker that he would be murdered
If he told all he knew about the
operations of the gang, Mr.. Bielaski
said that the Governments star wit
ness had been removed from Boston.
His whereabouts is to be kept a secret
until he takes the stand. Crockers
testimony, according to officials of
the department, is essential to the
successful prosecution of the case
and they are guarding in every pos
sible way against any attempt on his
life.
When the agents of the department,
who were called here from the cities
In which the gang has been working
left the department to-day, it was
said the preparation of the Klipper
kidnapping case which is to be the first
to be tried, has virtually been COM
pleted The evidence had been put
up to Assistant Attorney General
Wallace.
Many Cases Cannot Be Reached
According to officials of the depart
ment, there are many cases in which
men and women have been forced to
pay large sums of money on threat
of exposure which cannot be reached
by the laws of the United States
government.
The number of victims of this
gang" said Mr.. BielaskI, never will
be known, because those who paid to
avoid publicity will not want to ap-
pear. We can only prosecute in
cases where the blackmailers posed as
officers of the Federal Government or
threatened suit under the Mann white
slave act There are many cases III
which money was paid because pals
of women have gone to their erstwhile
companions and threatened to expose
them unless they paid sums of money.
We have had several new cases pre-
sented to us to-day"
Some of the Methods
Chief Bieaski this afternoon told of
the two most popular methods en-
ployed by the blackmailers The first
was for one of the women members
of the gang to meet the intended VIC
tim, gain his complete confidence and
listen to any proposition he might
make"
The woman would keep her pals
informed. and at the proper time
they would break in on the victim and
the woman, pose as Federal agents
and arrest BOTH
In some instances a victim has been
held prisoner for as long as ten days.
During this time he would be given
every opportunity to realize what en-
barrassment would attend any pub
licity and then inevitably, it is said,
the victim would offer payment. After
that it all depended on how much 1t
would take to keep the pseudo off,
GERS quiet.
The second method was the badger
game. The woman would meet the
victim, lead him on, and at a set time
one or more of her pals would appear
on the scene In the role of the hus-
band father or brother. In some in
stances n woman would play the game
alone If she decided the man could
be bluffed without aid from her fell
low gangsters.
Worked the Game Alone
1t was said that several cases have
come TO light of how women worked
the game alone during the Chicago
convention and at other times when
crowds of visitors were IN the city.
The woman would spot" her victim
and arrange to get a room on the
same floor. She would study her vic
TINS habits and arrange 1t so she
would be sitting or reclining near an
open door in her room when he
passed by.
The rest Is easy to imagine" said
the official who told the details. "The
woman might invite the victim into
her room on some spretext, lock the
door. and then threaten to call the
police and say she had been fnsulted.
This almost always produced results"
Officials said that all this type of
work was not done nv paups. fhat xuo