Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-09-19
CASE AGAINST Three
CONSIDERED STRONG
Federal Officers Believe
They Have Sufficient EV-
dence to Convict the Gang
Without Exposing Names
Of Wealthy Victims.

Chicago, Sept. 1s.-Four members OF
the alleged million dollar band OF
black mailers may escape prosecution,
federal officials admitted today as
they awaited the preliminary hearing
this afternoon of the seven prisoners
taken in fashionable apartment hotel
raid Saturday night. Mrs. Regina
Klipper, a Philadelphia divorcee, the
governments chief witness, arrived
under guard of federal agents to ap-
pear against the alleged blackmailers.
Hinton G. Clabaugh of the federal de-
partment Of justice. said he was con-
fident Mrs. Klipper could identify Ed
ward Donahue, Henry Russell and Mrs.
Helen Evers as directors of the or
ganization.
THE case against the others under
arrest" Clabaugh said, is doubtful.
am satisfied. however. of the guilt of
the first three"
Russell. Donahue and Mrs. Evers
are held under bail of $4,000 each.
Others under arrest are James Chris
tian. James Bland. Mrs. Donahue and
Mrs. Frances Allen. alias Chapman.
Mrs. Klipper is the sole woman of
scores believed to be victims of the
syndicate who is willing to tell how she
was fleeced. She declares she was
placed in a compromising position In a
New York hotel by members of the
band last January. blackmailed out Of
a sum reported to be less than $1,000
and some jewelry and later kidnapped
and held prisoner in Montreal when
she threatened prosecution.
HAS ENOUGH EVIDENCE.
Hinton q. Clabaugh Of the United
States department of Justice declared
last night he had secured sufficient
evidence to convict the gang without
exposing the names Of some Of their
wealthy victims.
1t was understood that mono Of the
names of the victims would be barred
at the hearing today. These vic
Tins. whose flirtations with pretty wo-
men led them into traps from which
they escaped only on payment Of large
sums, will be shielded from publicity
except as a last resort, 1t Is said.
According to Clabaush, two Of the
alleged gangsters, "Diok" Barrett and
Edward J. Thompson, confessed to the
charges and revealed the manner in
which blackmail ha1 been levied In
several instances. Their story was re-
plete with accounts OF clever new race
track swindles and other uses by which
beautiful women and debonaire. hand
some men had fleeced their victims.
The other men who have been ar
rested, and who remain in jail here
pending establishment OF bail in the
aggregate sum of approximately $780,
600, would say nothing Monday of
their alleged offenses. but the women
were vociferous In their denials of the
accusations.
DENIES THE CHARGE.
Mrs. Helen Evers, who, say federal
authorities, was the lure in the bogus
Mann act cases. stamped her trim foot
on the floor of her cell and said there
is not a word OF truth in the charges.
She was particularly insistent about
the falsity OF the charge that an opium
outfit had been found in her rooms.
why, I never smoked opium in my
life." she declared.
Mrs. Francis Chapman said nothing,
but Mrs. Evers Indignantly insisted
that Mrs. Chapman's arrest was "an
outrage"-that she was but a visitor
at the fashionable apartment when
the raid was made.
Mrs. Edward Donahue, older, than
the other women. carried herself. even !,
in Jail, with an air of outraged dignity.
Ridiculous. too ridiculous even to
deny" she asserted.
ARREST IN NEW YORK.
Clabaugh learned last night of the
arrest in New York of Frank Crocker.
who is said to have confessed to a part
in the swindling of Mrs. Regina Kip :
per of Philadelphia. and the arrest in
the latter city OF William Butler in