Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-09-26
WmES OF WOMAN WON
$4,000 FOR BLACKMAM
GANG, MAN CONFESSES
Wealthy Merchant, for Benefit
of Others, Discloses Details
Of Game Into Which He
Was Shared
BEAUTY LEADS THE WAY

CHICAGO. Sept. 26.--Dlsclosures OF how
he was bilked Of 5000 by members Of the
so-called million dollar blaclSmail syndi-
cate. who caught him in n compromising
situation with one OF the bands come
ons" in the Ansonia Hotel New York were
made here today by Edward r.. West, a
wealthy Hyde Park importer.
The woman with whom he was trapped
was -Buda Goldman, a striking brunette.
who. Il is charged, with Helen Evers, did
the Turing for the syndicate. She was un-
der arrest here today awaiting preliminary
hearings of other members of the gang
West Ia widowcr and wealthy. He is
vice president OF the c. y. Gregg Tea and
Coffee Company of Chicago and New York.
In order that others might take heed
and profit by his humiliating experience,
West said he decided TO make public the
sensational details OF his case.
"I met Buda Goldman in a downtown
restaurant" said West. "She was beau
tlful. polished and ! was led to believe
that she had Independent means OF her own.
We became very good friends Shortly
after our acquaintance had ripened into
friendship was called to New York on n
business trip for my hrnl.
"She suggested that she make the trip
with me- was surprised, as ] thought
she was a girl of refinement. AT first
refused; then. at her insistence. I agreed
TO It, We reached New York on May
Al
I'VE had been there several days. One
morning there came a knock on our door
I opened II and in came three men. They
were armed with warrants for our arrest
They had badges and credentials which
I now know to have been false, showing
they were agents of the Department Of
Justice. They said we had violated the
Mann act.
'T told them It was an outrage and that
I would not submit to II. But Buda became
hysterical She said It meant ruin for her.
that she was a convent-reared girl and IL
would kill her parents.
she sobbed that Il was all right for me,
a man, TO talk of fighting II because society
would Forgive q man where II put an irre-
movable blemish on woman. She threat
ened to commit suicide. Then she became
calmer and asked what she could do to save
herself.
ut was intimnted by the three officers
that money might settle It. What was l TO
do? A girl OF apparent culture had been
placed in this position and It was up to
my chivalry. II nothing else. to get her out
I'VE were taken TO two staterooms under
guard and hurried back to Chicago. We
went to the Alexandria Hotel, where / was
informed United States Commissioner Foot
lived. A hundred times 1 threatened to re-
volt and let everything go, but Buda pleaded
that IT meant ruin for her. believed in
her. We were held there for several DAYS
while the so-called negotiations were on.
"Then paid them-n cash. The first in
stallment was $12,50 Later 1 gave them
$2500.
when the exposure of their organization
came I knew / had been 'bled,' and ] de-
cided to sacrifice my personal humiliation
for the sake of others who may innocently
be drawn into the same net"
West declared that the persons with
whom he was associated I'm the deal and
whom he now knows to be blackmailers were
persons that would fool any one. They
we're polished, he said, and educated.
any one.
Buda Goldman, the woman in the case,
formerly was the wife of Tell Taylor, a
song writer according to officials here.