New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-02
Plot to Extort
$4,000 Laid to
1 raped Clerk
Baltimore Visitor Says He
Was Taken to Flat by
Four Chance Acquaint.
ances Who Asked Ransom
Threat of Bodily Harm
Victim Escapes After He
Wires for Money; Three
of Alleged Gang Flee

:. A man who gave his name as Harry
spencer, a clerk, twenty-five years old,
OF 4O7 West 146th Street, was arrested
following chase on Broadway last
night and locked up in the West Eigh
tieth Street police station on a charge
OF extortlon. According to the police
ne is one OF four men who attempted
to take $4,000 from the parents of Will
liam Bedell, of 334 West Forty-eighth
Street, on threat of doing their son
bodily harm.
Bedell, who appeared as complainant
against Spencer, told the police that as
he was leaving the Polo Grounds yes
terday afternoon he was accosted by
the prisoner and his three friends.
Demand Made at Supper
Bedell, whose home is in Baltimore,
said that he had first met Spencer sew
eral weeks ago in that city. He said
that he had accepted Spencer's invita-
tion to accompany him to his apart
ment for supper last night. Spencers S
three companions went with them.
Once in Spencer's apartment, Bedell's
complaint states, his host told him that
he was to consider himself prisoner
until he saw his way clear to come
across with $4,000. According to the
the apartment after this announcement
After pleading for some time with
his captors, Bedell finally agreed to
see what he could do to secure $4,000
for Spencer and his companions for his
release.
At the direction of one of the men,
he says, he wrote a telegram to his
parents in Baltimore directing them to
send $4,000 at once care of the West
ern Union Telegraph office at West
Forty-frst Street and Broadway. Ac-
cording to Bedell, he was forced to
state in the telegram that unless the
money was forwarded at once he would
meet with bodily harm.
Victim Makes Escape
Some time after filing the telegram
Bedell charges that Che four men
placed him in an autom obile and they
went to the telegraph station at
Broadway and Forty-frst Street to
wit the expected reply.
AS they were entering the telegraph
Office shortly after 10 o'clock, Bedell,
who was walking between Spencer and
one OF his companions, says he pushed
tn. former out of TIE way and dashed
into the middle of Broadway.
spencer StdIteO 10 IOllOW MN, ne
charges, thought better of it and
turned and began to flee up Broad
way. The three men who are alleged
to have been working with Spencer
are said to have fed through a side
door to the telegraph station and es-
capped.
AS Bedell ran into the street he
called to Patrolman McAvoy. of Traffic
c, who was directing traffic near by.
Together they chased Spencer more
than block before they overlook him.
Spencer was taken to the West
Eightieth Street station, where Bedcll
made his formal charge of extortion.
When searched the police could not
find the gun which Spencer is alleged
by Bedell to have used. The prisoner
denied cmphatically that he had at
tempted to take money from Bedell,
and denied that he had been with three
men who we're contemplating such a
plan.
He was locked up in the station and
will be arraigned to-day.