Indiana daily times., 1922-05-27

NEW YORK. May e7.-There are rs
many kinds If blackmail as there are
varieties of weeds in the garden. grad
ing from its sly, slick, soft use as a
means 10 attain some personal advantages
down 10 It's rough, bold, thumb screw
application to the end OF obtaining
either money or property, II Is extor-
tiun thrpneh the creation OF fear and
that which Is obtained may be As lnusA
as a million dollars or as little as a s.
weekly raise iR salary woIHane
smile In sentence, blackmail Is the
threat II You don't do as | ask, | shall
tell what know
At the moment blackmail Is the pet
word en- the Hip of every tongue IN the
metropolis dae to the claim Of dapper
rich Young man In New Rochelle, that
he shot and killed fellow being who
vas Matchmaking him. One has to Won
der whether tins drive to establish the
truth Of Walter s. Wards contention Of
bluckmail set up By himself as his de-
defense, Is aimed ut his crime or whether
Il is designed 10 uncover some scandal
worth headlning for few days.
George S. Dougherty, formerly deputy
police commissioner Of New York and as
hard boiled and wise n detective as ever
took up the scent OF mystery. said to-
day that In New York City alone, millions
Of dollars are annually paid In black
mail. scores ana scores Of victims
settle and their sad plight never is
known outside OF the small circle In
yolvcd." he said when | asked him for
his experience in handling such matters.
There Is no known case whore money
had been paid over that the bleedin.
process did not continue. the black
inailers returning again and again for
more money. Hundreds Of victims have
been bled until .hey were either paupers
or suicides"
Mr., Doughcrty divided blackmailers
into two classes, amateurs aud profess
sionais an amateur could be the Office
boy who. from the private files he keeps
fer his employees, discovers in jewelers.
bill the origin of the pretty steuograph-
ers neH diamond ring, and acts upon
the information by demanding promo
ton; Or the lady's maid, who procurcs
the gift" of some almost new gowns
from her mistress by gently letting 1t be
known that she Intercepted telephone
message from some male other than the
master.
He said blackmailng Is tho only
business that requires 10 capital other
than the goods" How much can be
obtained depends upon the extent of
their value In stimulating fear upon the
mind OF the victim.
Suppose you outline the tools used
by hlaekmailers,'' we asked.
I'm New York City the profes siona1
tiachmailels, by that | mean men and
women who follow Matchmaking as a
business, have everything systematiZed,"
lie replied. They study their victims
before the approach is made with the
lSs Ia ,,*h. ba ~,
the sort likely to come through without
calling in either a lawyer or the police.
Many Of the big men Of the country
have been found to be blackmail- proof.
and they are left well alone. 1ncrminat-
lag letters or documents make the best
background for blackmailers. Next are
the photographs Then there are the
careless conversations overheard and cor
roborated by witnesses or something
written. which is always better for their
purpose than the spoken word.
- have reliable information that
ETC., etc, legins the contact individual
Of tho blackmailing gang.
You have no proof" brayely answers
the victim, hoping there is none, adding,
Come now, all cards on the table
How would you like your husband
(or wife) to see this?' answers the con
tact individual, handing over not the
original of letter but n photographer
copy. Presto. A few moments allowed
for the complex of fear Of exposure to
sink in, then in leering voice the con-
tact individual tightens everything ur
with now, what are you going to do 4
And seeks to be engaged at once to act
as .go-tween with the parties unnamed
who hold the originals only to be sur
rendered for a cash consideration which
is stated as the bottom price"
Mr. Dousherty stressed the thorough
ness with which the professional black
mailers nre organized. each group keep
ing to itself and exchanging no con-
fdences in which they differ radically
from pickpocaets, safe buglars, stick-up
men and other departments in the under
world.
.Some Of these groups arc very small.
0nfv Two or thrNn f,,,1:-i. .1pofr ruaiinp tho