Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-20
WOMAN LURES STORY
SHEDS new LIGHT ON
HUB BLACKMA|L|NG

Boston, Oct. ia story of the
inner workings of an alleged Boston
blackmail ring. involving William J.
Corcoran, former district attorney of
Middlesex county, Harry E. Leven-
son, an attorney, and Joseph c. Pei
letter. former district attorney for
Suffolk county. removed for miscon-
duct in office, was unfolded in Suf-
folk County Court today when the
voluntary confession of Mrs. Theresa
Duggan. alleged lure" was admit
ted as evidence in the trial of Cor
coran and seven others on charges
Of larceny and eXtortion.
The confession, admitted by Judge
Joseph Quinn today after opposing
counsel had argued since yesterday
afternoon and read by Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Hill. Hill told how four
detectives broke into her apartment
and obtained SIT, 900 from James \.
Donovan of Boston after threaten
ing him with exposure. 1t related de-
tails of another raid in which a
group entered a suite in Boston
hotel and obtained a sum of money
from a Maine lumberman, whose
name she said was Curtis, and of
another episode in which the group
was said to have failed in a similar
attempt to obtain sums of money
from Max korn of Beverly.
Mrs. Duggan's statement declared
that she obtained $500 as her share
in the Donovan affair. that her hus-
band, Francis Duggan, received
like amount, and that the rest was
supposed to be divided between Lev
enson, Corcoran and Pelletier, and
the detectives"
The confession was made in the
office of Attorney General j. Wes-
ton Allen in November, 1919.
Those under indictment in addi-
ton to Corcoran and Levcnson are
Michael Lyons, Theodore Bcarse, j.
Warren keane, also a lawyer; Leo
Corcoran, a brother of the former
district attorney, Francis Duggan,
divorced husband of Mrs. Duggan,
and the latter. They face % indict-
ments. including los counts. in
which all are charged with threat
enning to accuse victims after they
had been drawn into compromising
situations for the purpose of eXtor-
ton. William Corcoran and Leven-
son are also charged with the lar
ceny of large sums.
Three distinct episodes are related
in Mrs. Duggan'S confession. The
first involved Donovan, who. accord
ing to the confession, paid over ST.
600. of which she and her husband
each received $500. Asked further
as to the disposal of the remainder,
Mrs. Duggan said in her confession:
well, Pelletier got 81 900"
Questioned regarding q case
brought against Donovan in
Brighton court, Mrs. Duggan said
in her confession that 1T never came
up" and that it was never heard"
In reply to a question concerning
Mr.. Pelleticr's connection with the
case. the confession quoted read:
why, l guess it was all fixed with
Pelletier in the first place to have
it go just SO far and then stop"
The second and third episodes re-
ferred to were conducted on similar
lines, according to the confession.
In the Curtis case a second man and
a companion whom she called Peggy
Purdy' were mentioned by Mrs.
Duggan. The money, according to
the statement was passed in the
hotel just after a group, posing as
detectives, had burst into the suite
Of rooms rented by Mrs. Curtis.
"Why. there was Lyons" the state
men ran, Warren Kane and |
think this Smith was there. And 50
l guess it was Miss Purdy tele-
phoned-no. Mr.. Curtis telephoned
down stairs to Spracklin (the hotel
manageD I think. and asked
Spracklin what he could do so
Spracklin said, why he knew some
body that could fix it up and he
telcphoned for Corcoran, [ think;
and l think Corcoran and Levenson
came together, or Levenson came in
later-I knew he was there, and
what took place after that l do not
know. but l know that I received
Mr.. Levenson gave me $500, and
they said that they hadn't received
much out of Curtis, that he didn't
have much. and gave me $500 and
told me to give Miss Purdy 500 and
keep 5000 for myself which l did"
The Korn case took place about
a month following the Curtis cpl
Sode, she testified.