Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-05

"Blackmail through the use of homing pigeons
first came to the attention Of the New York
Police Department when three pigeons were
sent to well known physician with instruc-
lions to attach 81 900 bill to the leg of each
of them and release them or be killed." began
Capt. Ayers, relating his experience with bird
blacknail in his Office at headquarters
las soon as the physician received the birds
he promptly bought the matter to our atten-
tion,' continued Capt. Ayers. I'VE, in turn
assigned a man to guard him. AS matter
Of fact, his instructions were to live with him,
go everywhere he went and be in his company
at all times both night and day.
After the pigeons, innocent aides of
blackmailer, we're held for few days, they were
released from q point on Long Island where it
was possible to follow them, or at least make
effort to follow them by plane. They were
released in group on the theory that three
pigeons would be more easily followed and
would retain their identity better than one
But, unfortunately, they very shortly became
mixed up with a large flock Of pigeons and
were soon lost This was lesson number one
and we profited by it later
After the disappointed blackmailer had re-
ceived the pigeons minus the thousand-dollar
anklets the physician received letter through
the mails. It contained three pigeon feathers
They were red, and the blackmailers who sent
them wrote that they were soaked in blood
The writer also announced that he would re-
taliate and take his own way Of getting even
with the man who had not responded to his
demands in the right way.
Nothing ever happened to the physician,
however, for blackmailers are towards at heart.
Last Fall the second case of attempted
blackmail by homing pigeon came to our at
tention. This probably resulted from publicity
given to the disappearance of boy from his
home. The father of the lad received letter
instructing him to go to candy store out in
of the mauV villages in Queens where
would find two pigeons In box They had
been left with the proprietor of the store, to-
gether with instructions that they were to be
called for by the father of the boy whose name
given to the storekeeper.
Further instructions to the troubled father
of the missing lad were to the effect that he
was to attach 81 900 bill to the legs Of each
pigeon. He was warned, under dire threats Of
harm to his son, not to bring the matter to the
attention Of the police. And he was promised
that as soon as the pigeons bearing the $4,000
leg decorations arrived his son would be re-
leased and sent safely home. Every effort was
made by the police to trace those pigeons to
their source, but the birds were too light and
swift, the planes too cumbersome and heavy,
and too many other disappointing factors
entered into the chase
1.-TWO days later the body of the missing boy
was found in the East River. His death had
occurred through drowning, and it had hap
pened weeks prior to the receipt by the father
of the blackmail letter. Examination OF the
body showed that it had been in the water
for considerable period of time And to con-
firm the knowledge that the blackmailers had
had nothing to do with the boys disappearance
and knew nothing whatever of his whereabouts,
another demand for money, emanating from
the same source, reached the father Of the
now dead boy.