Evening star., 1934-10-17
.EDSE[ FORD DEATH
THREAT ADMITTED
Youth, Trapped by U. S.
Agents, Demanded SIS, 900.
Confesses Plot.
Nv the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
DETROIT. October 17.-United
States Department of Justice agents
revealed today that they had frus-
trated an extortion plot against Ed
sci B. Ford, president of the Ford
Motor Co., with the arrest of . 20
year-old youth who, they said. had
confessed writing . letter demanding
5000 under penalty of death.
The youth held Is Edward Lickwala.
who evaded . trap five days ago BY
failing to pick up dummy package
placed by Federal agents. at the place
DESIGNATED In the letter, only to be
arrested last night. gss.a.s.
The note. mailed to TuKdsVu Oc-
tober 8, said "You are on the spot,
ana II you want to live 1t win cost
you $4,000"
It gave detailed ihstructions for
placing . candy box. containing the
money in IS and $40 bills, on
porch of the house at 334i Medbury
avenue, In Detroit's northeast section.
The house Is only q few doors from
the address police said Lckwala gave
on two occasions when he was arr
rested for tamperins with automo-
biles.
Woman Proves Innocence.
william Larsen, head of the De-
partment of Justice Bureau here, said
. dummy package was placed Of the
designated porch at the time stated IN
the letter, IL pm, October u, but
that it was picked up by Mrs. Claude
'Landerville. occupant Of the lower nat
in the building. She was detained. but
quickly established her innocence and
was released.
Larsen said the agents then ques-
toned Joe Barnhart. occupant Of the
second story nat, and found he was .
brother -in-iaw Of Lickwala, who had
police record and who, police said,
attempted to Jump from the Belle
Isle Bridge into the Detroit River last
July.
Federal agents kept the house under
surveillance until Lickwala finally ap-
peared, last night. He walked up to
one OF the Federal men and said he
had information which would help
them.
Writing Traps Youth.
He was arrested, Larsen said, when
specimens OF his handwriting proved
Identical with the writing Of the ex-
tortion note and that he soon con-
fessed.
II never meant to kill him." Lick
wala was quoted as saying. II Just
wanted to scare him. He's got lots Of
money and I wanted some Of it."
Because he was familiar with the
layout" the agents said Lickwala told
them, he selected the fiat in which his
brother-in-law lived for the delivery
Of the money. The agents said the
lower nat In the building was unoccu-
pied when the letter was written and
that apparently Lickwala BECAME
frightened and did not pick up the
dummy package because another
family had moved in. -
Larsen said he was convinced the
brother -in-law was not involved in the
plot, and that Lickwala surrendered
because he had become panic stricken.
Agents had circulated through the
neishborhood since October IL, ques-
tioning all residents.
The Department Of Justice an-
nounced that 4 charge Of extortion
would be preferred.
The note sent to Edsel Ford nine
days ago read.
you are on the spot, and II you
want to live It win cost you IS 200,
we've had It In for you . long time.
All you have to do Is to get the
money In IS and SO bills and put the
money In . candy box and have 1t On
the porch Of 334l Medbury Avenue
the rear porch-there are two porches,
leave the money on the INST porch
you come TO and II the police md
out about this letter they may set
me, but my boys win get you II the
money Is not there You win Get
killed.
Life Il Threatened.
Have the money there on October
IL. 1884, ct II pm, sharp (oct. u,
II pm, sharp.
"If you let the police know you
win be killed.
@And P. g., the house b on Med
bury between Elmwood and Moran"
The note was not signed.
The address given d about five or
six miles northeast OF the Detroit
City Hall and about 10 miles from the
Easel Ford home on East jefferson