The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-06-05

persons TO WhOm the form letters
had been sent and by this process
he discovered that one family,
which had received such letter,
lived in the same apartment build
ing occupied by the physician.
Soon the Oman had a complete
confession. There were no gang
sters involved, only two small
boys, brothers, who were playing
a game of police and kidnapers.
The older boy, age nine, had OBJ
tanned a shiny tin badge, was to
be the detective. The younger
brother, who was six, had no
badge, and necessarily became the
kidnaper.
Brothers COIIabOrate
The younger lad was to write
an extortion note, but as he was
unable to write, his older brother
obliged. Then it came to the
choice of who was to be the vic
tim and the physician, most prom
inent tenant of the apartment,
was chosen.
Under the rules Of the game the
note was to be placed half way
in the slot of the physicians mail
box by the kidnaper, but the g.
year-old couldn't reach it, so again
his older brother stepped out of
cast to help the game along.
Then after a bit of reconnoiter-
ing, the elder boy approached the
mailboX to retrieve the note, but
to his surprise it was nowhere to
be found. Some pasSerby had evil
IDENTIFY showed it the rest of the
way into the mailbox.
The incident was soon forgotten
by the children, until the subse-
quent events revived it.
of human nature give rise to a
variety of mysteries for the Omen
to solve, and behind even the play
of children is the spectre of ex-
tortion.
A case Of extortion, which at
tracted a great deal of interest,
was one which began with a very
unusual communication addressed
to the secretary of the California
Fruit Growers Exchange, Los
Angeles, Cal. The exchange was
cooperative organization. which
controlled large percentage of
the citrus crop of California.
Fruit Fly Plot
The letter indicated that a year
before there had arrived in South.
ern California a box containing
over 200 healthy Mediterranean
fruit flies, and that these flies
had thrived and multiplied on a
diet of oranges and other fruit
while in captivity.
For the sum of $1,000 the letter
stated, the writer would inform Of
ficials of the exchange where the
flies were being kept, and they
could destroy them.
If the money was not paid. the
flies would be released to ravage
the orange groves, it was indi.
Gated.
Following the directions given
in the extortion note, Omen final
ly tracked down a man who had
been employed in a nearby orange
grove, and who admitted the ex.
tortion plot.
He said that he had heard fruit
growers express fear Of the Medi.
terranan fruit fly and had con-
ceived the blackmail. He care
fully laid his plans, but the type
writer on which he wrote the
threat note was identified by
special agents, who confronted
him with enough evidence to make
him break down and admit his
guilt.
Condemntng the ldrity of the
parole system in many sections
OF the country, J. Edgar HooUer
has been one OF the most uigo-
rouS opponents of -lenie1tt
parole. Facing the opposition of
a number of critics. the director
of the Federal Bureau of In
DeSttgdtton has continued his
demand for an oDertdulino of
the parole practices in this cou1r-
try. Read The Washington
Times Monday for an exclusive
tnterDtetO NTH Mr.. Hoouer on
tDhdt should be done to improve
! our system OF pdroling prisoners.