THE ACE—BEWARE.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 188, 9 August 1924, Page 19

THE ACE—BEWARE.

THREATENING LETTERS.

DEMAND FOB £200.

"The prlc« trf my silence is £200 In notea. This must be paid before June 10." This demand wae made by a youth of sixteen who was charged in Onpar Sheriff Court with Bending threatening letters to a GauVJiy man.

The accused was Jas. Campbell Relfl, labourer, Greenwell, Gauldry, and the charge, which he admitted, stated that be cUd, at Greenwell, Gauldry, with Intent to extort money from James Low Fleming, gold miner, Floral Bank, Gauldry, write three letters and post them to Mr. Fleming, and tbat he did, by means of the threats contained in the letters, attempt to extort £200 of money from iMr. Fleming.

The letters (produced) were printed in block capitals on blue quarto-sized notepaper, and were as follow:—

"The price of my silence Is two hundred pounds in notes. This must be paid before June 10. You made yonr money off tfce diamonds you stole from the natives. Register the above, and address it to J. Wheelar. c/o G.PO., Dundee. Also write on the cover of the notes to be kept till called for. .Also do not make any 'bargain with the G.T.O. as to who calls for the notes, and if you don't do as I say, yon will never reach America. It the above Is not at the G.P.O. before 12 o'clock noon on June 10— "Beware.—The Ace of Diamonds." "If the sum referred to In the last warning is not paid before June 7, beware. "Instead of addressing it to J. Wheeler, c/o G.P.0., Dundee, address it to J. Wheeler, c/o Dock Street Post Office. Dundee. Do not make any bargain with the abovenamed Post Office ns to who calls for the same. Please register the same, and put on the outside of the cover to 'bo tept till called for. and if you ion't do as I say you win never reach America. "Beware.—The Ace of Diaroonde." "If rthe sum mentioned In the last two •warnings Is not at the undermentioned Foet Office before 12 o'clock noon on June 7, beware. "Address the above sum to J. Wheeler, c/o Dock Street Post Office, Dundee. "If yon are going to pay same, wear in the buttonhole of yonr coat a pansy, and It you are not going to pay you know what will happen. "The Ace of Diamonds. "This is the last warning, so beware." The la*'e mother was In Court with him, and stated that he had been reading a lot of penny magazines, a number of which she had taken from aim and destroyed. Hon. Sheriff iHoneyman severely reprimanded the lad, remarking that Tie 3iad made a serious attempt to get money. But for accused's age he would havo boon sent for a term of Imprisonment. Tils Lordship put tie lad on probation for a year.