An attempt to extort $500 from a prominent Grampian Boulevard businessman was frustrated early yesterday morning by city police, and led last night to the uncovering of a “red hand society” among teenage children in the vicinity of the boulevard and the discovery of the author of the note.

A letter, excellent written and accurately punctuated, threatening death, was found pinned to a porch pillar at a Grampian Boulevard home Thursday forenoon and was turned over to Police Chief John G. Good yesterday afternoon.

The note read: “If you don’t want to be watched, leave $500 at Penn Street and Grampian Boulevard. Remember death!” At the bottom of the sheet was the word “over.” On the reverse side was a figure to represent a hand, and the words, “Remember Midnight,” in red ink were printed within the hand.
The note was attached to the porch pillar by a three-inch needle.

A cordon of police directed by Chief Good and Detective Captain Joseph Schmucker, was thrown about the Penn Street and Grampian Boulevard intersection at 10 p.m. on Thursday night and kept there until well after 1 a.m. Other officers had the businessman’s home under guard.

No person appeared at the intersection to arouse the suspicion of the officers there.
At first sight of the note Schmucker identified it was the handwriting of a girl, Working on this theory, he questioned a number of children and from their information learned the identity of who wrote the note.

Asked if he would continue the investigation into the incident, Schmucker said he was satisfied that the parents of the children in that neighborhood would take over sufficient interest to relieve the police of the responsibility.

In his efforts to run down the writer of the note, the captain tried to gain membership in the society. Youngsters whose amusement at his queries about the organization were taken aside and closely questioned. It was them that the detective unraveled the attempted extortion.

Compiled by Lou Hunsinger Jr.