Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1879 — An Episode in Blackmail. [ARTICLE]

An Episode in Blackmail.

Some time ago a curious and notorious case was disclosed in London, the rist of which was that a gentleman of aitherto irreproachable character was inveigled into a position fatal if known, to his reputation; whereupon the scoundrel who had arranged tne conspiracy deliberately proceeded to extort his victim’s fortune by blackmail. An incident like this in principle and only different from it in magnitude* seems to have been exposed yesterday at West Point. It appears that a clerk in the Adjutant-General’ s office there has long been addicted to drink, had received several warnings from his kindly superior, and finally within a short time past was discharged from his clerkship. It is said that he was much surprised by this, although why, when a man has been repeatedly drunk, and incapable at times of doing the work for which he was paid, and when his failing has been as often overlooked and forgiven, he should be surprised at incurring at last a deserved penalty for it is not made plain. Be this as it may, the indiscretions of Mr. Charles A. Paybey did not end here.

He wrote to a certain cadet at West Point, and asked for a letter of. recommendation from him. The reauest was complied with, when, emboldened by his success, Paybey wrote again to his correspondent a request of a veiy different character. This was for nothing less than a sum of one thousand dollars, to be paid to Mr. Paybey immediately. It was not alleged that the cadet owed his correspondent any money, or had ever had any pecuniary transactions with him. Nor was there the least mystery about the matter. Mr. Paybey had seen the cadet drunk in a liquor shop in Highland Falls. The disclosure of this would be highly injurious to the standing of the cadet and probably fatal to his future professional career. The cadet had, or in the estimation of Mr. Paybey could get, a thousand dollars; ana tins combination of circumstances, in Mr. Paybey’s estimation, warranted him in demanding it. The result was probably unforeseen and was at all events summary. The cadet had been unfortunate and had yielded to temptation, but he was not cowardly. He did in the situation what was probably the very best thing he

could do. He went to the AdjutantGeneral, Colonel Wherry, with Paybey’s letter in his hand and gave it to him; whereupon Mr. Paybey was arrested, tried summarily by a court-mar-tial, found guilty, sentenced by the court to be dishonorably discharged from the service, to forfeit all pay and allowances due, and to be confined two years in a military prison. The findings of the court were sent to Major-General Schofield, were approved by him, and yesterday an order came from the War Department at Washington directing that Paybey should be taken to Fort Leavenworth to serve out his sentence. By this it will be seen that persons who seek to levy blackmail occasionally get their deserts. They may too often ppcape wbeq brought before ciytt counts

or when dealt with by the tender hand of an elective judiciary; but when arraigned before a tribunal oompoaW of officers of the United States Army they are extremely apt to receive the punishment that their naae and unmanly crime so richly merits.— N. T. Evening Past.