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Show I Pair Tel! Of Blackmailing Operation Chicago, Sopt. 18. While- federal authorities horo proparod tonight for preliminary hearing tomorrow of sov on membors of an alleged blackmail gang who used the Mann oct as tholr chief weapon, detectives, fortified with Information obtained from two alleged members of tho gang who confessed, mado arrests In other cities cit-ies and spread a drag net for II, C. NVopdward, sought as director In chief of tho syndlcato. Hlnton G. Clabaugh of tho United Stages department of Justice declared tonight ho had secured sulllclent ovl-denco ovl-denco to convict tho gang without ox-posing ox-posing tho names of some of tholr wealthy victims. It was understood that nono of tho namos of tho victims vic-tims would ho barred at tho hearing tomorrow. Thoso victims; whose flirtations flir-tations with pretty women led them Into traps from which they escaped only on payment of largo sums, will bo shielded from publicity except as a last resort, It Is said. Clabaugh expects tho seven will bo ordered removed to Philadelphia for trial without a stubborn resistances bo-for bo-for tho commissioner. Two Reveal Methods Used According to Clabaugh, two of tho alleged gangsters, Dick Darrott and Edward J.. Thompson, confessed to tho charges and rovealcd tho manner In which blackmail had been levied In sovoral Instances. Thelp story was roplcto with accounts of clover nour race track swindles and othor ruses by which beautiful women and dobo-nalr, dobo-nalr, haudsomo men tiad flcoccd their victims. Tho other men who have been nr- j rested and who remain In Jail hero ! pending establishment of ball In tho aggregates Bum of approximately $100-000 $100-000 would say nothing today of their alleged offenses, but tho women were vociferous lu their denials of tho -accusations. Mrs. Helen fivers who, federal authorities au-thorities say, was tho luro lu tho bogus bo-gus Mann act cases stamped her trim foot on tho floor of her cell and Bald thero was not n word of truth in tho charges. She was particularly insistent insist-ent about tho falsity of tho chargo that an opium outfit had been found lu her rooms. How Gang Wat Discovered A statement as to tho direct cause of the apprehension of the gang was mado tonight by an offlclal of tho department de-partment of Justice Ho said that Crocker's confession to obtain Immunity Immu-nity for a petty ofTenso of larceny was the opening wedgo In tho wall of secrecy the alleged blackmailers had maintained. Crocker, tho offlclal said, was ar- osted early In tho spring for theft of a diamond ring from a New York society so-ciety woman at Tampa, Florida, and realizing that the confession of a blackmail plot would ovurelmdow a larceny offenso told his story. This confession was obtained in March or VVpril, but it was not until tho week of tho Republican national convention hero In Juno that the llrst member of tho syndlcato was arrest ed. This ono was Oeorgo Irwin. Irwin Ir-win and Homer T. French who was with him, were arrested and turned over to tho government olllclals nnd from Information recotvod from Philadelphia Phil-adelphia It was learned thoy were wanted In connection with tho Klip-per Klip-per caso. Crocker had confessed how Irwin and a man known as floe had burst in upon thorn In a compromising situation nnd Impersonating government govern-ment officials had obtained money. Two weeks ago, working on Crock-cr'u Crock-cr'u Information, agents of thy deport, racnt of Juatlco arrentcd William Hut ler, who It was iGaxned was already under bond of JK'.OOO in connection with the Winpenny case. finll-jvins his bond was high onnugli to ussuro Ms appearance In court, Hutler was 1 clcased and shadowed nnd through him n line on evory other member of the alleged gang was obtained Threo moro alloged membors cf the gang all women are admittedly under survolllance. |