and legal, are so. But this cannot always be depended on. In the foregoing, one must confess that the victim seems very] weak-nerved and feeble-hearted. He should have promptly withstood the impudent friseur. Such rascals are nearly always routed, the moment they meet bold negatives and counter-threats. But many homosexuals are not good at such "bluff."
Other instances
of Blackmailing.
Let us review a series of every-day blackmailing histories, drawn from printed reports in various Continental newspapers, especially those of Austria and Germany. The procession is edifying in human suffering. These instances are cited largely from the admirable "Jahrbuch für Sexuelle Zwischenstufen," so carefully edited by Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, the eminent consulting psychiater of Berlin:
"A waiter named N— was arrested in Berlin yesterday on account of attempt at blackmail. He beongs to that dangerous class of persons who attach themselves to gentlemen that walk in the Thiergarten, to extort money from such strollers. This particular affair became known to the city-police because of said N—'s conduct in a well-known resort for criminals, where he spoke of having "come into a big legacy" on the night before, A friend of his was "with" an American gentleman in the park named. N— thereupon came to them, declared himself to be a policeman in plain clothes, and threatened to arrest the American gentleman. The American was willing to give over 500 Marks, to get away; but N— and his accomplice were not satisfied, and demanded more. N— wore a badge like that of the criminal police. The victim of the attempt proved to be travelling from Warsaw, and a guest in one of the best hotels in town. N— declared that the stranger had "given him the money," which included Russian and English pieces. He also made the gentleman hand over his ring, etc."
This blackmailer, too, received six months imprisonment. The American accuser was not asked too many pressing questions, luckily for his own case. Again, seriatim:
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