Western Kansas World

Base Bell Boy's Bad Break.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., January 18.—Arthur C. Blake was arrested here on complaint of Arthur Gorham, the millionaire cattleman, now residing at Kinsley, Kan. The complaint charges Blake with blackmail. The prisoner was taken to Kinsley on a requisition from the governor of Kansas, and a special grand jury will be asked to investigate the case.

The relations of the plaintiff and defendant in this case are peculiar, and have been a subject of much newspaper comment.

Six years ago, while stopping at the Centropolis hotel in this city, Gorham fell dangerously ill. Arthur Blake then one of the bell boys of the hotel, to whom the invalid had taken an extraordinary liking, nursed Mr. Gorham through the illness. After his recovery the attachment seemed to grow stronger between the cattleman and the bell boy. They traveled together for a number of years.

During that time Blake became possessed of certain alleged compromising facts concerning Gorham's career and drew upon his benefactor's bank account at will, knowing that fear of exposure would cause Gorham to honor the drafts.

At Chicago Gorham tired of cashing the drafts and had Blake arrested for forgery. A jury convicted him and sentenced him to a year's confinement in the penitentiary. Blake took an appeal, threatened Gorham (who went his bond), and skipped his bail.

At Los Angeles not long ago Gorham again had him arrested for forgery. Blake pleaded his own case and was acquitted. Since that time Blake has been living here at the Centropolis hotel and has continued signing Gorham's checks, demanding in threatening letters that Gorham make them good.