smenkveld
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posted on August 6, 2001 11:50:55 PM new
About 10 years ago I bought a old unopened safe without the combnation numbers at a estate auction.I spent $200 last week to get it opened and found out that the old owner blackmailed 12 people from around 1920 to 1935.There are 60 photo's and around 300 pieces of paper.The guy kept great records of who he was blackmailing and how much they paid and when they paid and the letters people would send him begging him to stop.Auctionwatch will not let me say what the photo's show because it might offen someone.They are very tabbo for 1920-1935.My wife thinks I should throw them all away I want to sell them but I'm not sure how to list them and they would have to be listed in the adult only area of ebay.
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PJ38
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posted on August 7, 2001 12:02:27 AM new
There's a guy who just opened his new office at 125th in the city who could probably make some bucks from their decendants. His brother's into that stuff too.
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kiara
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posted on August 7, 2001 12:03:23 AM new
I do know that some bidders are interested in family history items, etc.
But I'm not sure they would want to know this about their Grandpa or Grandma or Aunt Martha or whoever. I guess that someone somewhere would be interested in it.
I don't have a clue how you would list them.
If you have the names of the people you might get sued for listing them so you would just have to list the pictures?
I don't know how many descendants cruise the adult category looking for relatives? 
So strangers may buy it for whatever interest they may have in it.
[ edited by kiara on Aug 7, 2001 12:23 AM ]
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misscandle
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posted on August 7, 2001 12:23:12 AM new
As a writer, I would be interested in this type of material as a possible source of a story or movie script (names changed to protect the naughty). Other writers or producers would probably feel the same way. You might consider sending a press release to an entertainment publication such as Variety. Don't give away the details, but give general info so an interested person can decide whether to contact you. Try to get free publicity first, and if that doesn't work, you might consider a small classified ad.
If you decide to list it, feel free to e-mail me the auction details: [email protected].
(I apologize in advance to all who may be offended by this cold-blooded attitude. I have no morals or scruples when it comes to gathering material for my writing...as my family and neighbors have learned to their chagrin. Please don't throw rocks at me. You'll only damage your computer monitor.)
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kiara
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posted on August 7, 2001 12:35:27 AM new
Strangers like misscandle.
Excellent idea! I can see the possibility of a book or a movie.
It is an interesting find. I doubt I would have waited 10 years to open the safe, smenkveld. What took you so long?
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Libra63
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posted on August 7, 2001 01:05:10 AM new
Sounds really interesting. I love to read real live stories. Did you try and search through genealogy to find out who he/she was. I would keep them, at least for a little while and do some research on the information. At least you found something remember when Geraldo Rivera opened I can't remember what but found nothing.
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Libra63
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posted on August 7, 2001 01:05:47 AM new
Sounds really interesting. I love to read real live stories. Did you try and search through genealogy to find out who he/she was. I would keep them, at least for a little while and do some research on the information. At least you found something remember when Geraldo Rivera opened I can't remember what but found nothing.
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twinsoft
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posted on August 7, 2001 01:14:12 AM new
Dear sir or madam, I have in my posession some compromising photos of your great grandmother. Would you be interested in purchasing them? I am also thinking of turning them over to an unscrupulous writer. The price is $XXX.XX."
No, I would not distribute the material and I would not notify the family. I would throw it away. Although the material is old, it can only damage cause damage.
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rca001
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posted on August 7, 2001 04:45:52 AM new
Tell us about those photos - what size and format are they? They must have been developed by the blackmailer - Kodak wouldn't develope risque photos in those days.
What do I think that this is all the invention of smenkveld?
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engelskdansk
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posted on August 7, 2001 05:59:56 AM new
I think you should listen to your wife! The fact that you want to sell items that were a source of blackmail says a lot.
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spittingcamel
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posted on August 7, 2001 07:16:34 AM new
Ask yourself what you or the rest of your family would think if these letters came back to you.(Put yourself in the other familys shoes) If the records are as good as you say it could be very uncomfartable if somebody bought this stuff then track somebody down. Do not throw them away burn them. Let the dead rest. 70 years is not enough time to let skelaton out.
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capotasto
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posted on August 7, 2001 08:02:51 AM new
"As a writer, I would be interested in this type of material as a possible source of a story or movie script ..."
Geez, the initial post itself is a neat movie treatment.
Smenkveld, claim your copyright and get ahold of an agent!!
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kiara
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posted on August 7, 2001 08:04:14 AM new
Last night when I posted I was thinking along the lines of a book or movie about the info being discovered in a locked safe about 80 years later and how the blackmail could continue. This could have all sorts of interesting twists and turns.
I was not thinking that the author would publish the actual names and purposefully try to destroy the real family. Geez!
It would depend whose hands this information fell into and what their ultimate plans would be. I realize it is a touchy subject but one that has never been discussed here before. (At least this isn't another shipping and handling thread).
I have always been intrigued by locked safes and hidden treasures. Except I would prefer to open the safe and find precious jewels or money, not something like this.
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Eventer
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posted on August 7, 2001 08:05:06 AM new
Sure sounds like the beginning of a Made for TV movie to me! Heck, Bill Clinton just got $10M to talk about his skeletons in the closet, think of the possibilities!
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petertdavis
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posted on August 7, 2001 08:12:45 AM new
Donate them to the local historical society, and get a good write off on your taxes.
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americanicons
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posted on August 7, 2001 08:41:47 AM new
Blackmail is a Federal offense.
I think the ethical & legal thing to do
here is to call the F.B.I. or your local
Police Department. Trying to profit from
this decades-old crime is wrong. These people were victimized for monetary gain and by attempting to sell this smarmy evidence you
might be putting yourself in legal jeopardy.
Any legal/law enforcement opinions out there?
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peiklk
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posted on August 7, 2001 08:55:22 AM new
Doubt it. I'm sure the Statute of Limitations on blackmail has expired.
This is a VERY interesting situation, however.
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outoftheblue
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posted on August 7, 2001 09:10:09 AM new
I haven't posted here in a long time but this has to be one of the best threads I've read in a while.
I can just imagine the hysterical laughter from the other end of the phone when you call the F.B.I. and say you would like to report an 80 year old case of blackmail.
You might list them on Ebay and use the title: "Vintage blackmail photos from the 20s & 30s". Ebay might close the auction early but it would be interesting to see what happens.
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Capriole
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posted on August 7, 2001 09:33:54 AM new
What about contacting a local university's history department.
Or Humanities or Sociology (sp)
Seems like misscandle is onto something, however in modern rendition it loses it's historical importance.
Most books and movies these days lack prose and think plot will suffice: witness John Grisham.
Don't sell them, see if there is some historical value.
Or contact the families and offer the materials to them to destroy.
Consider the 200 bucks a payment into your good karma piggy bank.
[ edited by Capriole on Aug 7, 2001 09:35 AM ]
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kiara
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posted on August 7, 2001 09:44:54 AM new
Maybe the local historical society would find them too offensive to deal with. So the person in charge may take them home.....and maybe end up selling them on ebay.
Or one of the committee members may even recognize their own family. Might be bad for everyone.
[ edited by kiara on Aug 7, 2001 10:02 AM ]
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MrsSantaClaus
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posted on August 7, 2001 10:33:37 AM new
Here's a new twist:
Copy the originals, including the photos but remove identifying information. Change the names of those who paid to pretend they were innocent.
Then sell the heck out of the copies on eBay!
I would buy a set - I don't care who they were in real life - the story intrigues me.
There could be a movie, a video, a book, even a board game in those papers! You just need a good copyright lawyer to protect you.
Good luck!
BECKY
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anothertreasure
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posted on August 7, 2001 11:56:54 AM new
I'm not a law enforcement official, but - has anyone in the photos been murdered? Did the black-mailer meet his/her doom? I do know that there's no statute of limitations on homicide.
I'm sure they'd sell, but I'd have some serious qualms about raising dead issues. Sure hope it ain't my great-grandma.
In short - you have evidence of a crime!
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ahc3
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posted on August 7, 2001 12:03:43 PM new
I agree, if you know where the original person lived, you may want to forward it to the authorities. If it does involve murder, they should reopen a case regardless of how many years have passed. It's still a crime...
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loosecannon
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posted on August 7, 2001 12:15:58 PM new
Folks,
I'm not saying this story is untrue because I simply don't know.
I just find it amazing that an old safe would be sold at an estate auction without them knowing what was inside. I mean, who would know if they weren't selling something really valuable.
And I also find it amazing that Smenkveld could wait 10 years before having it opened.
I certainly could not have waited.
http://dreamwater.net/biz/loosecannon/
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tomwiii
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posted on August 7, 2001 12:26:17 PM new
I've heard that TROLLS always wait 10 years before opening mysterious safes! This is relative to the so-called "Capone Syndrome" thought to have it's genesis in either the foot or mouth of Geraldo Rivera! 
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yisgood
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posted on August 7, 2001 12:28:10 PM new
I just found an old videotape of famous people from the 1920s having an orgy. What should I do with it?
http://www.ygoodman.com
[email protected]
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Eventer
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posted on August 7, 2001 12:35:35 PM new
As much as I love a good "t-word" thread, the original poster has been around for a while and has posted some good advice & comments in other threads.
Though I still don't know how ANYONE could wait 10 years to open something.
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SaraAW
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posted on August 7, 2001 12:38:16 PM new
tomwiii,
Remember the Ignore button is at your disposal - your comments in your last post were close to the line, please take it down a notch.
Thank you,
Sara
[email protected]
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capotasto
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posted on August 7, 2001 01:08:12 PM new
"Except I would prefer to open the safe and find precious jewels or money, not something like this"
Kiara - true story - 30 years ago I bought an old house, the owner had left an old safe in it, "empty".
I looked through it, pulling out the nice wooden drawers etc.
One drawer wouldn't go back in properly... pulled it out again... reached in to see if crap was in there... yup, there was...
A wad of old $20 bills!!!
About $700 worth. Not a fortune but a nice find.
Vinnie.
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capotasto
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posted on August 7, 2001 01:11:07 PM new
"I'm not a law enforcement official, but - has anyone in the photos been murdered? "
This keeps getting better and better.
Let's all copyright this whole thread and go find an agent!!
Just wait til next year, you'll hear about this movie being made and none of use will get a penny in royalty BWAH sob sob
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