Odger's English Common Law

SENDING THREATENING LETTERS. 181
dealt with Seditious Words in Chapter II. The publication of blasphemous
and obscene words respectively will be discussed in Chapters VII. and
VIII. of this Book.
Sending Threatening Letters.
Nothing can be clearer than the fact that the receipt of
a threatening letter is likely to lead to a breach of the peace
on the part of the recipient. And so the law has provided
that the sending of a threatening letter is a crime punishable
more or less severely according to the nature of the threat
which it contains. For example, if any person knowing the
contents send or deliver any letter threatening to burn or
destroy any house or other building, or grain or other agri-
cultural produce in a building, or any ship, he is guilty of
felony, and liable to be sent to penal servitude for ten years. 1
If the threat be to kill, maim or wound any cattle, the
offence of sending the letter containing such threat is
punished with equal severity. 1 And the same consequences
attach to the sending of a letter threatening to murder. 2
Again, " every person who
—
(i.) utters, knowing the contents thereof, any letter or
writing demanding of any person with menaces, 3
and without any reasonable or probable cause, any
property or valuable thing
(ii.) utters, knowing the contents thereof, any letter or
writing accusing or threatening to accuse any other
person (whether living or dead) of any crime to
which this section applies, with intent to extort or
gain thereby any property or valuable thing from
any person
;
(iii.) with intent to extort or gain any property or valuable
thing from any person accuses or threatens to accuse
either that person or any other person (whether
living or dead) of any such crime ;
shall be guilty of felony, and on conviction thereof liable to
i 24 & 25 Vict. c. 97, 3. 60.
• 24 & 25 Vict. o. 100, s. 16.
8 By " menaces " is meant not only threats of injury to the person or property of the
prosecutor, but also threats to accuse of misconduct, although such misconduct may
not of itself amount to a crime : R. v. Tomlinson, £1895] 1 Q. B. 706.
;