Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1884-04-18
The Libel Suits.

Mr. TrOup Says He Wrote the Obnoxious
Editorial and Not Mr.. ButIer-COP1es
of David COpperheld Ordered for the
Jury-The Case Continued.
In the Superior court, criminal side, yester-
day morning, the libel suit against Alexander
Troup and Edward Butler of the Union was
continued
The first witness yesterday morning was
William 81. Goodrich, the manager of the
Hartford Courant and one of the owners of
that paper He said that he held
the same relation to that paper in 1872.
His attention was called to copy of the
Courant of March 8, 1884. 81 have with
me-" said he in response to question, "the
files of the Courant from January 1, 1872,
to July /. 1872" He turned by request to
she issue of May %. 1872. and the defense
then offered in evidence an editorial from
that issue.
'I object to hearsay written by somebody
twelve years ago, your honor, :" said Mr.. Doo-
little He said that it was entirely irrelevant
to Mr.. Sperrys present character.
Mr. Hamilton read from the complaint to
show that they were trying to show Mr..
Sperry's favorite character was Urish Heep.
ing to put before the jury. We charge Mr..
Sperry with having played the role of Uriah
Heep for some time"
Charles Tracy Bronson, of the Morning
News, was next called. He said that he recol-
lected the receipt of two kilograms from
Judge BirdsaI on the 4th of March. They
were sicne lost, but were virtually the same
Alexander Troup, who said he lived in New
Haven for thirteen years, also said he was
the editor of the New Haven Union He
identified the Uriah Heep editorial in the
Union of March 9th as one written by him
self and not by MIR. Butler. He did not know
who wrote the article in the Union which
said Sperry ought to be cashiered. He read
the PaIladium's publication of the first of the
Birdsall letters at breakfast. It was here
moved by Mr. Hamilton to lay both the
Palladium and Union of the 9Th of March in
evidence. and they were admitted.
Elk Judge Lynde Harrison was called, and
testified that he knew both Messrs. Birdsall
and Sperry. He saw the articles in the Pal
ladium of March 5 and in the Union of March
some time after they were published. ''On
Saturday, the first of March," said he, 81
was in Mr.. Sperry's office in the postoffce.
The door opened and Mr.. Birdsall and Will
liam Parsons stepped upon the threshold.
Mr.. Birdsall came in and spoke to Mr.. Sper
ry and me. He later beckoned 10 Mr..
Sperry to come out, and they went out to-
gether into the corridor. Shortly after Mr..
Sperry returned the two men separating at
the door,
Mr.. Troup again took the stand. Contine
uine his testimony he said: prior to writ
ing the Uriah Heep editorial, I read the ar
ticle Too Previous in the Palladium on the
morning ofaMarch 9Th" The witness said
he wrote the Uriah Heep editorial on the
morning of the 9th of March, after reading
the Palladium editorial-"Too Previous
The witness said Governor Waller never
took him by the arm to visit Mr.. Mitchell.
It was unqualifedly false. No such sum was
raised from Congressman Mitchell at that
time
Witness continued: st was politically OPP
posed to Mr.. Sperry but personally I had
no i'll feeling against him. I looked upon it
as matter in which Mr.. Sperry and the Pal
ladium were endeavoring to make political
capital for the Republican party out of the
Waller-Birdsall matter, and thought we had
better keep up our end. On the day of the
Birdsall ejectment I saw Birdsall and Mr..
Sperry get off from the 1920 train together
at Hartford.
On the cross-examination in response to
Mr. Blydenburgh witness said: 1 have the
majority of the stock in the Union and the
whole responsibility. During my absence
IN Hartford on the day of the ejectment,
Mr.. Butler had not arrived in the Office to
take editorial charge of the paper when I
left.
Edward Butler, editorial writer of the
Union, was the next witness. He said: IT
did not tell General Harmon at the Quinni-
piac club, as alleged by him. that wrote the
Heep editorial. He asked if Mr.. Troup or
myself we're the author of an article pub
lished in the Union. I understood him to re-
fer to an article of March 7th-a statement
of facts connecting the Palladium and Bird
SAIL"
At this point the court adjourned to meet
next Tuesday morning at 10 O'Clock.