National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-21
TIE LIBERTY OLE TIE PRESS
The Limit of Its Utterances as Brought
out in tho Chase Trin1-Sentence Sus.

The Limit of Its Utterances as Brought
out in the Chase Trinl-sentence sus-
pended,
The criminal court room was throngod
with colored people Of the better class yes
terday morning, with the expectation OF
seeing sentence imposed upon VIM. Calvin
Chase, who was convicted the night before
Of publishinga libel on Miss Jennie Spear.
There has been great interest shown In the
trial, and IL is evident that considerable feel
ing prevails for and against Chase. Many
OF the most intelligent and highly respecta-
BILE colored people are indignant at the pub
locations, which they claim from time to
time have appeared In tho Bee, rejecting
upon their reputation and iniuring their
standing In the community. Believing that
the publisher should be held responsible for
the matter In his paper, they followed the
trial closely TO see what the result might be,
and when conviction followed IL met with
their hearty Endorsement. The friends of
MIR. Chase, however, expressed great In
dignation at the verdict. The case was
called up Immediately after the opening Of
the court.
Col. Cook, in pallation OF the publica-
ton, said that the defendant did not know
Miss Spear, had no personal enmity toward
her, but was DESTROYS Of correcting immor-
ality in the schools. He thought, under all
the circumstances, small fine would be
satisfactory.
His honor said that he would like TO
know something about the paper, as he had
never seen Il, and the sentence would de-
pend to some extent upon the character OF
the publications made through 1t.
Col. Cook claimed that there was nothing
improper In the paper, and proceeded to
cite extracts from one Of the issues to show
that they were proper
Assistant District Attorney Taggart said
that Chase had record in that court for
libel. IL was TO be decided whether or not
he could take respectable colored women's
names and regulations and destroy them at
his pleasure or be taught to understand
that they would be protected in the enjoy
ment OF their good character Mr.. Chase
knew something OF libel In the court. lie
had been witness I'm libel suit where
other parties where convicted, and ON the
stand admitted that he wrote the article
upon which the prosecution was based. lie
had been indicted for libelng Robert Pur-
| Wis, man Of integrity and highly respected.
1t was only out OF sympathy for him and
| promises made that Mr.. Purvls suggested
| that the prosecution be abandoned, and II
was. He further said that he had been re-
liably informed by trustees Of the public
schools and other respectable colored clti-
zens that they stood in terror aud fear of
the publications threatened to come from
the paper to the injury Of their good name
and character. lie suggested that the SEN
tence 90 over until Saturday in order that
some copies OF the paper could be procured
and the character OF them shown, or until
the second trial had been had, and both
cases be acted on together.
Col. Cook could not understand why this
| attack should be made on Chase, who en-.
| ioyed most excellent reputation. He
thought 1t would be better for the school
trustees to mind their own business, and
from all he could understand Of them they
enjoyed very little popularity. Justice Mac
| Arthur wished to know in regard to the
Norris case, and whether or not the defend
ant intended to apologize for and contra
dict the publication as to her. Col. Cook
said that Chase had stated that he had
found the information he received as to
Miss Norris was unreliable and incorrect
and intended TO make proper retraction Of
what had been published. After some fur.
Their discussion the imposing of sentence
was postponed until next Monday.