The morning call., 1890-05-25
LAYING TIE FOUNDATION.

The Chronicle is evidently excited over
the article in fridays CALL in which the
assertion Is made that according to Buffers
testimony in the Arnold case "Garness had
the run of the Examiner Office and was in
easy communication with the Chronicle Of
nee. In somewhat needless and vehement
manner the Chronicle declares this asser-
ton lie. Since the Chronicle has the
hardihood to deny the part one of its en-
ployes played in concocting the scandal it
becomes our duty to refresh its memory.
In the report of the proceedings in the Ar
mold case published on Wednesday, Butler
testified that Garness wanted an article
written on a subject-matter in Colusa.
Butler wrote a small item of about five
lines. Garness said THAT is fine | wish |
could dc that Now, l will give you So if
you will get that in the paper tonight" 1t
is not in evidence that Garness said what
paper, but shortly after the "small item"
appeared in the Chronicle. 1t is as follows:
The Colusa sun declares that White Cap or
ganization has been mailing skull and cross bone
notices In that city, and that one man is waiting
for promised visit with four men armed with
Winchester rifles.
The Chronicle says that Mr.. Henderson
admits that Butler, with whom he had a
previous acquaintance, brought him the
small item" 1t appears therefore that an
item which Garness gladly paid five dollars
to get in the paper very easily got into
the Chronicle. To this extent at least the
conclusion of THE CALL that Garness was in
easy communication with tue Chronicle Of
fee is justified. Mr.. Henderson, an en-
ploye of the Chronicle, accepted without
apparent hesitation an item that Mr. Gar
ness was anxious to have published. The
foundation was thus laid for the story which
Garness proposed to have published in the
Chronicle unless Mr.. Arnold would 'fbid
high" for its suppression. Mr.. Butler con-
tinued his testimony. passing over from the
10Th of April. when this small item" APP
peared in the Chronicle, to the 10th or 18th
OF May On about that date GarneSs showed
Butler the October circular. Garness then
unfolded a plan by which some money
might be made. We quote from the alias
report:
Garness wanted witness to go to Mr.. Hender-
son Of the Chronicle and stale that he was the
man who gave In the article which appeared In
the paper Qhe ChrOntcl) in April Witness
(Butler) was to say there was good story in that
Cousa affair. He was TO ofer to go to Colusa at
bis own expense ana the Chronicle could pay
him for the article after they accepted it.
witness was to go 10 Culusa and make his
presence aud the object of his visit as public as
possible. Garness said II this method was
adopted some one would come around TO get the
matter hushed up, probably John Boggs, or even
Arnold himself. Witness was told that they
would come round aud try to buy him of to sup
press the publication. Witness was to appear to
refuse their opportunities and to assert that he
was the authorized correspondent of the
Chronicle GaTness said they would, without
oouot, continue their efforts to suppress the
article, and offer to pay literally to accomplish
their design. Witness was Instructed to say
that he could control the publication of the
article, and to take as much as he could get, but
not less than $4,000.
Now, if we consider the fact that Butler
easily got one small item" into the CAron-
1cte, and that Garness selected the Chronicle
as the most effective dissemination of
the story he proposed to have written, OF, at
least. as the sheet which would make the
greatest impression on Arnold and his
friends, the conclusion is entirely warranted
that according to Buffers testimony Garness
was in easy communication with the ChroR-
tcte office. In selecting vehicle for the
publications OF scandal two conditions
had to be avoided: First, not to select
paper so completely given up to scandal and
blackmail that no one pays attention to
what 1t says; and second, not to select one
whose character and previous history were
assurances that scandal would not appear in
its columns. We can readily see therefore
why the Examiner would not do and why
the Chronicle would. The Examiner is
much too common, and while the Chronicle
has been more cautious of late years than it
was at one time, the history of the sheet
certainly affords no assurance that it would
not publish scandal if the price asked for
SURPRISING it should be refused.