The San Francisco call., 1896-11-07
The Defamatory Articles Were
Published in the News
Letter.
LANGUAGE OF THE L1BELs.
Circular Signei by Depositors of the
Peoples Home Bank Published
After Signers Were Indicted.

The Grand Jury went into Judge
Slack's court yesterday afternoon and
through the foreman, Frederick Hobbs, pre-
sented two indictments for misdemeanor
libel against Fred Marriott, proprietor of
the San Francisco News Letter and Cali
fornia Advertiser. On motion OF Z. D.
Peixotto, Assistant District Attorney, a
bench warrant was issued for Marriott's
arrest and bail fixed at $500 on each
charge.
The complaining witness in this case is
j. @. B. HeDbard, Judge of the Superior
Court. He submitted to the Grand jury,
through Mr.. Peixotto, copy of the San
Francisco News Letter of October 81, 1896.
The circular signed by T. H. Mccarthy.
E. F. Kendall, Thomas S. Williams Jr.,
George B. Conant, Benjamin Lucy, A. L.
Casarair and I. H. Qualman, Peoples
Home Savings Bank depositors commit
tee, was published under The following
display lines in the News Letter of last
Saturday:
AN APPEAL TO VOTERS
What the representatives of the swindIed
depositors OF the Peoples Home Savings Bank
think OF
JUDGE j. C. B. HEBBARD.
Substantial reasons why he should not be
and County OF San Francisco.
Shortly after the circular was first cir
culated as a campaign document, the
men who signed it were indicted for libel
by the present Grand Jury. One indict-
ment against Fred Marriott is for the pub
llcation OF the same document in .he
News Letter.
The second indictment found yesterday
was tor publishing the following comment
the doom fire ri
A WORTHY JUDGE, OF the News let let
FoRSooTHI article signed ed
of the Peoples Home Savings Bank depositors
showing adequate cause why Judge Hebbard
should not be reelected. The statements
made in this terrible document will cause
every honest man to shrink from voting for a
creature who is therein clearly proven 10 be
the enemy OF numerous widows and orphans,
and morally liza BILE for the loss of their little
savings. Is that the sort of man to re-elect
Judge? Not SO. Intelligent men will learn
well the less on that article teaches, and will
see to it that he is removed from the high no.
sition he disgraces. If tools are TO be elected
to the judiciary, then honest men had better
get out of the City. But it will be more natu-
ralto US 10 relegate the tools to the oblivion
they SO richly merit.
The indictments set forth that the arti-
cles published are malicious and defama-
tory, tending TO impeach the integrity.
virtue and honesty Of J. c. B. Hebbard, a
Judge of the Superior Court, ami to ex-
pose him to public hatred and contempt.
The members of the Grand Jury attend
Ing the session at which the indictments
were found were Frederick Hobbs, Harry
Durbrow, G. G. Burr, George Jones, II. S.
Hogan, William L. kshe. William F. Mau,
Robert Haight, David B. Faktor. August
E. Drucker, James G. Nealon, Richard
Pecht, E. P. Farnsworth, Frederick w.
Zehfuss M. Spiro and William II. Pratt.
While Judge Hebbard was waiting in
the anteroom for members of the Grand
Jury TO arrive ne was greeted and con-
graduated on his success in the election bv
many of his friends in the City Hail. Con.
cerning the libel proceedings against the
News Letter he remarked that the indict-
ment was not sought on his own account.
but as matter OF public duty and inn
portance. 1t is expected that the trial OF
the case will reveal the names of persons or
corporations that expended money in con-
siderable sums to print and circulate cam
paign documents designed to defeat Judge
Hebbard.