The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-10
SERVICE ON
HEARST IS
DEMANDED
Claus Spreckels Not Anxious
to Punish Williams
and Lawrence.
ILL IL AflEk The PkUPRlEIVk.
Hearst Is Skulking in the Dark
and Putting Subordinates
Forward.
LIBEL SUIT no LONGER A JOKE.
Great Alarm Is Manifested by the
Examiner for Fear Some One Will
Be Sent to Jail.
LIBEL SUIT no LONGER A JOKE.
Great Alarm Is Manifested by the
Examiner for Fear Some One Will
Be Sent to Jail

William R. Hearst has been carrying
things with a high hand in libeling citi-
Zens of this State and shielding himself
in New York. His pace has been checked
by running against a resolute citizen who
will stand no evasion or Sinking of re-
spon sibility. In this libel suit Claus
Spreckels means business, fact which
begins to dawn on the minds of Hearst's
agents in San Francisco. The plea of
page for public sympathy and protection
from Notary Craig, which was published
In yesterdays Examiner. counts for this
much and nothing more: Claus Spreck-
els holds that he was libeled by Hearst's
California paper, and, as good, law
abiding citizen. appeals to the court for
redress. When the author of the libelous
publication or the man responsible for the
existence of the Examiner is sought he
cannot be found. Nobody can be found
willing to represent Hearst as an agent or
empIoye. Two agents or employees of the
Examiner who are commonly supposed to
speak and act for Aearst are made de-
fend ants in the libel suit, and when they
ioluoc w ducoliOuS tucy are COIl-
mitted for contempt Immediately an
attempt is made to bulldoze the notary,
TO revoke his commission and threaten
his Dondsmen. The public is invited to
intervene through newspaper interviews
in the Examiner to save the employees
from going to jail. All this time Hearst
is in New York, where he has acquired
residence, ana presumes to laugh at the
idea of being held respon sibe for the
management of his paper in California.
The statement Is frankly made by Mr..
Spreckels and his counsel that they are
willing at any time to dismiss the pro-
ceedings against Lawrence and Williams
provided the counsel for the defendant
will admit service OIL Hearst. A positive
agreement was made in the presence OF
witnesses last Wednesday to admit the
service requested, but the agree ment was
not only violated by Hearst's counsel,
but the refusal to answer the questions
was persisted in.
Mr.. Spreckels cares nothing for these
employees of Mr.. Hearst. He entertains
no feeling of hostility toward them.
Hearst is the man he is after ana the one
he intends to reach. When Mr.. Spreck-
redress of the grievance. He did not
take shotgun and go cunning for Hearst.
He did not hire an assassin to wayIay the
proprietor of the Examiner. Like the
law abiding citizen, which he is he in
voKed the protection of the law and he
means that Hearst shall respond in a
court OF justice. Time and again the Ex-
aminer has invited men who did not like
it's course to sue the paper Now it is
asked that Hearst shall have the courage
to come out of the dark and acknowledge
his responsibility for his California paper
or openly repudiate his connection with
the concern.
When Claus Spreckles is sued he is
CO mpelled to go into court. One would
fancy from reading some of the inter
views printed yesterday that Mr.. Spreck-
els was bound to accept the kind of law
that is fixed up In the Examiner Office for
the special benefit of the New York pro-
prietor. The law in this case is for the
Supreme Court to determine. The threats
which did not frlghten the notary will
hardly frighten the court, although Max
Goldberg was so badly frightened that he
withdrew from the bond of Notary Craig.
Claus Spreckels is a reputable citizen
and taxpayer. He is entitled to the pro-
lection which the law affords. His coun-
sci desire to show that he is not the bad
man which the Examiner represents him
to be. He does not hold up stock hoIders
or stage-coaches. He has done more for
California than any other citizen of the
commonwealth. He has put his own
money in vast enterprises of material de-
velopment and the State has been en-
riched by his enterprise and public spirit.
When the Examiner was crying aloud for
a competing railroad and men were hesi-
tating about putting their money In
scheme of this kind Claus Spreckels came
forward and put in his own money to in
sure the building of the road. This is one
example in hundred of his public spirit
and his confidence in this City and State.
The commitment of Lawrence and Will
iiams FOR contempt is only an incident,
The main proposition is to determine
whether, under the law, Hearst can HELD
himself behind his residence in New York
and conduct from that distant position
campaign of libel against reputable citi-
zens of California. The decision of the
Supreme Court may have some bearing
on this proposition. There is a question
OF law to be decided, and the opinion of
Tom, Dick and Harry obtained on the
street and handed down 20 the agents OF
Hearst may cut but a little figure in the
settlement of the main issue.
The libel suit which seemed so funny
to the Examiner when it was instituted
has already lost many of its merry fea-
lures. Nobody is casting lots for the
privilege of paying 100000. The joke
has taken on a serious aspect. For once
Hearst com prehends that he has libeIed
the wrong man. He has run up against
citizen who cannot be inundated or
cajoled. The courage of Mr.. Hearst is
put to the test. He can hide in New York
for awhile, and let his faithful employees
fight his battle and perhaps go to Jail, |
but he cannot for all time shield himself |