New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-01
WELLINGTON BRINGS SUIT.
1.-THE BALTIMORE AMERICAN ACCUSED
OF CRIMINAL LIBEL.
crvrpA1 AoN1,s PRESENTED FOR INDICTMENT
AND 500 900 DAMAGES ASKED BY THE sENA-
ros-rup PAPER CHARGED HIM WITH
USING PATRONAGE TO INFLUENCE
VOTES IN THE SENATOR
SHIP CONTEST.

SHIP CONTEST.
,,.,r. Nov 3O-JTnited States Senator
George L. Wellington. Of this State, appeared
before the Grand Jury to-day and charged that
ha had heen crir,inally libelled by THE Balti-
more American" In giving currency to the
charge that he was using patronage 10 ihiu-
once votes in the election OF United states
Senator to succeed Arthur p. German. Inc
Grand Jury presented General Felix Agnus, the
nublisher and Editor Of The American TOT IN
d,ctment. Later In the day Senator Wellington
filed suit against General Agnus personally ior
500 600 damages. THE American Will say TO-
morrow: -. ,..,.
As usual The American viii II, bo the nsp ,ssIt
that Is raised , In the tb cns hns and
ways accepted them and fought them Ssora,nrsbin
In the contest for Of ths a uRieHd he absolute
and the inestimable value Of free press must pe
evident N to t the res ans II win
work for The people and the pe SDns 91 ~ anq ws
il deems this TO the public welfare AND rs ex.
have Upheld the freedom Of the press IN work Of Of
this kind Most OF The
y Quotations from them would show how how adj l.
verse is the general Judgment OF TIE Nat ionr
oughly this type has been repudiated and dscred.
tied IN public opinion: The Amsacsn 70 al a1w ons
If it !nadvertentiy does an Injury. rs columns are
MAKE espand dGE nd
In scandal. and has always studlously decnhe go. "
the Ms mas say 90 Of M
himself. But while extremely careiul TO avoid a..
complaint It proposes TO do It's duty 70 the public
a. whatever cost may be involved ~ wli 'i ond
calling. justly and fairly but 1t will be intimdated
by no one.
THE Americans" counsel will be Charles j..
Bonaparte. Colonel Charles Marshall Edgar n.
Cans and William S. Thomas The trial. which
will be pushed and which will probably como
of just when the Legislature meets. is expected
to be unusually interesting
The article on which Senator Wellington
actions are based was published In The Amer
lean" on Friday. November 20, together with an
editorial from The Washington Post or the
preyious day. In the latter Senator Wellington
was severely criticised for his conduct as a
Senator Of the United States and charged with
Openly offering to purchase votes TOT Sena-
torial aspirant through the dspensation OF pat
ronage" 49,, -
! Senator WELLINGTON recently espoused the cause
of Governor Lloyd Lowndes. who is seeking
election to the seat in the United states Senaoe
now occupied by Senator German. whose sue
cessor will be chosen by the Legislature which
meets on January 5, 1898. at Annapolis
General Agnus said In reference TO the SUIT;
This is libel suit No 80 against Inc H,ie , s
! Of which we have only lost three and only sur
| fered nominal penalties in them. we Will meet
this suit, as we have met all others. ana my
attorneys will be instructed to push II. IN my
opinion II liz merely an attempt to muZzle the
press in view Of the coming contest for the Sena-
| torship The American has been very unfriend-
" to Senator Wellingtons interests In that mat
! ter and the hard hits given him. in my OPINION
greatly reduced his power. The American. how
ever. will continue to publish the news OF this
contest as IL proceeds. whether Mr.. Wellington
likes IL or not. ,, a.,