The San Francisco call., 1897-08-08
Interesting Stage in the Libel
Suits Instituted by Claus
Spreckels.
AGREEMENT OF COUNSEL VIOLATED.
An Attempt to Intimidate the Notary,
Threats to Drive Him Out of
Business.

Yesterday in the law office of Johnson,
Linforth & Whitaker two of the defend
ants in tho libel suits instituted by Claus
Spreckeis against William r. Hearst, A.
NJ. Lawrence and T. T. Williams refused
to answer questions put by Notary Lee D.
Craig. The defendants refusing to answer
were Williams and Lawrence, and they
refused on advice of their counsel-Gar-
rett McEnerney, W. H. L. Barnes and A.
J. Clunie. Grove Johnson produced au-
thorities TO show that the notary bad
power to punish the defendants for con-
tempt. Counsel for defendants had no
authorities to present.
One of the questions which Lawrence
declined to answer related to the author
ship Of the article which appeared in the
Examiner of May 23, char ing Mr.. Spreck-
els with holding up the stockholders of
the Watsonville sugar factory. Williams
declined to answer the question whether
he held power of attorney from ". r.
Hearst.
Several days ago it was agreed by the
attorneys for the defendants to accept
service for Hearst, whom the plaintiff is
endeavoring to reach, but for some reason
not exp lained the agreement was not OBJ
served yesterday.
Oa the refusal of the defendants to
answer the notary issued the following
commitment for contempt:
That the said defendant, A. NJ. Lawrence,
be and he hereby is declared and adjudged TO
BE- guilty of contempt In refusing TO answer
he aforesaid questions and each thereon, ana
as punishment therefor he is hereby adJudged
10 be mprisoned in the County Jail OF the
City and County OF San Francisco State OF
California, unit! he answers said questions
and each thereof, II be ing still in the power OF
the said defendant A. NJ. Lawrence, TO answer
said ques tons and each thereof.
And II i mere by ordered that the said de-
fendant A. NJ. Lawrence be and he is hereby !
ordered and 0dJudGed to be arTeS ted and
taken into custody by the Sheriff of any
may be found, and that he be imprisoned in
the County Jail of the City ana County OF San
Francisco, State aforesaid, ntil he answers
said questions and each Thereon.
And it is further ordered that copy of this
order, certified TO by me, be delivered to the
Sheriff of any county where the said defend
ant, A. NJ Lawrence, may be found, and to the
Sheriff OF the said City and County OF San
Francisco, and to be the warrant and author
ity of the said Sheriffs upon and under which
to arrest, impTison and detain the said A NJ
Lawrence until he shall answer said q uesuons
and eacn thereof.
Dated San Francisco, August z, 1897.
Notary Public n and for the city and County
OF San Francisco, State of California, and
ant, A NJ Lawrence, was suDpenaed to ap
pear and give mis- testimony and deposit
lion.
The commitment will be placed in the
hands of the Sheriff tomorrow. Last
evening neither the Sheriff nor his chief
deputy could be found, and so the order
was not left for subordinate to execute.
0 her proceedings may follow the order
of arrest. Grove johnson is in possession
of information 10 the effect that the
notary t. al been threatened with loss OF
his business and a revocation of his COM
mission if he should dare commit any of
the Examiner defendants.
The attention OF the Grand Jury will be
directed to this attempt 10 intimidate an
officer of the court in the discharge of his
duties.
Walter Craig brother of the notary
who committed a. NJ. Lawrence and =. T.
Williams for contempt, was present in
the Office OF the notary when the latter
was called upon by Andy Clunie. one of
the attorneys for the Examiner, and
threatened with dire vengeance If he per-
sisted in his determination 10 commit the
two employees for contempt OF court
"Thls man, whom | did not know at
the time" he said, 'came clustering into
the office and demanded to know what
my brother meant by saving that be
would send the Examiner men to jail for
contempt il they did not answer
the questions put 10 tnem. ne Ne-
manded to see my brother's cre-
dentials as a notary, and on being
shown them said: We'll, this is all right,
but you were not appointed for Tour years,
and your appoin tment can be revoked by
the Governor at any time. My people
want me to 90 to Sacramento and see
whether the Governor will not remove
YOU, and l guess l shall have to do 1t.
That would ruin you and drive your
brother out of this town.
'tHe talked d lot more Gbour driving my
brother out of business and finally asked
him who he was. He said he was An
drew ]. Clunie, an attorney tor the Ex-
aminer.
we believe that be also threatened
Max Goldberg one OF my brothers
bondsmeu, for we know that he went to
see Mr.. Goldb berg and the latter has since
a. ked my brother to get some one else to
take his place on the bond.
Max Gold berg was seen at his home last
evening, and denied having been threat
ened by any one. :
"Mr. Craig came to me-" he said, ''and
stated that If the Examiner men did not
answer certain questions he had asked
them he would have TO commit both tor
contempt of court. 7 tod him to be care
full, as did not want to be held RESPONSE
BILE if there was any mistake, and he SAID
he knew he was right, and showed me the
law for it.
Il don't want to mix in any quarrel OF
this kind, and l want to protect myseil
against loss if possible.
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