Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-01-28
of their firm of solicitors at the top o
the letter paper. Then he read:


of their firm of solicitors at the top of
the letter paper. Then he read:
DEAR SIR: You have doubtless the ar
ticle In the Financial Field of this morn
ing referring to the Canadian Mica Mining
company. We should te pleased to know
what action you intend to take in the mat
ter. We may say that, in justice to our
reputation, we can no longer represent your
company unless a suit is brought against
the paper which contains the article.
Yours truly, w. HAWK.
Wentworth laughed with certain
bitterness. Well" he said, "if it has
come to such a pass that Hawk fears
for his reputation, the sooner we begin
q libel suit against the paper the bet
ter
Perhaps" said John, with look of
agony on his face, you will tell me
where the money is to come from. The
moment we get into the law courts
money will simply have to flow like
water, and doubtless the Field has
plenty of it. 1t will add to their repu-
tation, and they viii make boast that
they are fighting the battle of the in
vestor in London. Everything is grist
that comes to their mill. Meanwhile
we shall be paying out money, or we
shall be at tremendous disadvantage.
and the result of il all will probably be
a disagreement of the jury and practi-
cally ruin us. You see, | have no wit
nesses."
"Yes, but what about the mine?
How can we go on without vindicating
ourselves2"
Before anything further could be
said young Mr.. Longworth came in,
looking as cool, calm, and unrufled as
if there were no such things in the
world as financial newspapers.
"Discussing it, see," were his first
words.
YES" said Wentworth. 81 am very
glad you have come. We have little
difference of opinion in the matter of
that article. Kenyon here is averse to
suing that paper for libel. 1 am in
favor of prosecuting it. Now what do
you say?"
my dear fellow" replied Longworth,
''I am delighted to be able to agree with
Mr.. Kenyon for once. Sue them!
Why, certainly not. That is just what
they want"
But" said Wentworth, "if we do not,
who is going to look at our mine?"
Exactly the same number of peo-
pie as would look at it before the article
appeared
Don't you think it will have any eff
fect?"
Not the slightest"
Outlook at this letter from your own
lawyers on the subject" Wentworth
handed Longwortb the letter from
Hawk. Longworth adjusted his glass
and read it carefully through.
''By Jove!" he said, with laugh. II
call that distinctly good. had no idea
old Hawk was such humorist! His
reputation, indeed; well, that beats
me! All that Hawk wants is another
suit on his hands. l wish you would let
me keep this letter. ! will have some
fun with my friend Hawk over it,"
You are welcome to the letter, SO
far as / am concerned" said Went
worth; "but do you mean to say, Mr..
Longworth, that we have to sit here
calmly under this imputation and do
nothing?"
II mean to say nothing of the kind;
but | don't propose TO play into their
hands by suing them; at least, | should
not if it were my case instead of Ken
yon's."
What would you do?"
81 would let them sue me if they
wanted to do so. OF course, their can
vasser called to see you, didn't he, Ken
yon?"
Yes. he did
''He told you that he had certain
amount of space to sell for certain
sum in cash?"
"Yes"
And, if you did not buy that space,
this certain article would appear;
whereas, if you did, an article ofquite
n different complexion would be
printed?"
"You seem to know all about il" said
Kenyon, suspiciously.
"Of course, do my dear boy. Every
body knows all about it. That's the way
those papers make their money. j think,
myself as a general rule, it is cheaper to
buy them off. l believe my uncle al
ways does that when he has anything
special on hand and doesn't want to
be bothered with outside issues. But
we haven't done so in this instance,
and this is the result. 1t can be easily
remedied yet, mind you, if you like. |
All that you have to do is TO pay his |
price, and there will be an equally |
lengthy article saying that, from out |
side information received with regard |
to the Canadian Mining company, he |
regrets very much that the former |
article was an entire mistake, and that |
there is no more secure Investment in |
England than this particular mine. But |
now, when he has come out with his ed |
itorial, / think it isn't worth while to |
have any further dealings with him. |
Anything he can say now will not |
matter. He has done all the harm he |
can. But | would at once put the boot |
on the other foot / would write down
all the circumstances just as they hap |
pencd-give the name of the young |
man who called upon you, tell exact
Iy the price he demanded for his ST
lence, and | will have that printed in
an opposition paper tomorrow. Then
il will be our friend, the Financial |
Fields, turn to squirm! He viii say |
il is all lie, of course, but nobody Will
believe him, and we can tell him, from
the opposition paper, that il it is L,
he is perfectly at liberty to sue us for
libel Let him begin the suit If he
wants TO do so. Let him defend hiSrep-
utation. Sue him for libel! | know "A
game worth two of that. Could you
get out the statement before the meet