The San Francisco call., 1897-08-12
Another Step in the Plaintiffs
Firm Course to Bring
Hearst to Justice.
THE NONRESIDENT PROPRIETOR.
COmmotion at the New City Hall When
the Warrants for the Arrest
We're Issued.

On complaints sworn to by Claus
Spreckels yesterday warrants were issued
for the arrest of A. NJ. Lawrence and
Charles S. Aiken of the Examiner for
criminal libel. A warrant would have
been sworn out for the arrest of William
r. Hearst on similar charge, but Hearst
is nonresident of this State, having &C
ouired residence in New York, where lie
fancies that q campaign of libel against
leading citizens of California may be
safely conducted.
The arrest of the subordinates of Hearst
will ultim ately bring the chief offender to
the bar of justice. The libel suits were
instituted by Mr.. SpreckeIs to bring
Hearst into court, and he las resolved
not to swerve II N that purpose. A pub
Usher who makes il business 10 libel and
traduce leading citizens relies in great
measure on the power OF his paper 10 in
timidate courts, witnesses and plaintiffs.
Citizens seeking redress in court are
often hampered and vexed by the laws
delay and the trucking of weak and
ialtering officers OF the State. The pro-
fessional libeler understands the weak
nesses and am bitions of men holding
office and looking forward 10 political ad-
vancement in the future. The strings to
influence men of this grade are readily
pulled and so plaintiffs become discour-
aged and falter in their purpose to get
satisfaction in court. 1t happens IN these
particular libel suits, which have been in
stituted to bring Hearst face to face with
the man that he has hbeled, that the
plaintiff is a man who never falters and
hesitates when he has firmly resolved to
pursue a certain course. He does not
stand in fear of the Hearst newspaper in
=
estate. He has the means and the abIity
to employ counsel TO represent him and
patience to endure the laws delay.
In these criminal libel cases the defend
ants will doubtless plead for delay, as
they did before Notary Craig. Agree
ments may be made by counsel and vio-
lated. Attem pts NAV be made to frighten
bondsmen and terrify court clerks. 1t is
no longer expected that Hearst will of his
own accord come out in the open and ia ce
the plaintiff in court. He expects his
subordinates to use his paper to get him
out of the dilemma.
1t viii be interes ting for the public to
note the tactics which will be employed to
shield Hearst. No doubt the New York
proprietor would dislike very much to see
his su bordinates going to Jail for libel but
he might submit to that rather than come
into court in California. A proprietor
with proper sense OF justice and courage
would not skulk away from the man he
has libeled and permit an agent to suffer
for the offeuse.
Claus Spreckels has no desire to punish
the men employed by Hearst, but the law
yers retained by the New York proprietor
refuse to admit service on Hearst.
There was quite commotion at the new
City Hall yesterday when Claus Spreckel 8,
A. B. Spreckels and Grove l.. Johnson
went out there to file the complaints for
the arrest of Lawrence and Aiken. Law
renee, who was notified by telephone,
asked Immediately that he be not ar
rested, as he would surrender himself and
give the required bond for his appearance
III court. 1t was said that Aiken was not
in town, but the officers of the law know
where to find him.
II may not be safe just at present to
threaten tbs officers who issued ana served
the warrants. The exposure of the threat
which was made by an Examiner lawyer
to have Notary Craig's commission re-
vokeG by the Governor has not passed out
of the public mind. Other threats and th e
Introduction of bulldosing methods would
awaken public Indignation.
Californians are asked by the Examiner
to distort their Imagination by fancy
that Hearst is making fight for the peo-
pie. The fact is that he is making the
fight or the run of his life lust now to
to employ lawyers whose advice he re-
fuses to accept, but cases in court are not
usually won by such tactics. Ultimately
he will be brought before court of this
State as defendant in the Claus Spreckels s
libel suit
Bail for Lawrence and Aiken was in
the sum of $500 cash or $1,000 bonds in each
case, the latter being furnished for Law
renee by Thomas Flynn and W. R. Fair
feld, bookKeeper and stenographer re-
spectiVely with the Examiner.
No bonds were filed for the appearance
OF Aiken.
James H. Long, the attorney employed
by the Examiner to look after the filing of
bonds in the Lawrence case, stated that
Aiken was not in the State; that he had
gone TO Seattle. This accounts ior the in
ability of the prosecution in the civil
suits Drought by Claus Spreckels against
the Examiner for $1,000, 900 to find the re.
porter.
Alter 4 P. NJ. Lawrence delivered. himself
into custody and was regularly booked.