Evening star., 1897-05-27
MAILING OBSCENE MATTER
Charge Against Well Known Greek Scholar
and Playwright.
Trial Now In Progress Before Chief
Justice Bingham in Criminal Court
No. 1-LinEuists ms Witnesses,

An interesting trial was commenced today
before Chief Justice Bingham in Criminal
Court No. !. that of Telemaque T. Tina
yenfs Of Boston, a native of Greece who
Is charged with having last September
violated section 1888 of the Revised Stat
utes. The indictment alleges that he
mailed an obscene letter to Solon ]. Vlas:o,
the publisher of the New York Atlantis, a
Greek newspaper.
The ORense Alleged.
The defendant who is represented by At
torneys Ralston and Siodons, is a WELL
known Greek scholar ard playwright, his
dramatic nom de plume being Edward
Dussard. The alleged obscene letter con-
tained. 1t is charged, the Greek words ..po.-
apon angion" and ''poustis.''
1he government contends that the first
TWO words mean certain unmentionable
housenoio vessel, and that the other means
one addicted to a certain crime against
nature.
On the other hand. the defense insists
ehat the first two. fairly translated. mean
means a coward.
Each side viii, OF course, endeavor to
sustain Its contention, and a number of
eminent inguis;s have been summoned as
witnesses
The Case Opened.
After the jury had been sworn Assistant
District Attorney Laskey made the open
ing address for the government and stated
what he expected to prove.
This was succeeded by the presentation
OF the case for the defense and then As
sistant District Attorney Shillington called
as as the frst witness Demetrius j. Vlasto.
Inc witness testified as TO the recent of
certain anonymous letters, and added that
they contained words of an obscene ma
ture.
AT the direction of the district attornev
Mr. Vlacto was about to read to the Jury a
Ietter handed to him, but objection was
maze TO the reading until the letter should
De introduced in evidence
Attorney Ralston spoke at length in sup-
port OF MS contention. and cited a number
OF authorities. placing particular stress on
the decision of the Supreme Court CT the
United States.
In reply to Mr.. Ralston, Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Shillington called attention
10 an array of authorities supporting his
statements that the Indictment in the case
Is ssu Valla; ,i and that the letters in question
IAN WITHIN the provisions Of the Revised
statutes. no matter whether they were
read by one or by more persons.
The Courts Ruling.
Chief Justice Bingham overruled the OBJ
)ection OF the defense. It was the intention
Oh the law, he said. to relieve the United
states OF any scurrilous or malicious at
tacks through the mails by private letters
hesdmlng the stand. Mr.. Vlasto testified
mat the handwriting of the letters that
hSCre in the case was that of Mr. Tina :
yen:s. with which he is familiar.
Inc examination of Mr.. Vlasto was sus-
pended. while Capt. James Z. Bell. super-
ln.cndent of delivery at the local city post
office, declared that the postmarks or the
letters were genuine and showed tnat they
had passed through the post office.
The letters were then offered in evidence
put objection was entered on the ground
that 1t had not been shown that they were
mailed by the defendant
The case was still on trial when this
report closed.