The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-21
JIM REA FACES
A ISLANDER SUIT
Complaint of Ex-COun-
Gilman Jarman.
BOSS CALLS HIM A CROOK
SEEKS FIFTY THOUSAND DOL
LARS DAMAGES.
Eminent Legal Talent Employed on
Both Sides and Much New
Political History Is
Looked For.
SEEKS FIFTY THOUSAND DOL
LARS DAMAGES.
Special Dispatch to The Cal.

SAN JOSE, Sept 2O.-The $50, 600 SLAM
der suit brought against Jim" Rea by
ex-Councilman J. P. Jarman, COM
menced before Judge Kittredge to-day.
Great interest Is taken in the action
and Rea's henchmen and tin-horn poll
ticians filled the courtroom. An expose
of Rea's methods of doing politics is
promised. The legal battle will be a
hard-fought one. Jarman Is represented
by D. NJ. Delmas, E. A. Wilcox and A.
H. Jarman, while Rea's attorneys are
Senator H. V. Morehouse, d. w. Bur-
chard and Ed Rea. Each party to the
suit is represented by son.
The complaint in the case states that
on March IA, 1898, in the presence of
George Koenig, plaintiff and other good
and worthy persons of San. Jose James
w. Rea uttered the following words:
There was $500 paid on the purchase
of that steam roller to some of the
Councilmen and you got $500 Of IT."
These words are denounced as false,
unprivileged, malicious and defamatory
and it is alleged have exposed the
plaintiff to hatred, contempt and dis
grace to the extent of $25, 200. AS
further and separate cause it Is set
forth that on March IL, 1898, In con-
versation with Samuel G. Tompkins
and others defendant Rea spoke as fol-
lows:
You have got some crooked men in
the Charter Club" Whereupon Temp
kins asked: who, for instance?"
Rea replied: Jack Jarman He
robbed the city when he was In the
Council. What did he do with that 5000
that he got on the purchase Of a steam
roller?"
For this slanderous utterance $25, 900
is also asked, making total of $4,000.
Great care was exercised in selecting
jury and from the questions asked
jurymen it seems that some new politi-
cal history will be made. The prosecu-
ton asked the jurymen If they knew
Rea or ]. D. Mackenzie belonged to DO
litical organizations or had relatives in
the school department, while Rea's at
torneys wanted to know If the jurors
belonged to the Good Government
League or Charter Club.
The following citizens comprise the
jury: j. Clevenger, Otto Brasch, G. w.
Leay, Henry Davidson, c.. Bertlesman,
E. L. Moody, Walter Murray, H. Rich,
H. Weilheimer, G. w. Glendenning, J.
A. Gamble and A. C. Mckinney.
Most of them are orchardists and all
representative men.
j. p. .Jarman was called to the stand
and questioned by Attorney Delmas
He said he had resided in this city
about thirty years. Witness said he
was engaged in the wall paper, paint
and oil business. He was elected
member of the City Council in 1895 and
served two years. While member Of
that body proposition came up to
purchase steam street roller The
matter was referred to the street COM
mittee, of which he was chairman, and
the committee examined the matter
and reported in favor of the purchase.
This was after Sacramento, Stockton
and other places were communicated
with. Witness, with Councilmen Fay
and Noting, Mayor Koch and Chief
Of Police Kidward, went to Stockton
and investigated the merits of the roll
ler The Mayor and Council in session
considered the purchase Of the roller.
The price was given as $4,000 At
witness suggestion a reduction in the
price was asked: Magarde. agent for
the roller stated that the machines
were never sold for less than $1,000.
Jarman said he suggested that it was
customary to make a reduction in the
price of articles for cash, and Magarde
finally knocked off 5000 in the price.
On March IA, 1898, he had converse
ton with Rea on North First street.
near the Southern Pacific Railroad. At
that time Jarman was a candidate for
Councilman on the New Charter Club
ticket, and he believed Rea opposed his
election. There were present Mrs.
Knox Goodrich and George Koenig and
Landers, painters in the employ of
plaintiff. Witness was experimenting
the painting of fence. Continuing. he
said:
"Rea came along and said Good.
morning. and was passing on. He
probably had gone a few yards when
followed him and asked him why he
had been circulating lies In regard to
fne. He said, What do you mean? I
told him he was stabbing me in the
back among the good citizens Of San
Jose and saying that while I was a
Councilman of the city of San Jose 1
was crooked and that / received money
on the purchase of steam roller He
replied that what he said behind my
l,oolr he would 1-oDaaf haforo NV fore.