New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-25
"THE SUN" SUED FOR LIBEL.
ITS CHARGES PROMPTLY MET BY THE
LATEST OBJECT OF ITS SLAM
DEROUS MANIA.
STATEMENTS AND 1vsINrATIoNs SPECIFICALLY
DESI-.r-NO FOUNDATION EXCEPT MALICE
AND POLITICAL BITTERNESS

81 81
AID POLITICAL BITTERNESS.
A libel suit was begun by John f.. Milholand yes
terday through Robert J. Fox his attorney,
against The sun Printing and Publishing Associ-
alton and against Paul Dana, Editor Of THE
Sun" for $4,000 damages. The action was based
upon the publication in The sun" yesterday morn
Ing OF long leading article. headed Stock for
4 congressman" The article stated. partly by nnu-
cndo and parity by direct accusation. that MY MI
holland. president OF the Tubular Dispatch Com
pany had used corrupt means to secure Congres-
sional appropriations and Government contracts
for his company. The insinuaton also made
that these done in the interest OF D. O
Mills "and others OF The New-York Tribune
/ crowd"
Mr.. MIholland said last evening: Il read The
: Suns article at Lakewood this mcrring. and
quickly as could get TO the telegraph office wired
my counsel to bring suit for libel Immediately.
That was done to-day. the papers could
be prepared. The summons was sent for
vice this afternoon. The case will be pushed With
all the vigor and resources at our command II Is
one OF the grossest libels that have seen IN
all my political. business or newspaper life; 1t Is
lie in every essential particular from beginning to
end.
TO make my denia comprehensive and specific,
] will take up the charges. far they are for
mulstei In the article in the order Of their presen-
tation
! been distributed gratultously among Congress-
men. The statement is false There Is not d single
share OF our stock held by any member of con
gross or any member OF the United States SENATE
excepting by Mr. Belden and he purchased at
par. together with block OF the bonds. for which
he subscribed some time ago
ASIDE from Mr. Bedcn member Of either The
Senate or the House has any tine held any stock
IN the Tubular Dispatch Company one other Con-
gresham and one only. far | know, is con-
nected by blood or marriage with any sto,kholder
To assert that attempt has been made 10 bride
one Congressman 10 vote for measures which on
their own merits have heretofore comma oded the
unanimous voc OF both houses is ridiculous
An effort to make that assertion Of d transac-
ton which in - origin long antedates the
mans accession 20 Congress and TO prevent the
frcest statement OF all the facts by attempting 10
drag womans name before the publ. Is coward
ly or worse. Every statement or implication that
any attempt has been made to influence or
affect the vote OF any Congressman by any inn
proper rs IS unqualinedly false.
IT is charged that We are 'peddllng bonds and
an alleged prospectus u this is given in support
OF the assertion. This is equally false. Every
bond OF this company was subscribed for months
ago. and security Of the company has ever been
listed on the Stock Exchange OF this or any other
city The prospectus printed in The sun
never issued by This company. and know nothing
whatever abou- Il; but n Is perfectly true that We
expect both our stock and bonds to become
more valuable We to-day ndepend mt OF Gov
eminent contracts The postal business if not one
tenth as important 70 us a. our commercial de-
partment
Mr. y o Mills is mentioned likewise The Trip-
une Mr. Mills il Interested in our securities but N
comparatively small way His holdings in the com
pany do not amount to more than 5000" in
capitalization Of over E00,re. He has nothing
whatever to do with the management Of the com
hi Daf1 Hac mad
single security Of any kind and has more TO do
with the management Of the Tubular Dispatch
Company than ! have had to DO with The Tribune
since my resignation from the staff nearly a year
ago
Even more ridiculous is the attempt to make it
appear that the late Second Assistant Postmaster
General Mr. Nelson or Postmaster-General Gary
Is responsible for the $4,000 appropriation for
pneumatic tubes That appropriation was made
by the last Congress during Mr.. Clevelands term.
and passed both houses without single dissent
ing vote 7, was made in Difference TO the publ
demand for more rapid transportation Of mails In
New-York Philadelphia and Boston II to be
used in the discretion OF the Po-tmaster-Genaril
Mr. Nelson was IN favor Of the appropriation: bur
not he more than Mr. Maxwell OF this STATE who
was then The Fourth Assistant POstmaster-i neral
Neither Of these gentlemen was any more friendly
disposed to he proposition than had been their preie
cessors in office for the preceding years General
Tyner who was Postnaster-General under Grant.
recommended the pneumatic service 50 did all
those who came after him Postmaster-C ieae-al
Wanamake- opened the system In Philadelphia.
where II has been in operation half a doz,n years
In fact the Government Ia. been all these years
trying to get New-York capitalists Interested in the
enterprise All that we have done IS simply TO
carry on, what the Government wanted unle~ the
circumstances We have undertaken TO give New
York pneumatic service superior 10 that Of Paris
London. Berlin. Vienna any other city In the
r,a.fI he cff, for he of he.
streets. and the Government Is paying ar
nual rental for this service. That 4. all there is
about II
reference Is made 10 dinner, TO lobbyists given
I'm Washington for the purpose OF Influencing Con |
gressona action. and a threat is made about dis
closing the name. OF these gentlemen ! Will not |
pat The Sun 10 the trouble. will tell the whole
story myself and cheerfuy. too I did have an ex-
-eilent dinner at the Arlington Hotel in Washing |
ton last Wednesday evening I sat down with |
fourteen OF these bold. bad men. They included |
Senator Carter. formerly chairman of the Repub-
lean National Committee. ex-Post master-General |
Villas William Pollock. one Of the most prominent
business men OF New-Orleans. Congres man
wheeler Of Alabama; Congressman Catchngs. of
Mississippi Private" John Allen. Of the House OF
rcs.utatives, g. Batcheler. the inventor OF
the Ratchener - stem. which use. John e. cal
houn one Of the best-knowu and most successful
Of business men Of the Southern States since the
war; senator Money. Of Mississippi; Congressman
Nahoney Congressman Livingston. ex-senator
Rutler General Hunton and Mr.. Parker
There was not the slightest privacy about the
dinner The junior Senator from New-fork Mr..
Thomas g. Plat. who stood I'm the hallway. keep
ing tai % attending the dinner was bic to
every person present and in a position 10 overhear
all the speeches Some OF the congressman wanted
20 know about our system. and Mr.. Batcheller
explained It's workings. We have contracts with
the Government and ! go 10 Washington when
haVa GF H.
Ing MYSTERIOUS about my visits TO Congress and
N. departrent Why should there be- The
people who have invested their money in this en-
terprise are among the most reputable citizens.
They ask nothing improper from the Government;
never have. and never Will
Of