The San Francisco call., 1898-03-18
Charges That Editor De Young Does Not Re-
 spect the Laws.
New York Herald News Pur- chased by The Gall Stolen
 by the Chronicle.
AN IMPORTANT ACTION.
Federal Courts Win Dec ide Whether Publishers Can Claim
 Protection.

Attorney Horace G. Platt yesterday filed a bill in equity for James Gordon Bennett in the United States Circuit Court. It is against M. H. de Young, and is for the purpose of enjoining the Chronicle from publishing news that has been copyrighted by the New York Herald.
 It is set forth in detail that the Chronicle has a correspondent in New York who secures an early edition of the Herald each day, and telegraphs the leading news therein to the Chroni- cle here, in spite of the fact that the convright laws make such flching of news unlawful
 It is stated that the Herald is copy righted each day, and that the differ ence in time between New York and San Francisco enables the New York correspOndent of the Chronicle to clip the news and file it as telegram, or, in some cases, to rewrite the items and send them forth as if they were the original dispatches of the correspond ent.
 Speaking of the action yesterday At torney Platt said: This is one of the first and most important newspaper cases ever brought under the copyright laws It is based on the fact that copy righted news is property and that newspaper may properly come under the protection of those laws. The ob- ject of the suit is to prevent the Chron- icle from publishing anything taken from the Herald, whether the same is in the exact words of the Herald, or INl oI4 haIY hnn made by the correspondents and editors of the Chronicle. We hold that the law is broad enough to give us this protec- ton, and if it is enforced in this and other cases it will compel newspapers to hire their own neWsgathererS or pay other papers for the use of the service. The Chronicle at one time had busi- ness arrangement with the Herald by which it obtained the Heralds news. It was deprived of the ser vice, and it has now discov- cred cheaper way to get the same news. It is that method which we seek to stop. The Call now owns the exclusive right to use the Herald S news, having a contract granting it full privileges. If there is no way to stop the appropriation of such news the Herald's contract to supply exclusive news is dead letter. absolutely void and useless. The courts will be called upon in this suit to pass on the entire case.''
 The complaint goes into detail as to the particular piracy that was in vio- lation of the rights of complainant, as guaranteed by the laws of the United States. Some of the more important items thus wrongfully pirated and re- produced in the Chronicle are enumer- ated as follows: On December inn pOrtant news cabled to the Herald from Paris, particularly exclusive news from the Figaro; on December ' im- portant news from Hayti, regarding German diplomacy; important news from December to date concerning important foreign news, especially mat ters pertaining to the condition of the Cubans. The allegations cover hun dreds of leading articles of news, all revamped in such way as to leave no doubt as to the source from which the news was obtained.
 It is also alleged and brought forth in detail that the Chronicle for a long period of time preceding it's unlawful acts recognized the fact that the Her aid was the true owner of the copy lighted news, as 1t paid for the use of the same, and in every way recognized the rights of property under the copy right law. It is also shown that the Chronicle has reaped large financial DeneHtS 1foIu us IduuuleHl use oL the news owned and controlled by the Her aid.
 The prayer concludes with a request that the Chronicle be enjoined and pre- vented from selling or exposing for sale any copy of it's newspaper con- taining any pirated news, and that all reporters editors and workmen on the paper be forbidden to do any act that will cause a perpetration of the fraud.
 In conclusion it is requested that the stereotyped plates of all issues of the paper of the dates named be delivered to an officer of the court to be can- celed and destroyed.
 The bilIe is accompanied by an afff davit from John D. Spreckels to the effect that he bought the sole right to use the Herald news service on No vember 13, and that the Chronicle has consistently refused to notice any re-