The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-25
THE LATE Mr.. KENNEY ..
(. HIS SUITS
Position Of "The Sun in the
Bank Expose Defined.
KENNEY AIDED WIN. N. BOGGS
Immediate Action in the Case In
spired by a Publication Of
One Jerome B. i.
,,, .... Ell. Bell. ,.,,... ...sU.

Responding to pressure United State
Senator Richard Rollins kenney ha
entered three suits charging crimina
libel. The defendants in these suits ar
Mr.. John II. Bateman, of the State Sen
tinel, Dover, Mr. E. Nj. Shilling, Bnsi
ness Manager, and Mr.. Congdon, til,
owner OF this paper.
The suit against Mr.. Bateman is a mat
ter in which the owner of this paper has
no concern; the suit against Mr.. Shilling
is farce. TIE third suit has been in
vited with more or less regularity since
December g. 1897, and, although belated
is still welcome. TAXI {!IE
The issue is this: The owner Of TIL
SrN has charged and does charge Rich.
ard Rollins kenney with having aided
and abettcd William N. Boggs in the
robbery OF the First National Bank ot
Dover, Delaware, in a sum exceeding
$780, 900. This charge has bcen published
and republished directly and indirectly,
specifically and generally, in this jour
1897. MIR. kenney has never before and
does not now enter specific deRals to
this specific charge
In view Of Mr.. kenney's suits, which
imply denial, an explanation from the
owner OF THE Sun is in order.
The motives OF Mr.. Cor gdon have been
questioned. His individual responsible
ity for the publications at issue have also
been questioned. Bad faith has been
charged, and all sorts of ridiculous state
ments have been circulated concerning
his whereabouts, acts and antecedents.
AS to the motives back OF the expose
made by THE Sun there is but one ex-
planation, i. e., the public welfare de-
manded it. - ~
Recognizing this high public duty; re-
alizing that this frightful crime had been
to all intents and purposes allowed to
pass unnoticed; that the perpetrators
were likely to 60 unpunished, that this
colossal steal was far reaching in its eff
feet, and that political and social pre-
feyment had come to those concerned the
need for action was apparent.
Immediate action in the case was in
splred wholly bva publication in the
Sunday Star, presumably from the pen
of one Jerome B Bell to the effect that
'the Farmers Bank at Georgetown,
Delaware, is holding worthless paper to-
dav given for cash that was paid out for
Democratic votes during the last ten
years This publication in the Sunday
Star has stood unchallenged, notwith-
standing the financial responsibility of
Mr. Bell. If Mr.. Bells publication was
a malicious lie, the duty of the officers of
the Farmers Bank and of the Governor
OF Delaware, who is indirectly an officer
Of the Farmers Bank, was clear. Mr..
Bell should nave been compelled to de-
fend his assertion in the proper court.
1t, on the other hand Mr.. Bells state
nent was true and is today true, then the
Farmers Bank OF Georgetown, Delaware,
should be closed pending an inves.iga-
ion by the proper officials. In other
words, ii the Farmers Bank of George
own, Delaware, has and does lend
money on worthless paper to anybody |
or any purpose, it is not safe institu-
ion and has not been for ten years, ac-
ording to Mr.. Bell.
That such remarkable assertion
hould 60 unchallenged in the open
ourts is of itself astounding. A bank is
opposed to be and ought to be safe re- I
'ository for money. II Mr.. Bells charge {
'e true the Farmers Bank of George
own, Delaware, is not such safe repOs-
tory. If Mr.. Bells charge be proved I
lie, Mr. Bell should be in the !
enitentary, his mental responsibility
eing first established. :
Besides this remarkable charge affect I
ng a leading bank OF the State OF Della /
'are the owner of THE Sun was advised +
t another bank robbery involving an
normous sum OF money, which occurred g
,me four years ago. Up to date nobody
as been punished for this crime. r
The suppression of the facts in this Sec :
nd bank robbery, Mr.. Bells charge and r
ne notorious scandal following the rob-
cry of the First National Bank of g
over, created state OF affairs demand. =
lg heroic action ON the part of some. +
ody. I
The situation, to sum up, wss this a
First-The First National Bank of q
over, Delaware, had been robbed by an h
ganized band in the sum of $lO7, 900
Second-.)erome B. Bells Sunday Star n
ublcly printed a paragraph charging ii
'e Farmers Bank of Georgetown, Della u
are, with holding worthless paper, h
)On which money had been advanced II
buy Democratic votes during the past n
II years.
Third-Another national bank in Della NJ
are had been robbed OF upwards of O
. 1000 and the fact OF the robbery con- of
aled from the public from the dav of Q, o.
e. robbery to this present writing, N
riod OF some four wears. ri
Fourth-Bank robberies in Delaware .,
We become quite numerous. ~
Fifth-Many of the banks in Delaware
We been taking much too active part NJ
the politics of the State. +.
Sixth-The political activity of certain st,
nks and the officers thereof have been fan
measure responsible ior the most Of
trageous political frauds that have ever NJ
Ken place in America.
The owner Of TIE SuN, without respect m
party, friend or foe, and without fear At
favor, came into Delaware as citizen on on
October |, 1897. At that time he had 20
t speaking acquaintance with dozen m, M
ople in the State, and is today wholly "a co