Evening journal., 1899-06-09
LIBERTY or PRESS At STAKE
There are Now Ten Charges of Criminal Libel
Piled Up in Squire Kelleys Court--Mr. Ed
wards Bail is Now $9,OOo---The Squire is
Getting Tired of It.

Peter j. Ford secretary and treasurer
OF the schlhing Dry Goods Company,
with lts gambling department. yesterday
afternoon sworc out two more warrants
against tho editor OF the Evening Jour
nal. charging him with criminal libel, and
for a time % looked as though Mr.. Ed
wards would pass the night In New CAS-
tlc jail.
MIR Edwards got ZIP" about 81
O'Clock that there were more warrants
for him at Magistrate Kclloy's court, aud,
accompanied by William B. Clerk, he
presented himself before "his honor" at
about 015 o'clock. Mr, Edwards had
been held for bail in the sum Of 5000 on
eight other warrants for the same al
legged offonse-crlminal libcl-and made
an effort to have ban reduced in the two
new charges. He stated to "his honor
that the alleged of1cnse for which he was
held was only common law offensc
without a defined penalty. but that the
| charges preferred earlier IN the day
against officers OF she schinng Dry
Goods Company was for a violation OF
the statute wherein the penalty was pre-
scrlbed. that 'his honor" had asked only
5000 bail Of Schining and had required Of
Edwards $500 In each case
"His honor" refused to consider a re-
ductlon OF bail and further Informed Mr.
Edwards that hc was getting tired OF
} this thing" and that n any more Of these
warrants were issued from his court he
would double the bail and finished his re-
marks by declaring: And 1 will not take
Mr.. Clerk on these bonds. / do not pro-
pose to allow any OF your bondsmen TO
double up on your bond"
Mr. Edwards declared that Mr.. Clerk
was competent bondsman n0twith-
, standing he had gone on q BAN piece the
day before and demanded OF ''his nonor
that he swear MT Clerk. His honor
refused to do so and Insisted that Mr..
Edwards must get another bondsman
and gave him an hour in which to pro-
duce one. finally extending the time un-
IN S o'clock
u At first Mr. Edwards was disposed TO
refuse to offer other bail, but on advice
did ofer another property owner but "hs
honor" also turned him down. It was
then up to the squire to say whether Mr..
Edwards should go TO New Castle or not,
but his better judgment prevailed and he
lI utAANNA 10 Ahhf MI AfAMlAA7 hNtA ANl
the night and word was left for Mr
Z Clerk 20 the effect that "his honor" had
4 roconsidered his objection to Mr.. CLERK
and would take him. but this moming
p Henry ID. Hickman signed the bail pieces
4 The action In this whole affair has beer
D so one-sidcd as TO cause much unfavor
r able comment on Ford and his tactics
A and the public IS watching with interes
the outcome of this fght against an ag
= gravated case Of setting the law al de
b hance and using the justice Of the peace
d very broad authority and discretion IN 81
4 attempt TO choke off newspaper criticism
r on a plain violation OF the law.
Mr.. Edwards IS now held under $500
bail for appearance at the Court Of Gen
: eral Sessions, his bondsmen being Levi
C. Vandegrift. Samuel w. jackson. Johi
< sayers. William B. Clerk and Henry %
~ Hickman.
? Yesterday a story was circulated am9nl
y some OF Mr.. Edwards bondsmen TO tn
:, effect that Lewis c. Vandegrlft had beei
released from the bail pieces OF Mr.. Ed
wards, and that MIR. Vandegrift hai
thrown up Mr.. Edwards cases. One o
the bondsmen called up Mr.. Vandgrif
4 and received his assurance that ther
n was no truth In the report.
n 1t now looks as though there was de
4 termined effort to run Mr. Edwards on