The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-12
BIDDERS FOR THE NEWS
LOCAL ATTORNEYS ARE REPRESENT
ING SEVERAL sYNDICATEs.
Mr.. Potts's Clients Would Not Support
Taggart Administered iOn-Major
Richards's Lease.

Representatives OF the capitalists who ex-
pect to bid at the sale of the News this aft
ernoon at o'clock on the south steps of
the courthouse were active yesterday. A
number of them called at the office Of the
receiver of the paper Hilton u. Brown.
They guarded their movements very care
fully. however, and 1t is not presumed that
any one bidder knows exactly who his COM
petitors will be. with the exception, OF
course, of William j. Richards and Delavan
Smith and Charles r. Williams, the present
owners Of the paper. The statement in the
Journal of yesterday morning that it was
we'll understood that Major Richards would
start a new paper if he failed to purchase
the News, and that he had secured an OPP
ton on plant at Burford's printing estab-
lishment and on news service from the
New York Sun, created considerable stir in
newspaper circles. Supplementary to this
information came the news that Maj. Rich
ards had also secured an option on a lease
of a business room with a Washington
street front, which is near the Burford plant
and which will be used as a counting room
In case the new paper is established.
Attempts to learn who will be the bidders
for the News besides Richards and Smith
and Williams resulted in obtaining little in
formation with the exception that Alfred
L. Potts announced that he would bid as
the representative of new organization.
Mr.. Potts declined to tell the names of the
persons he represents or whether It is
local or a foreign combination.
II have been engaged for many months
looking into the News investment for my
clients" said Mr.. Potts, land / am pre-
pared to bid to the full amount that We
think the paper is WORTH
IF you are successful" Mr.. Potts was
asked, will the new ownership change the
policy or the staff of the paper?"
1.-The paper would remain independent"
he replied "but several features Of it's pol
icy would be changed. The staff Of the pa
per would probably not be changed, with
the exception. likely. of the heads OF de-
partments."
would the paper continue to answering
ly support the present city Administrations"
was the next question.
well, it is to be hoped not" said Mr..
Potts, emphatically.
M'LEAN AS A BIDDER.
1t Is understood that the organization Mr..
Potts represents is one that was formed
about two years ago to start new after
noon newspaper here. Before the project
had proceeded to any extent Major Rich
ards filed suit against his partners, and
the prospective newspaper establishers de-
cided to wait for the sale OF the News. 1t
was said that John r. Mclean. owner of
the Cincinnati Enquirer, and alleged as
pirant for presidential honors. had decided
not to bid on the News because he had
failed to enlist Major Richards to continue
as business manager. Yesterday, however,
1t was suspected that Mr.. McLean's an
nouncement was blind and that his
rpn n fQh ftQF
noon with bid. Nathan Morris. it is un-
derstood, will represent company anx-
ious to own the News, and 1t Is not I'M
likely that the business manager of the Kan
making inquiries, will be a bidder for other
parties. 1t will not be surprising TO the
persons interested If the competition is
warm and the bidders not few.
Naturally, the outcome OF the sale is
looked forward to with intense interest by
the employees of the News, and they are sec
has been remarked that the sale will be at
tended with such a convention Of local
in as mas r. se
even in death" was attested yesterday in
the News office, when the reporters formed
a pool and registered l gpesses on the price
put in a quarter with his guess. Thirteen
guesses and thirteen quarters were gathered
In. The guesses run all the way from $3.50
OO0 to 100000 the more sanguine and the
most pessimis.ic Of the slaves being at
the extremes of the guessing. This morning,
1t is said. pool will be formed on the new
The arrangements for the sale have been
made. The receiver will read the order of
the court for the sale of the paper and then
the bidding will begin and continue until the
paper is sold. Each bidder must deposit a
check for $4,000 with the receiver when he
bids. These checks will probably not be
of the court must be secured on the sale be-
fore ii is valid.