The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-22
PRESSURE PUT ON M. P s.
Cross-Exanination of Arthur Cham
berlain I'm His Suit for Libel.

berlain I'm His Suit for Libel.
LONDON, March 21.-The kings bench
division of the high court of Justice was
again the center of attraction today, ow-
ing TO the hearing of the libel actions
brought against the Star and the Morn
ing Leader by Arthur Chamberlain
brother to Joseph Chamberlain AMI Ne
VINE chamberlain, a son of Arthur
Chamberlain, in connection with charges
bearing on war office contracts, which
are being heard before the Lord Chief
Justice, Lord Aiverstone, the defendants
counsel pleading that the articles printed
were not libelous and were fair com
ment on matters of public interest. The
cross examination Of Arthur Chamber
lain was continued. He declared he had
formed the opinion that the main object
OF the articles was to villify his brother.
Joseph, In doing which they viIlided him.
though the papers one day disclaimer
the intention of imputing corruption and
dishonesty to Joseph Chamberlain. on
the following day they printed something
which was more libelous than ever. He
arthur Chamberlain) had not commune
Gated with the newspapers before bring
ing the action. He had consulted with
MI Joseph Chamberlain and the latter
took legal advice and told him that Moth
ing had occurred on which action was
malntafnable. To say, as the defendants
averred, that the Kinnochs were favored
by the government was Untrue ana libel
Gus. Mr. Arthur Chamberlain considered
that it would be dishonorable for him
to retrieve favoritism from the govern
ment.
Counsel for the defendants produced
letters purporting to have passed between
the kinnochs and the Nobels, by which
the former agreed to keep up the prices
Of The powder for which the latter had
made tender to the British government.
Arthur Chamberlain repudiated all knowI-
edge OF the letters. Subsequently he adj
mitted that there had been an agreement
In 1894 between the Kinnochs Nobels and
Ch1lworths, In regard to a fixed price for
cordite.
Counsel read the evidence given by the
Nobels' manager before the committee on
war office contracts to the effect that
Arthur Chamberlain told him he had per-
Sonal influence to secure contracts
In regard to the cordite contract Sc
cured for Arlxlow in 1888, Arthur Cham
berlain said he did not see any Irish
members Of parliament, but got local
pressure put on them by telling the work.
ing people that the shops would be closed
unless the contract was secured.
Here the lord chief justice interiecteS:
''You pulled the strings
Counsel read a couple of letters from
Arthur Chamberlain to the manager of
the ArKloW works, urging that local pres
sure be brought to bear on the Irish
members Of parliament and telling the
manager that William Field, member for
st. Patrick's division of Dublin, was about
to visit the works The manager was
invited not to say anything untrue, but
to select those truths which were most
illustrative of the advantages Mr. Cham
berlain brought to Arklow.
On further ss-examination, Arthur
a mutt cd hot fha
secured government orders for cordite
when their tenders were higher than
others.
The case was again adjourned.