The Sunday globe., 1901-06-02
THAT LIBEL SUIT
OF Mrs. Victoria Alexander AgainS'
The GlObe's Editor.
TAKEN UNDER CONSIDERATION
By Justice Scott and Decision Reserved Until
Next Week-Ths Proceedings COIOresS ES-
uept tfort the BIathsrskltIng Of MuIIOwney and
His Dressing Down by Attorney SmIth-Mfs
Alexander In Court

The libel suit of Mrs. Victorine Alex
ander was given an airing before His
Honor Justice Scott yesterday morn
inc in the police court. Victor Becker,
Mrs. Alexander. and Chief of Division
johnson were present, and were the
three star witnesses for the Government
Prosecutor Mullowney represented the
federal authority, and Messrs. l.. G. Will
hanson and c. Maurice Smith stood up
for the defendant
After the reading Of the alleged libel
by Mr.. Mullowney Mrs Alexander took
the witness chair and testified that she
was informed by other employees Of the
office that there was an article in that
sheet" dndicatng a copy Of The Globe)
and having procured a copy she read the
article and consulted her chief (Mr
Johnson) after which she caused the
arrest of the defendant, etc.
Mr.. Smith cross examined Mrs. Alex
ander and that lady stated that her hus-
band was dead that she had married
only once and that she was now widow.
She also stated that she was the only
widow with the initials V A. in her di.
vision.
Asked If she ever ticlilcd Mr.. Holman's
chin She promptly answered;
1T is u he.
She deuied either tickling his chin lay
ing her hands on him in any manner or
even touching him with pen or pencil.
Counsel did not ask ii Mr.. Holman ever
tickled her chin, or touched her with his
fingers, etc.
Mr.. Victor Becker testified that he mar
ried Mrs AleXander's sister; that he was
therefore. her brotherin law, and that he
had purchased "A copy of The Sunday
Globe in the Office of publication.
Big Chief johnson next took the stand
and then the fun commenced. At the
first question he played the baby act and
asked the courts protection because he
was addressed by "a police lawyer
The Judge protected him and ignored
his reflection on Mr.. Smith, than whom
no attorney stands higher at the bar
Mr.. Johnson was prodded with a ques-
ton touching the tavoritism he practiced
in designating clerks for promotion, but
after a screeching TRADE Of abuse Of The
Globes editor by Prosecutor MullOwney,
the court, lawyers and spectators all for
got the question and Mr.. Johnson took a
nap in the witness chair.
Finally the Judge ruled that the de-
fendanJ's counsel could not mine for any
information in Mr. Johnson's ponderous
COIDeIOSlNy duu bllt slJSGldlble CIV llhNAA
ast0uished as they came to hear 'all
about il,
Mr.. Smith properly rebuked the prose
cutor and caused him to blush (this is
slightly exaggerated) at his knowingly
wrong deduction that the article was a
libel on the lady instead of on Castle,
johnson, and Holman.
The lady is not libeled," said Mr..
Smith. "even if she is the person deS
ignated by the initials V. A., and that
such fact is proven, but the men whose
names are mentioned, and who are
charged with violation of the Civil Serv.
ice law, are arraigned, and the man who
has done it has the courage NJ his con,
victions. You can not throw dust in the
eyes of the public by putting forward
this woman, behind whose alleged ini-
tials cringingly hide Castle, johnson,
and Holman They are the men this
article is after, and not any woman,
widow or otherwise.
Mr.. Mullowney squirmed and objec ed
and the Judge again sustained him. FL
nally, after an hour of this kind of by
play, the court took recess until l p m,
At p m. the hearing was resumed
and Mr.. MullOwney addressed the court
requesting that the defendant be held tt
the grand Jury. In doing so he again
went out of his way. after the manner o.
petty officials of his class, to libel The
Globe and its editor, but his remarks fel
fiat, and even Judge Scott had to inform
him that denunciatiOn was not testimony
or fact
When the prosecutor closed Mr.. g.
Maurice Smith addressed the court and
spoke substantially as follows: "The men
who are hiding behind the pettcoats OF
this emotional woman are after the man
ner OF the class described by the prose
cutor, towards pure and simple. They
dare not come from cover and appear
here in their righliul place as the prose.
Cutors.
1--WE have class of papers who de.
fend the public and expose wrong doing.
The men who edit them and take the re.
sponsibiity of showing up nepolsm and
favortism in the departments are not
popular, and necessarily are not favor
ties of this government attorney. But
these editors are brave, honest fearless
men Of iron nerve and determined
resolution. Such person is my client
aud such newspaper is The Sunday
Globe The greatest crime nowadays is
to tell the truth. The man who under
takes to expose wickedness must expect
the hostility ofthe class he assails. What,
your honor, becomes Of the old soldier 5
chances, the virtuous womans chances
and the deserving young cerk's chances
for promotion in he departments or divis
ions where nepolism and favoritism pre-
vail We charge Castle, Johns1nand Hol
man, with other chiefs and heads Of iepart
ments, with this ofiense Why do they
not come forward il innocent and
arrest their acCuser Here he stand
ready and willing to take the witness
stand now, II your honor will permit
him (Mr Mullowney, | ObiecD and make
truthful statement and expose Of thi.
whole matter. OF course the prosecutor
objects, 50 does Castle johnson, Holman
and the remainder Of the department
chiefs and appointing officers, guilty o
this nepotism, but they put forward 1
woman as having been libeled for tick
ling one Of them under the chin Wha
criminal oifense is here charged even !
the allegations of the warrant are true
Have you ever been tickled under tn,
chin, Mr. Prosecutor suddenly said Mr.
Smith.
mo, sir, " snapped the prosecutor.
"Well, If any woman tickled you undel