New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-07-06
ON THE PACIFIC SLOPE.
THE GOVERNORS LIBEL SCIT-COUNT-
ING THE MONEY IN THE MINT-SUNI-
MER SCHOOL OF THE UNINERS-
ITY OF CALIFORNIA

San Francisco July mo case in the courts
of California for years has attracted so much
attention the criminal libel suit brought
by Governor Gage against John d. SpreCkels
the proprietor of The San Francisco Call" and
w. ). Leake, the mana gins editor. The Governor
in his complaint declared that he had been
vicously maligned and hello up to public scorn
and contempt an alleged participator in fraud
ulent orders for supplies by the wardens of
the San Quentin Prison. The CALI printed
facsimiles of bills for table delicacies and sup
plies sent to the warden's household which
charged in vouchers as material for con-
vict shops. AS Governor Cages family were
guests of the warden at times The Call" de-
clared he was an indirect beneficiary in frauds.
Although all the State prison accounts and all
witnesses were in San Quentin or San Francisco,
the Governor saw fit TO bring his libel suit be-
fore a justice of he peace at San Pedro. the
seaport of Los Angeles. He claimed the right to
bring the action in Los Angeles County. five
hundred miles from the prison, because his legal
residence is in Downey, a suburb of Los An
geles. Spreckels and Leake arrested here
by the Los Angeles County Sheriff and gave
bonds in $500 each They were determined 10
have the suit tried in San Francisco where most
of the witnesses live and where books of San
Quentin can be produced without delay or ex-
here and brought libel action against the
newspaper proprietor and his managing editor,
and Police Judge Fritz has held that the suit
must be tried here next Wednesday. Meanwhile
Police Justice Downing. of San Pedro, has de-
clared the bonds of the defendants forfeited, and
has issued bench warrant for their appear
ance before him. This the defendants met with
habeas corpus proceedings. but the case has not
yet been heard here. The promises to de-
velop some fine points Of law, especially as the
defendants have General Barnes and E. F.
Preston as counsel The Governor claims that
Boardmans intervention is collision and in
tended 10 prevent the transfer of the case to
San Pedro If the trial really takes place in
San Pedro the unique spectacle will be pre-
scented of the Governor of California appear
ing in the court his own counsel to
secure the conviction of newspaper men who
have attacked him.
The Bankers Investment Company has pur-
chased the southeast corner of Geary-st and
Grant-ave for S195 900. AS the company al
ready owns the Grant-ave. corner of the famous
Blythe block. this purchase gives it the entire
block Grant-ave from Geary-st. TO Market
St. and 81 feet on Market-st. The total invest
ment has been 50. 695 600 and upon this fine plot
will be erected one of the largest hotels in the
city. The st. Francis is going UP rapidly at
Geary and Powell SITS, facing Union Square
Nearly the entire steel framework is completed
and story and half of stone is finished. The
pedestal Of the Dewey monument in the centre
of the square is in it's place. When this is sur
mounted by the huge bronze figure of victory it
will be the finest bit OF statuary in the city
Two important sales of real estate made
this week besides the noted. One was the
transfer of the Aronzen premises at the north
corner of Mission and New Anthony SITS. adjoin-
ing the Wells Fargo & Co.'S building, for $780,
900. The other the sale of the lot and old
buildings in Post-st., between the Crocker
Building and Mechanics Institute, for S17SO00
TO Joseph D. Grant, who will erect a fine Office
building.
Four officials of the Treasury Department are
now engaged in counting money in the San
Francisco Mint This is labor of three or
four weeks, as all the bags of coin must be
opened and the contents counted, well as all
the bars and ingots of gold and silver weighed
and valued. For the fiscal year ending June
last the Mint coined $50 SJ1 6S1 which is the
largest output record. except last years
coinage which reached the unprecedented fig
ure of SS0211 1926
One thousand students present at the
first meeting of the University of California
Summer School this week. Professor Josiah
Royce, of Harvard delivered the opening ad-
dress and compared the college of his time
twenty-five years ago. with the great university
of to-day. He paid an eloquent tribute TO Pro-
fessor Joseph LIE Conte, who died last year in
the Yosemite Valley Among those who will
deliver courses of lectures are Professor Bernard
Fernow, Of Cornell the forestry expert; Profess
RoVce and Professor Melbourne Green,