The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-08-26
HENDRICKS HELD IN BAIL.
He Is Charged with Sending an
Anonymous Letter Through the
Mails to Hon. P. e. Timlin.

II. A. Hendricks, of Jermyn, was yes.
terday held in $500 bail by Alderman
Nj. j. Ruddy on a charge Of mailing q
lbelous letter to Hon. p. Il. Timlin
former member of the Legislature from
the Fourth district of this county.
Mr.. Timlin lived in Jermyn until d
few weeks ago when he moved to Car.
bondale. He is a young man and a
member of the Lackawanna bar. Mr.
Hendricks has been resident OF
! Jermyn for ten years, Is engaged In
business there and is counted one OF
the towns best known citizens. He Is
now engaged in desperate battle with
Mr. Timlin for the Democratic nomin-
alton for the legislature. The primaries
will take place this afternoon and the
battle leading up to them has been
very exciting. 1t has been the cause of
bad blood between the two men al
though not the inception of the trouble
between them.
On Aug. IA, Mr.. Tmlin alleges that
he received an anonymous letter
though the mails which denounced him
in bitter language, referred to him as
corrupt in politics and said many other
unpleasant thing about him.
l
ing the source from which the letter
came and after comparing it closely
with letters he had received from Mr..
Hendricks he came to the conclusion
that the latter was the man who wrote
the letter and accordingly on Saturday
Swore out Il warrant before Alderman
| Ruddy for his arrest.
The hearing was fixed for 3 o'clock
| h,,t r
4:3O when the defendant put in his APP
pearance. He was represented by At
torney John j. Murphy and the defen-
dant by Attorney Fl. D. Carey.
| Mr.. Murphy said to fully establish
! their case it would be necessary to
have an expert in handwriting to pass
upon the letter, and he asked that the
| case go over until today to give them
an opportunity to secure an expert. Mr..
Carey objected with vigor. They had
been summoned for hearing and were
| ready to proceed. 1t would be unjust
| to compel them to come around today.
| The primary election will be on today
and Mr.. Carey said it was for the pur-
| pose of annoying and bothering Mr..
Hendricks and keeping him away from
| the fight for representative that 1t was
| proposed to continue until today.
In no sense was that their intention.
| Mr. Murphy said, and as an evidence of
| their good faith would proceed to give
their side of the case in the absence of
the expert reserving the right to call
the expert later
Mr.. Timlin was called and testified to
the receipt of the letter and having
compared it with letters he had receiv-
ed from Mr.. Hendricks. He was con-
vinced that the latter was the author
of the letter. Mrs. Timln. mother of
the prosecutor also testified that she
was familiar with Mr.. Hendricks hand
writing and was convinced that he was
the person who wrote the anonymous
letter.
Thomas Walkey. formerly postmaster
of Jermyn was sworn but could not
thrown much light on the authorship of
the letter. Mr.. Hendricks the defend
ant was then put on the stand and
denied having had anything to do with
the writing or mailing of the letter in
question.
Mr.. Murphy asked that the defendant
be bound over for his appearance at
court and Mr.. Carey objected to this
saying a case had not been made out
and that at all events there was no libel
for the essence of libel is publication
and there was no publication in this
case until Mr.. Timlin had himself made
known the contents of the letter.
The alderman decided that there was
sufficient evidence in the case to bind
for court and accordingly held Mr.
Hendricks in $500 bail. His attorney
"a ma hS bOpdcp1ap