Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-25
BLACK CABINET WORK
Helped Col. Mann Gather News
and Cash.
ONE WAS A PREACHER
Another a Fiddler Who Didn't
Fiddle.
ALL OUT FOR THE HARD CASH
Family Skeletons Bought and Sold
Harry Lehr, Wine Agent, on
the Stand.

The interior mechanism of Town Topics,
that automatic money-coining machine
operated by Col William D. Mann and his
silent partner. Judge Deuel., was exposed to
the public gaze at yesterdays session of
the trial Of Norman Hapgood, Golfers edi-
tor. for libeling the canny justice. APP
parently vaudeville has taken a back seat
in the list of amusements, as compared
with the trial, and those who have once
seen the thrifty colonel squirm under the
cross-examner's lash and have heard how
he had performed a continuous perform
ance Jack Horner act. with checks instead
OF plums. become regular attendants
The testimony late yesterday afternoon
was especially interesting, for it dealt al
most entirely with the Town Topics black
cabinet" the members of the staff Of tip
sters whose information kept the publfca-
ton supplied with scandal which served
sometimes for publication and oftener as
the snews of war. 1t was shown that
Town Topics, like a giant octopus, has a
tentacle reaching into every social center,
large and small, important and unimpor-
tant, SO that the least disturbance or di-
vergence from the strictly orthodox he
came Immediately known where it would
do the most good. Lawyers and scullery
maids clergymen and telegraph operators,
fddlers and society people We're members
of the papers black cabinet. And them of
course there was staff but 1t appears
from the testimony that this department
of the paper was comparatively unim-
portant.
There was the usual contribution in the
course OF the days incidents to show that
the colonels trenchant pen had been a
powerful persuader in inducing men and
women of wealth to subscribe to the now
famous Fads and Fancies. There was
testimony as to the various and devious
methods by which business was done.
Always for Cash.
Harry Lehr contributed to the gayety of
the occasion by taking the stand and CIV
ing his story. G.. Creighton Webb followed
him with his narrative of dealings with Col.
Mann. Bernard F. Baker, president of the
Atlantic Transport Line, gave a specific re-
cital of how he had been bulldozed, II no
stronger word is to be used, into giving
Town Topics an advertisement. Edwin M.
Post also told of his experiences with rep
resentatives of the paper, but, on the whole,
the interesting, amazing revelation of the
day was to the wonderful organization
for penetrating to the very fresides of peo-
pie, barring the heart secrets of families and
trading in them as commercial commodities
Did any of these people send you this
stuff out of desire to shine literary or
was 1t for the hard cash?' asked District
Attorney Jerome of Charles Stokes Wayne,
for many years editor of Town Topics.
always for, cash." replied Mr. Wayne.
This brief sentence apparently summed
up the whole situation and showed that a
sordid arrangement existed for trading in
personal scandal and family skeletons.
Harry Lehr a Witness.
Incensed by the assertion that he had fur
nished information concerning social events
to Town Topics, Harry Lehr, for years one
of the most prominent figures in the exclu-
sive society set, appeared as a witness yes
terday and denied Mr.. Wayne'S assertion
that he had been one of Town Topics tip
sters.
His appearance was the event of the day
even though many other men in the -Four
Hundred and others whose testimony was
considered of the utmost Importance were