The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-01-25
Town Topics Methods Are
Further Aired in Court
HARRY LEHR ON THE STAND
Telegraph Operator Tells How He At
tended Duchess of Marlborough
Ball at Newport Disguised
as a Violinst.

New York, January 24-The defensf )
the trial of Norman Hapgood. edito 8 !
Golfers Weekly, charged with crii -
libel in publishing a paragraph re , 8
to the connection of City Magistr q
seph M. Deul with Town Topic p :
tinued today with the lntrodu . = of
testimony as to the methods ed
by Town Topics in securing sws
matter and gossip along with L. xpe-
riences of men in dealings with publea-
tions concerning them in that paper.
Charles Swaine formerly managing edi-
tor of Town Topics, was again a witness
and testified at length. He said that Re-
corder Goff and Justice Van Brunt of the
appellate division of the supreme court
had been criticised in Town Topics, while
Justice Deul was connected with the pa
per.
who wrote the articles that caused
Bill Travers to commit suicide? asked
District Attorney Jerome of the prosecu-
ton.
Rowe. the Newport correspondent" !"
witness replied.
Disguised Himself as VioIInlst.
Robert Rowe who gave his occupation
as Newport correspondent of Town Top
les later was called to the stand. lie
said he had been a telegraph operator az
Newport and admitted he had given the
information secured by means of his
connection with the telegraph company
to Town Topics. He said also that
had disguised himself as a violin plA
in order to get int - Duchess of MAJ :
borough ball at s-ort to report 1t for
Town Topics.
Other witnesses today were B. N Baker
of Baltimore, former president of the
Atlantic Transport company, who de-
clared that annoying articles concerning
him did not appear in Town Topics dur
ing the time his company advertised In
the publication. Edwin NJ. Post a stock
broker, whose testimony was stricken out
by the court because it did not refer spe-
cially TO the case on trial; Harry Lehr,
who denied that he had ever given news
to Town Topics or its correspondents
and George Creighton Webb. The case
will be continued tomorrow when 1t is un-
derstood the defense will close.
Baker Is First Witness.
Bernard N. Baker of Baltimore was the
first witness to testify today Mr. Shep-
hard of counsel for the defense showed
to Mr.. Baker two copies of Town Top
tcs of December 10, 1898, and called his
attention to the item under the head of
saunterings," and asked If they referred
to Mr.. Bakers family. Mr.. Baker said
they did. Mr.. Sheppard then read them
to the jury. They referred to the bios
soming forth of Mr.. Bakers family into
Baltimore society. After reading the
item Mr.. Baker said he visited Colonel
Mann, editor of Town Topics, in his Of
flee. He had no acquaintance with Coz
onel Mann but introduced himself. Con-
tinuing, Mr. Baker said:
II saw Colonel Mann. We talked over
these Objectionable articles appsarng in
Town Topics and l said 1 wanted them
stopped. He told me that 1t was only the
best people who were mentioned in Town
Topics. He said that other steamship
lines had advertisements in Town Topics
and that my company ought to secure
one. He said that all steamship men
were after something and that / might
want something which Town Topics could
help me to get. He said there ought to
be reciprocity. / told him if he wanted
our advertisement he ought to say so.
HE said Town Topics had friends as
well as enemies.
Inserted the Advertisement.
Colonel Mann showed him the advertise
ment of the American line of steamers
and told him the Atlantic Transportation
company should be of equal size, said Mr..
| Baker. He then authorized the insertion
of the advertisement. The witness iden-
titled 1t in an issue of Town Topics of
| January 26
Did these articles referring to your
family cease after the insertion of the
advertisement asked Mr. Sheppard.
II think So" said Mr. Baker.
J The witness said the advertisement con-
tinued to be published in Town Topics
for about year.
Three years later, in 1901, items concern
| ing his family again appeared in Town
| Topics, said Mr.. Baker, and he consulted
counsel about stopping them. After that
the witness said Moses E. Wooster, the
agent visited him and asked him to sub
scribe to Fads and Fancies.
II was surprised that Town Topics
should ask me to subscribe" said Mr..
| Baker HE told me the subscription
| price was $500. Afterward he called
again, showed me copies of Town Topics
and told me the paper was saying pleas
ant things and that IL l would consult
Colonel Mann, | could find out what
wanted
Mr.. Baker said that on the second visit
Mr. Wooster showed him clippings from
Town Topics and again urged him to sub
| scribe to "Fads and Fancies," but he did
not do So After that the witness said
| more items about Mr.. Baker and his fam
lily appeared in Town Topics and Mr.
Baker went again to see Colonel Mann.
"He Informed me that there had beer
| definite change in the running of Towr
| Topics and that 1t was to be run on a
higher plane, because he was associated
with better people" said Mr.. Baker. q
! told him / wanted to be let alone and he
promised l would not be troubled again
| He again asked me to subscribe to Fads
and Fancies and said he was going tc
/ send a solicitor to see me. Irving after
wards called on me with a letter from Col
onel Mann"
! Irving told him In substance, the wit
ness said. that Colonel Mann would be
extremely sore" and that the friendship
of Town Topics was worth having.
Mr.. Baker refused again to subscribe te
Fads and Fancies. In May, 1902, Mr.. Ba-
ker said he had a third interview with
| Colonel Mann. HE. wanted to borrow
| money" said the witness. HE wanted
me to take five shares of Town Topics
| stock for s5O00 l said that l was not in
terested in Town Topics or its stock"
stock Broker Post Called.
| Mr.. Baker was excused and Edwin M
POST. a stock broker, was called. Mr.. Posi-
preferred charges of blacknlail against
| Charles Able, solicitor. for the publica-
ton called Americas Smart Set. Mr.