The Lamar register., 1906-01-31
BAD NEWSPAPERS
SCORED BY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
JEROME IN LIBEL SUIT.
Jury ACQUITs DEFENDANT
Suit of Justice Deuel. of Town Topics
Against Editor Hapsood of Golfers
Weekly Proves to Be a Boomerang.

Against Editor Hapgood of Golfers
Weekly Proves to Be a Boomerang.
New York-An unusually sensa.
tional trial came to an end Friday
when jury in the criminal branch of
the Supreme Court reported that Nor.
man Hapgood, editor of Collier
Weekly, was not guilty of criminal
libel. The case had been on trial sew
eral weeks. The verdict was rendered
ten minutes after the case had been
given to the jury.
The charge against Mr.. Hapgood
was brought at the instigation of JUS
tice Joseph NJ. Deuel. of the Court of
| Special Sessions, and was based upon
an editorial in which the editor criti-
| cised Justice Deuel. for his connection
with Town Topics
The plea of District Attorney Jer.
ONE, the prosecutor, was amusing in
its bias for the defendant
The real interest in the case was due
to the fact that the names of scores
of persons of the highest social and
financial standing became involved
through the efforts of the defense to
prove that the statements contained in
the alleged libel were correct and
some of the inner workings of Town
Topics, weekly publication which cir
culated extensively in social circles,
We're laid bare.
1t was in this connection and also
through testimony concerning a linn
tied edition book which bore the title
''Fads and Fancies' that the names
of prominent persons became involved.
"Fads and Fancies" was sold to sub
scribers at $1,000 or more per copy
Il will not attempt to disguise from
YOU the utter loathing and contempt l
feel for some of the witnesses whom !
myself have introduced declared Dis
trict Attorney Jerome to the jury in
his argument for the prosecution.
For more than two weeks we have
been wandering through Vanity Fair"
said Mr.. jerome, witnessing exhibit
tions of human weakness and folly and
in some instances of human degrada'
tion."
Continuing, Mr.. Jerome said:
Now, let us see the character OF
this paper (referring to Town Topics).
Mr.. Shepard has told you that Colonel
Mann has stated that 1t was the nat
ural evolution of personal journalism
If that is true, 1t ought to be applicable
to more than one daily paper in New
York whose trend is that way. There
is scarcely a morning paper that does
not print vile scandals and obscene
matter. | don't see what interest arti
cles relating to the adultery of this OF
that person have for you and me.
Does II serve as a useful purpose:
Is 1t other than filth? 1t is put there
for no other purpose than that of pay
ing dividends to the stockholders. The
average newspaper is run from the
counting room standpoint. Many OF
the advertisements are but a corrup
ton fund to induce quiet about this
that or the other This is not pleas
ant statement to make, but IL you ask
the average newspaper man why Ger
tain paper let up on a certain PROPOSE
tion, his reply will be why, didn't you
see that ad of so and so?'
"These papers haven't yet reached
the condition that, this vile sheet has
reached / am not here to justify Town
Topics.
Classification of the editorial de
nouncing Justice Deuel. Mr.. Jerome
said, means that Deuel. was part
owner of the paper, censor and revisei
of proof, and that the paper which he
edited in part eXtorts money and prints
scandal. 1t is alleged that he threat
cned to make public the family skele
tons of society people unless given
money!
In closing, Mr.. Jerome said:
"The defendant in this case is an
old-time friend of mine. Only the best
of motives could have actuated him IN
writing these articles from informa
ton obtained by talk from me.
"In measure / was the expurgated
author. talked to him honestly and
,l1 hi I nf
les. But he did not violate my conf
dence. His actions throughout this
whole pi oceeding have indicated firm
ness of professional honor. He did not
even reveal to his counsel the talks
that he had with me until | suggested
1t to him. If people had the courage to
come into court, this scandalous paper
would have been wiped off the earth
long ago.
II think in your deliberations the
question you will turn on is that of JUS
tification. and whether Hapgood wrote
the article with good intentions. The
gist of it will be. was there reasonable
ground for arraigning judge as al
blackmailer?'
Justice Fitzgerald then charged the
jury.
The jury was out about ten minutes,
returning with verdict of not guilty.
Colonel Mann, editor of the Town
Topics, who was present when the yer
dict was announced. said that he had
nothing to say regarding the verdict
but that he had brought civil suit
against Golfers.
AS Mr. Mr.. Hapsood left the room
District Attorney Jerome, who con
Quoted the case against him, slapped
him on the shoulder, saying:
MY dear old man, l am very much
pleased that 1t turned out as 1t did
They left the court room together