The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-25
SCANDAL SOURCES
Barred IN COURT
Town Topics Contributors Named,
Including One Who Drove
Travers to- Suicide. =

]. New York, Jan. 225. The defense in
the trial of Norman Hapgood, editor Of
Golfers Weekly, charged with criminal
libel in publishing g paragraph relating
to the connection Ct City Magistrate
tinues to introduce testimony as to the
methods employed by Town Topics in
securing it's news matter and gossip,
along with the experience Of several
men Of prominence in dealing with pub
LEGATIONS concerning them in that paper.
Charles S: Wayne, formerly managing
editor of the periodical, testified at
length. He said that Recorder Golf and
Justice Van Brunt Of the appellate ,divi-
icised in Town Topics while Justice
Deuel. was connected with the publica-
ton.
6 who wrote the articles that caused
Billy Travers to commit suicide9'
asked District Attorney William TRAY
ers jerome for the prosecution.
8 Rowe, the Newport correspondent
witness replied. s'
From Mrs. Goelet's Servants.
Wayne said that Burton Harrison
wrote an article for the Christmas num-
Der of Town Topics; that Abraham
Hummel, the lawyer, contributed social
matter; Mrs. Simmons was contribut
or; Mrs. Goelet s servants furnished in
formation thru Rachael Techman; Mrs.
George Kemp furnished information
about herself; Rev. Q. De Lyon Nichols
news about Newport society and Of
anonymous paragraphs under the head
OF . SaunteTlng S. -
The witness thought Town Topics
had contributors at the Knickerbocker,
Metropolitan and University clubs, but
he did not remember who they were. All
the contributors were paid, he said.
He said that Justice Deuel. was pres
emit when the article was prepared for
publication in Town Topics in which
was described an imaginary visit by
God to Manhattan island, and his dis
covery that it was a place of lost souls.
Source Ct Newport News
Robert E. Rowe, who gave his occu-
| patton as Newport correspondent of
| Town Topics, later was called to the
stand. He said he had been q telegraph
operator at Newport and admitted he
had given the news secured by. reason
Of his occupation as telegraph operator
to Town Topics. He said he had dis.
guised himself as a violin player in or.
/ der to get into the duchess of, Marlbor-
! ough s ball at Newport to report it fol-
Town Topics.
Other witnesses were Bernard N. Ba
ker Of Baltimore, formerly president OF
the Atlantic Transport company, who
declared that annoying articles CONCERN
/ ing him, did not appear in Town Topics
I during the time his company advertised
in the publication.
Harry F. Lehr was the next witness
It was stated that he testified at his
own request.
/ He said that Town Topics had beer
printing articles about him ever since
| he came to New York eight years ago
+ subsequent to- his marriage in 1901
Lehr said, he went to see Colonel Man,
I at his office and asked him to omit hi
4 name in Town Topics, explaining tina
| the attacks IN the paper were extremel,
distastefu1 to himself, and to his wife. "
!. ~ Collier on the Stand.
Robert C9llieE4 manager and pub
! Usher Of Collier S W eekly, was the frs
TN o S 1904. s'e COPY Sad Of Tow,
Topics was delivered at my house, am
I saw in 1t an article referring to Mis-
Alice Roosevelt, only by her first name
When | went down to the office I Gale
Hapgood's attention to that article an
! told him thought it was the viles
! article ever printed in any NEWSPAPER
J about it. He did so, an editorial heat
) ed, The Most Degraded Paper in tn
; United States. ~
= "Hapgood, in his article, howeve
J did not name the paper, but when
J read the proof I wrote in. the nam
! Town Topics, telling Hapgood at til
same. time that my action would doub
less involve us in personal abuse. -
Another Editorial.
. After the arrest Of Charles Able, tt
solicitor, Mr.. Collier said Mr.. Hapgoo
wrote another editorial. and while /
3 was doing SO Mr.. Collier told him t
J, say in it that it. was disgrace Fl
= any judge to be connected with Tow
:, Topics. .:s
y before the article about Miss sRooseve
> appeared in Town Topics, a series
= articles containing unpleasant thin,
|, about the witness was published
r, Town Topics. Mr.. Collier said he W,
!, Indifferent to what Town Topics sa
b about him. The meaning Of the ed
8 torial on which the complaint Of lib
: was based he said, was that Tow
Topics was engaged in the business
Matchmaking. 8 Fads and Fancies,"
= said, brought that aspect of the pub
J cation more forcibly, to his mind.
y Mr.. Jerome asked Mr.. Collier If
:. u knew that President Roosevelt al
~ Grover Cleveland were to be subscri
10 ers to and have their names in Fa
= and Fancies,' to which he replied TIL
T. he did not know it.
1 Hapgood on Stand.
re
le Norman Hapgood was then called
the stand. ~ believe you are the
% fendant, altho am not certain sa
is Mr.. Shepard. Mr.. .Hapgood admit,
id it. He described the circumstances
ID tending the writing of the editorial
# which libel action was based as relat
ee by Mr.. Collier, and said that he wro
So the various articles about Town Topi
At as a public duty. In reply to questio
}, by District Attorney Jerome, Mr.. Ha
st good said he understood the. scheme
I, Town Topics was to blackmail. He
>, not think that eminent people. we
n dubbed into !" Fads and Fancies. \
Jerome showed the witness a lett
which he did not read, but which pl
Is ported to relate to the admissible
Of President Roosevelt's name in