Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-11

stove and a landlord, a rental of s.
month per room being collected by the re-
lief corporation. Those who have been liv-
ing in tents for the last six months have
not suffered many hardships from incle-
ment weather, but they are reported as
greatly pleased when they are able to oc-
cupy one OF the cottages.
Suing the Editors.
An almost forgotten section OF the penal
CODE known as the signature law" which
provides that all newspaper articles tend
ing in any way to impeach the honesty or
integrity of any person must he published
with the writer's signature thereto, has
been revived by the filing OF two suits
for 1900 each against r. A. Crothers
and Fremont Older, publisher and man.
aging editor, respectively, Of the Bulletin.
The suits were filed by Bertram NJ.
Meadly and are based upon editorials pub
lished in the Bulletin on October and 9.
The editorial Of October 5, in which Abra-
ham Ruef has already caused proceedings
to be commenced against r. A. Crothers
for criminal libel, connects Ruef with al
legged grating in the acquisition oe a mu-
nicipal water supply, and also mentions the
name OF VIII s. Tevis, president OF the
Bay City Water company. The article Of
October 9 is headed, ''Boodlers Cannot Hide
Behind the Shield Of Abuse"
Section $50 of the penal code, passed by
the legislature In 1899 provides that all ar
ticles in which any dishonest acts are at
tributed TO any person or in which any
suggestion is made which might be in
furious to character must, when published
In a newspaper, bear the signature Of the
author.
A failure to do this, according to the law,
is subject to a forfeit or penalty Of $1,000
for each such article, which may he sued
for and recovered through civil action by
any one who wishes to bring such action,
regardless of personal connection with the
case. If the forfeit is recovered the plaintiff
retains half and is to pay the other half
into the state treasury.
Crime and Graft.
The only disturbing feature Of the sit
uation in San Francisco is the comparative
freedom enjoyed by desperadoes in COM
hitting robbery and murder and the dis
covery of widespread graft in official cir
Giles. Organizations of citizens determined
to exterminate both have produced a
wholesome effect on the highwaymen, and
action against official highwaymen is pro-
ceeding with determined vigor in the courts
The reign of crime is very injurious to
business. Women are afraid to go out
shopping. The theaters are almost empty
as very few persons care TO expose them
selves TO being robbed or killed on their
return from the show The clubs are
poorly attended, and those who do attend
spend much of their time discussing the
situation and examining their companions
weapons.
The street cars run up and down the
streets almost empty during the day and
actually empty after dark. Even owners
of automobiles are afraid to venture out
at night as several OF these vehicles have
been stopped and their occupants robbed
Of their possessions.
The residents Of the suburbs stay away
from both San Francisco and Oakland
on account of the reign of terror. Those
who venture out of their homes to at
tend to business which cannot be neglected
return as quickly as possible without lin
gerlng at stores or show windows to see
or examine wares.
The wholesale hardware men and deal
ers in firearms say that within ten days
5000 revolvers were sold within the borders
of San Francisco alone. This shows, per-
haps, better than anything else how
alarmed the residents Of this city are on
account of the activity of the gas pipe
bridage," as the robbers and murderers
are called in the local papers.
Women fear TO wear jewelry, men do
not carry either money in large amounts or
wear gold watches. There il not a vacant
safe deposit vault either in San Francisco
or Oakland, as all of them have been
rented by persons who do not wish to take
chances IN keeping their yaluabIes at home.
sample of Public Graft
In addition TO the detailed charge Of hold
ing up the United steets Railway company
for $4,000 some say $4,000. for the right
to change from the cable to the electric