New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-20
CAMPAIGN FUND PUZZLE
JEROME'S LIST SOUGHT.
Shearn's Quest Leads to Heated Per-
sOnaities at Hearing.

by Clarence ]. Shearn preliminary TO the trial
of Mr.. Jerome's libel suits for $250OO0 damages
against The New York American" and The
Evening Journal of William Randolph Hearst.
resolved itself yesterday into dispute as TO
whether Mr. Jerome could be forced TO produce
the list of the twenty-five hundred persons who
contributed about S95.OGO to his campaign fund
when he ran independently for reelection in
1898. Although Mr.. Shearn. $ counsel for Mr..
Hearst. and William Rand. jr-. counsel for Mr.
Jerome, talked long and earnestly on the ques-
tton there were grins the faces of the listen
ers at the hearing One man was willing TO bet
10 to that the list destroyed long ago by
Howard s Cans. who, with William F. King,
handled Mr.. Jerome's independent campaign
finances.
II was because OF the burning desire OF Mr.
Shearn 10 know the names OF these contributors
that the case taken 10 Justice Dayton late
yesterday afternoon Mr. Shearn wished 70 have
the present examination Of Mr.. Jerome ad-
journed until some time in September. His rea-
son was that Mr.. Cans at present in Europe,
but was expected TO return in September Ar
that time. a Mr.. Shearn earnestly but rather
disjointedly explained. he might be able TO get
an affidavit from Mr.. Cans. II the affidavit
should affirm that Mr.. Cans had the list in his
possession. then. by Mr.. JerOme's statement
under oath. the document might be produced In
court. Justice Dayton heard this and much
more, salted by bitter objections from ME- RAND
The court was in doubt 10 whether the
scope OF the present preliminary action should.
under the code, be construed as including
postponeInent to obtain further material for
animation Justice Dayton asked whether MIR.
Shearn could produce precedents for such an
adjournment. The lawyer said he didn't have
any precedents on tap but he felt sure he could
find some II time were given him Accordingly
an adjournment taken until Monday morn
/ ing y-ha Mr. Is 10
| preCedents.
| HEARING MAY GO OVER
| Mr. Rand stipulated that the court order that
/ whatever Mr. Shearn might dig UP from the
/ digests on this point be turned over 70 him so
! that answers might be prepared Therefore.
should Mr.. Shearl prove on Monday that the
present examination may be adjourned until
! September, the chances are strong that It Will
be. Otherwise the preliminary examination OF
| Mr.. Jerome will have been concluded. since Mr..
/ Shearn admitted yesterday that he had finished
with Mr.. Jerome so far as the present facts were
/ concerned.
Before the subject of adjournment came up
Mr.. Shearn had free hand in examining Mr..
Jerome. What he brought might be called
| The Aspirations and Disappointments OF a Dis
| trict Attorney" Mr.. Shearn's questions fitted
about like butterflies. resting now such mo-
mentOus things the alleged crimes Of the men
back of the Metropolitan Street Railway Com
pany and again winging across the conviction OF
Sam Parks and the breaking Of The hCusa
door OF the dusky Hannah 1-Iias- Altossthess i
was a highly scented potpourri that the wee
man Of law who represents Mr. Hearst managed
20 mix
Mr.. Jerome seemed willing 10 obHge in every
respect even regarding the much desired list
He said that in the Metropolitan cases there
had been trail" leading 10 their offices. and
| he characterized the testimony OF William "
Amory regarding the alleged jury bribing OF the
company as having been paid for by James r.
Kaan He SafS hat he had fG~O - a
attempts have him take action against Presi-
dent Peabody Of the Mutual Life Insurance
Company had been made because such action
would discredit Mr.. PeabOdy's ticket in the vot-
ing among the policyholders for new officers.
Only once did the genial. easygoing air OF thu
examination Change and that was when Mr.
Shearn wanted TO know whether Mr. Jerome
did not think the Metropolitan Street Railway
Company had refrained from investigating tho
alleged jury bribing disbursements made to
TiIlinghast for the reason that Mr. Jerome
had refrained from finding out the names OF
those who had helped to I'LL his waulpun bag
in the 1900 election.
ARGUMENT GROWS HEATED
Mr.. Jerome turned white at this question His
strong jaw hardened till it looked insolubls
as the rear pedal of an army mule Then hs
handed out to Mr. Shearn little clear cut dis
sertation on the natural distinctions of gentle--
man and the means of applying such distinc-
tions to an examination He even said. in so
| many words, that Mr.. Shearn would not dare to-
| ask him such question IN private Altogether.
for few minutes the atmosphere was as ting
| ling as II II were a boxing night at the Long.
Acre Athletic Club. But. OF course. since this
was in a part OF the Supreme Court. it passed
off with explanations. and not apologies. because
Mr. Shearn said he thought he had said nothing
for which he should apologize.
Inasmuch as the present suits Of Mr.. Jerome
are based on his disapproval OF and denial OF
charges made by THE Journal and The
American that he supported in his cam,
2aign bv what Mr.. Hearst's papers call tina
Plunderbund' 1t inevitable that certain
we'll known hnanciers should be mentioned Mr.
Rand speaking for Mr. Jerome, said yesterday.
that the easiest wey 70 p1Ove such contribu-
tons would be TO question Thomas 2. Ryan.
II II Rogers John D. Rockefeller, sr and Au-
gust Belmont. The courtroom crowd became
more interested than ever at the mention OK
these names, but nothing more was said abous
them.
The fact that on Thursday Mr. Jerome had
said he discovered contract between rhe Gov
| ernor of a certain state and the Mutual Lie m
eurance Company was still fresh in the minds
of the auditors of the examination Nothing
was said about this yesterday.
Mr. .Shearn told Tribune reporter that ne
. considered the matter interesting but not ma
, terial.' and that for this reason he had not
| delved further into this lode Mr.. Jerome when
| questioned. replied:
, "7rbe Governor is dead, and there is no reason
| for digging up his past and parading his name
III tpe name of his state in such affair"
, | a. the office of the Mutual il was said thar
+bcre was no knowledge of this contract
Before Justice Dayton, yesterday MT smear"
, | otd. Mr. Jerome's only excuse Cfor not pro-
; ducins the names) is that IL would be 1ndehcate
- IT, tho information. but that is shown %
be an afterthOught. because ne testlIeu SeSteI
: dav that Charles W. Morse had sent MIN nve
&c 80 htu which he returned Mr.. Shearn