Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-12-24
HE CHARGES LIBEL
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER, JR, SUES
PUBLISHERS OF NEW YORK
AMERICAN.
his GOOD NAME WAS INJURED
The Young Man Charged In a Chicago
Dispatch With Having orIgI-
mated Peonage Near
That City.

New York, Dec. 18.-on q charge
Of criminal libel, made by John D
Rockefeller, Jr., 8. 8. Carvalho. pres
ident Of the Star company. publishers
q William r. Hearst's New York
American, was arrested Thursday and
arraigned In police court before Magis-
trate Finn. At the solicitation Of Clar-
once J. Shearn, attorney for the
Hearst publications, and without any
objection being raised on the part Of
Assistant District Attorney Garvan,
who had charge Of the prosecution,
Mr.. Carvalho was paroled In the Gus
tody Of his lawyer until December 20.
Mr.. Rockefeller, accompanied by his
counsel, Lawyer Murphy. appeared in
District Attorney Jerome's Office early
in the day and made complaint that
the article published in the New York
American Of December II, under a
Chicago date of December IS, with the
headline, u. d. Rockefellei, ~, origi-
mated peonage In stockade, 1t is said,'
tended to injure his good name, repu-
tation and credit and to make him ap-
pear ridiculous.
He submitted typewriter afa'
davit embodying these charges to Dis
trict Attorney Garvan, to whom the
case was assigned. On the presenta'
ton of the affidavits to Magistrate
Finn, he issued warrants for the ar.
rest of Mr.. Carvalho, Bradford Mer
rill, treasurer, and Edward H. Clark,
secretary Of the Star company.
Mr.. Carvalho was found In his Of
ice. Merrill and Clark were not In
their offices. Mr.. Carvalho took his
arrest good naturedly.
Mr. Rockefeller was not present |
when Mr.. Carvalho was arraigned, as
he did not expect that the warrants
would be served Thursday. Lawyer
Shearn, after pleading to have Mr..
Carvalho paroled In his custody, said
Mr.. Merrill had not arrived at the Of
fee when the detective called, but that
he would appear In court Friday. Mr..
Clark was in California, Mr.. Shearn
said.
Mr.. Rockefeller said Thursday
night:
II not only have no connection what
ever with the company in question,
but until | read the article Thursday
| was not aware that such
company existed. The article states
that went to Chicago a few months
ago and talked Of the system of peon
age complained Of. Now, as a matter
II fact, have not been In Chicago
Iince the death of President Harper
Il the University of Chicago, a year
lgo last January"
Chicago, Dec. 1S.-The story of an
lleged peonage system and stockade
I Summit, town 80 miles from Chi
ago, is under investigation by the
istrict attorney. Those who brought
be charges declare that the stockade
urrounding the plant is 80 feet ugh,
hat workmen are practically kept =
risoners that they were kept in debt :
D their employers, and some of them ? !.
scaped to tell their story only by ?
igging a tunnel under the stockade. u
he officials Of the plant deny the :.
harges, declaring 1t to be the result u
spite work. They assert they have u
AIKEN only such precautions as win a
rotect them against labor troubles =
nd against strangers entering their -
remises without authority. A mum. -
er Of Witnesses conferred with the u
lstrict attorney Thursday and 1t is
xpected any action that might be W
lken will be announced within few ~
avs. q
AIN MADE A DEFINITE POINT. W