The Washington herald., 1908-01-01
COMS7OCK ON TRAIL
But Moral Purifier Will Not
Tell the Reporter.
SILENT AS TO THREE WEEKS
Declines to Try His Case In News
papeF-Acts Like Real Lawyer.
Hastens Away from "The Great
white Way" Just When Most
Needed-Lets Boston beat Him 10 Ii.

New York. Dec. Sf.-A. ComstOck was
almost too busy to be disturbed for an
instant to-day, when interviewers sought
the moral, literary. and art censor of the
metropolis to find out whether report
was true that. following in the wake OF
a purity Lacquer of Boston. he had de-
cided that Elinor Glyns book, Three
Weeks, was bad and ought TO be stopped
from going through the mails.
It isn't often that Mr. Comstock is
found too busy to talk just little about
the great work he is doing, but really to-
day you couldn't penetrate his sanctum
sanctorum until lie had finished dictat-
ing 20 a young woman stenographer all
the details of an improper postal-eard
case. When he got through he had Just
time enough to get a train for Orange,
and thus leave New York Comstockless
on that night OF nights. New Years Eve.
As he started on the train rush a re-
porter tackled him with the question upon
which SO much depends for Mrs. Glyn
and her publishers.
Hardened Reporter Nearly Bushes.
Is III AAt AllHb tNA AAkNN NAh'fRAflfA - ~
Of" the rep~rter here almost blushed
at having TO mention the name OF the
book to such person as Mr.. Comstock.
Sir" said Mr.. COmstock. rushing. 4
always decline 20 try my cases in the
newspapers.
/ Having said this just Ike real lawyer.
I Mr Comstock grabbed the chipping Of an
afternoon newspaper and read 1t over
hastily,
Part of it isn't true. he said, referring
/ to a statement that the book involved
such a problem for Mr.. Comstock that ne
/ had been unable 10 decide whether IL was
good or bad himself, and hence had had
to place IL before the district attorney
/ This apparent reflection on the intellect
and perspicacity of a scenter of wrong
/ quite stirred up Mr.. Comstock.
An my eases are laid before the dis
/ tr.ct attorney" said Dir. Comstock. still
rushing.
VIII Not; viii Not; VIII Not.
But 1 will not talk about this. ] will
not I say. 1 will not
Upon this declaration Mr. Comstock
was allowed to take his way Jerseyward
it being New Years Eve.
Just why Mr. ComstOck allowed Boston
TO get ahead of him it viii be for other
chroniciers TO find out. AT the Office OF
the United States district attorney ther,
was disinclination 10 make a statement
about the report of Mr.. Comstock's very
latest activity.
The statement was made that about
every book touching on subjects of the
kind dealt with by Mrs. Glyn reached IN,
district attorney sooner or later. Some
times it has been suspected that the oh
ject has been to help along the sale. o.
course. Mr. Comstock could be inspire,
by no such mercenary object. For th'
purpose OF defeating any such p0ssibi'
object the rule has been made 10 SAY
nothing about the books submitted.
The sending Of obscene books through
the mail comes under section 3S98 of th,
Revised Statutes. A person conyicte,
can be made to pay a fine OF $J000 o
serve FIVE years at hard labor. or both
but prosecutions of the writer's of 80
called popular novels have been extremeE
rare.