The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-06-03
OF
THE CASE is
ASKED
GOVERNMENT DESIRES TO CALL
WITNESSES.
Wish to Show That Reporters Were
Warned Against Story of Pana.
ma Canal Graft.

Indianapolis, June 2.-The govern
ment In its case against Delavan
Smith and Charles r. Williams, own
| ers of the indianapolis News, charged
with criminal libel in publishing COM
ments In the purchase of the Panama
canal by the United States. in the fed
eral court here this morning by Attor-
neys Mcnamara and Miller, stated
| that 1t was desired TO call as witnesses
| Frank Hitchcock, chairman of the
Republican national committee. and
Norman e. Mack, chairman Of the
Democratic national committee In the
last presidential campaign. The gov
ernment attorneys asked for con-
tinuance so that these and other wit
nesses might be procured in court.
They said it was their purpose to
show that Messrs Hitchcock and
Mack had warned reporters in the Chi
cago party headquarters that the init
nations contained in cable dispatch
to the Chicago Daily News that an
American syndicate had gained an i'm
mense profit Of $2S,00000O In the sale
OF the Panama canal TO the United
States we're without foundation In
fact
Yet, according to a government at
torney. the Indianapolis News,
through its reporter In Chicago, e. I.
Lewis. proceeded to reproduce the al
legations and TO give them credence
In its editorial columns, to the end
Of committing criminal libel
The court gave its conception of
the impression on the public mind Of
the Morgan committees inquiry into
the Panama case. Judge Anderson
said that. when William Nelson Crom-
well, attorney for the French canal
company refused to tell the commit
tee the names Of the members OF the
American syndicate formed to "Ameri-
canzie" the Panama property. but
abandoned because the purchase
seemed impracticable. he gave the
public opportunity to infer that there
was something to cover up.
Judge Anderson further said that
1t was his personal impression that |
at the time Of the Walker commits |
sions, inquiry into the comparative |
merits Of the Panama and Nicaragua |
routes, the people that knew all about /
canal matters had a very quick, sud |
den change of heart from the Nicara-
qua route to the Panama route"
United States Attorney Miller here |
that the commission favor
ed the Panama route, but recommends
ed the Nicaragua route because Of the
enormous price asked for the Panama
property.
Judge Anderson said he was not
speaking of commission. but Of these
persons about Washington and else
where, that were interesting them
selves in South American canal
United States Attorney Mcnamara
said the defendants must have known
rom published reports that at the
lose Of the senate inquiry. Mr. Crom-
veil said he had not received a cent |
II profits from the canal transfer and
10 other American had
Furthermore. Mr.. Mcnamara said
he receipts Of J P. Morgan and COM
'any for the S40.000,000 paid by the
United States for the canal and the
eceipt Of the two French companies
or the money paid to the Morgan
company, for their securities could
md should be produced in court to-
'roye that no American go-between
eceiyed any Of it All the money was
lyided among about 100000 French
tockholders, he said
MIR. Mcnamara stated that he ex
ected to prove that the owners of the
Indianapolis News knew Of the state
nent and National Democratic Chair
nan Mack knew the Panama scandal
tory had been offered to the Demo
ratlc committee as campaign ma
erlal and had been refused as false
nd that information that the charges
L corruption had been riddled within
neir hands when their editorials COM
lalned of In the indictment, were be.
ng prepared. The attorney for the
eiense. protesting that the govern.
1ent was uselessly delaying the case.
IT. Mcnamara said it was at the In.
.ance Of Delavan Smith that this trial