Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-17
STARTS To PUSH
CHARGE OF LIBEL
The President Begins Action
Against Three Newspapers
IN NAME OF GOVERNMENT
Officials of Prosecuting Force Serve
Several Subpoenas.
CORRESPONDENTS TO TESTIFY
Visit of Assistant United States At
torney Mcnamara to Indianapo-
lis-William Nelson Cromwell
Here-Plan of the World.

That President Roosevelt was in car
nest when he announced that he would
prosecute for criminal libel certain news
papers which printed stories regarding
the alleged connection of William How
art Taft his brother Charles p. Taft,
and President Roosevelt's brother-in- law
Douglass Robinson. with certain phases
of the purchase of the Panama canal
stock from its original owners. became
apparent today when it was learned that
the local grand jury will hear tomorrow
the Washington correspondents of the
papers in question in connection with the
investigation of the alleged libels.
The New York World the New York
Sun and the Indianapolis News are the
publications the President is after. Ger
tain articles that appeared in them were
exceedingly dstasteful to the executive
and in d recent message to Congress on
the subject of the Panama canal he
stated plainly that If there were law in
the land under which the publishers of
tHc DC "oulu
Sec that it was put in operation. That
he thinks he has found such law is
evident.
Serve the Subpoenas.
Officials from the United States attor-
ney's Office appeared at the Capitol yes
terday morning armed with subpoenas
They went to the press galleries of the
mons on Otto Carmichael, Charles S. AL
bert and E. Jesse Conway of the Wash
ington bureau of the New York World;
jeremiah Matthews of the Washington
bureau of the New York Sun. James P.
IIornaday, Washington correspondent of
the Indianapolis News. and Harris NJ.
Crist, Washington correspondent of the
Brooklyn Eagle. They also summoned
William Smith. newsboy engaged in
selling New York papers.
While the process servers were busy
here others were equally active in New
York. where William p. Mclaughlin.
sporting editor of the World, and J. Angus
Shaw. secretary of the Press Publishing
Company Ghe World, were served with
subpoenas summoning them to appear in
Washington tomorrow morning. An ex-
ception is made in the case of Mr..
Crist, who Is summoned to appear in
New York on Monday morning before the
grand jury of the circuit court for the
southern district. All the others are to
appear here.
Mcnamara Goes to Indianapolis
Recently Assistant United States At
torney Mcnamara visited Indianapolis
and New York. and in the light of to-
days developments color is given to
the report current at the time of his
absence from Washington that Mr.. Nc
Namara's visit to those cities was for
the purpose of obta ming copies of the
New York World and Sun and the In
Glanapolls News containing the stories
which caused the present investigation
These papers, it is understood, will be
laid before the grand jury as evidence
upon which TO base the criminal lbe
actions the President desires TO have
brought. The grand jury will be asked
10 report indictments against the puDli
cations and some or all of the officers
OF the companies which publish them.
United States Attorney Baker was not
Ill his office yesterday, and MIR. McNa-
mara dec ined to discuss the case 1t
was learned. however. that there was
unusual activity behind the closed doors
OF the United States attorneys Office
but no information for the press was
Forthcoming. All efforts to get informa-
tion al the Office of the United States
attorney as 20 what particular statute
the suit could be brought under failed
Mr.. Baker went TO Germantown, Md,
during the afternoon and could not be
reached last night.
Barren of News.
The Department of Justice was as bar
ren of news as the United States at
torney's office. Attorney General Bona
parte could not be found here. and his
assistants refused absolutely to discuss
the question IN any of its aspects.
otto Carmichael, head of the World $
Washington bureau, got into communca-
ton with his New York Office as soon
as the subpoena was served on him, and
left on an afternoon train for New York
TO hold conference with his superior
officers.
Carmchael said. before leaving, and
have had no information from the Office
about the matter"
additional interest is lent to the case
by the presence in this city of William
Nelson Cromwell. who represented the
canal company in the negotiations with
the government. Several attempts were
made TO reach him at his hotel. but callers
were Informed that he was not in.
Effort to Prevent Leak.
That every effort was made to prevent
any leak" in New York before the sub
pOenas were served is evidenced by the
fact that Mr.. CRISIS subpoena was
directed to John Crist, the Endorsement
later being written upon it that John"
was fictitious name. The fact that
Mr.. Crist mas been ordered TO appear be-
fore a federal court in New York is re-
garded as an evidence that If any purpose
n hrtp ctIht or
action in the New York state courts II
has been abandoned. perhaps owing to
advice from United States District At
torney Stimson that such a course was
not feasible, or. again. perhaps. because
Of the refusal OF Mr.. Jerome, district at
torney for Manhattan, to undertake to
present such case to the state tribunals.
The White House remained firm yester-
day In its attitude of secrecy about the
program of the administration to secure
Indictment for criminal libel against the
proprietors OF certain newspapers hereto
fore named by the President as printing
(Conffnued on Second