Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-18
For Pulitzer, Hamm,Lynan,
Smith and Williams
OF New York World and In
dianapo|is News,on Libel Charge
Roosevelt, Tafts, Root, Robinson,
Morgan and Cromwell MaIigned.

Washington, Feb. 17.-Bench war
rants were issued late today for TIN
arrest of Joseph Pulitzer, the proprie
tor. and Caleb NJ. Van Hamm, an,
Robert IL. Lyman, editors of the New
| York World all of New York City; ant
for Delevan Smith and Charles r. Viii.
liams, owners of the Indianapolis News
for criminal libel in the publication il
those newspapers of charges of ir-
| regularies in the purchase by the Unit
ed States government of the Panama
canal property from the French own
| erS.
The indictments on Which the war
rants were based returned today by
the United States grand jury sitting in
this. city and the warrants were is
sued later by the clerk or criminal
court No. 1. The warrants are direct
| ed against all five of the natural defen
| dants of the two newspapers. The
summons requires the corporate dcfen-
dant (The Press Co. of New York; to
appear in court forthwith to answer
| indictment.
District Attorney Baker probably will
not send the copies OF the bench war;
rants and the certified copies of the
indictments to New York or to In
dianapolis for day or two. They
were placed late today in the hands of
the United States marshal here and ne
will proceed with them in accordance
with the directions of Mr.. Baker.
Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft,
Elihu Root, j. Pierpont Morgan,
Charles P. Taft, Douglas Robinson and
William Nelson Cromwell, are named
in the indictments as the persons al
legged to have been villified by the
stories appearing in the two newspa-
pers.
Copies of the summons and of the
Indictment We're served this evening
upon the Press Publishing Co. by SER
vice on Otto Carmichael, it's agent in
this jurisdiction. The certified copies
will be filed with United States Com
missioner John r. Shields, in New
York. who will issue warrants for the
arrest of the natural defendants Of the
New York World, who will be brought
before him to show cause why they
should not be eXtraditcd to this juriS-
diction for trial.
In the event that the commissioner
should hold the indictment sufficient
and the offence is one upon which the
defendants may be eXtradited to this
Jurisdiction the defendants can sue a
writ Of habeas corpus and have the
commissioners decision reviewed by
the United States district court for the
southern district Of New York. Should
tho decision Of the court also be i'd
%l,.,,, i,,fp ,n n
then be taken to the supreme court OF
the United States for final review.
This proceeding was followed in the
case OF STATE Senator George II. Green
of New York who was indicted in this
city about six years ago in connection
with postoffice Irregularities.
If the defendants should pursue the
course outlined above probably at least
q year Will ciapsc before they can be
brought before the district supreme
court for trial.
Failure of an attempt to blackmail
him. according to William Nelson
Cromwell. was the reason for TIE pub
licaticn OF the stories, which, he de-
clarrd today, "Were exceptional and
prcme(litated and made with fore
knowledge of their Infamous sources,
and after specific warning by me of
their falsity"
."rhe Stories" he added, "Wcre con-
ceitcd more than two and a half years
ago by INSCRIPTIONS parties IN New
work. some of Whim have criminal rec
ords in an attempt to blackmail me.
He said that lie WAS asked to pay 50
eco to have the stories suppressed.
Il de not believe the World was q
party to these attempts, but II was
dealing with the same gang. The in
dictmont of the press Of the United
states. as they would like to have It
| appear to obtain tic support Of the
| general press of the country. | am lf
| favor OF a free and unmuzZlcd press
| New York. Feb. lin q statement is
| sued tonight the World says in part:
This prosecution, if it succeeds, will
place every newspaper in the country
which circulates in Washngton-anG
| there are a few Of Importance which dc
not circulate there-completely at thu
mercy of an autocratic, vainglorious
President. who is willing to prostitute his
authority for the qualification of lis per
sonal malice.
| Under this procedure there is hardly
| any American newspaper proper who
would not be liable for criminal mdlct
ment in Washington if his newspaper
printed something offensive to the Pres
dent. even though the proprietor Nigh
| have been thousands of miles from hi
office at the time of such publication ant
know nothing whatever about it. Their
is hardly an editor or writer or reporte
who would not be similarly liable to in
dictment at the whim of President. IL
addition to this. all of them would like
wise be liable to criminal indictment.
Mr. Roosevelt is an episode. IN
| World is an institution"
Ito AL RlGA1