The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1909-07-22
Judge Eagan
Stops Blacknail
How Daily Paper was Stopped
In An Attempt to Levy
Blackmail.


have had more or less to do with news
papers and journalists edi-
tors and managers-and as whole
they are clever lot of fellows. l have
always been a Tammany Hall Demo-
crat but have never allowed politics
to interfere with my professional du-
ties
A good many years ago we had in
New York an illustrated daily news
paper which willrefer to as the Daily
Static. Its illustrations were chiefly
of the lockwood kind--thatis, they were
first drawn on lockwood and then CHS
eled out. For while this publication
prospered and was non-political or
really independent in its leanings. At
ter while chalk plates succeeded box
wood cuts. Then came zinc etchings
and after that halftones. The daily
newspapers began running illustrations
and the circulation of the Daily Static
fell off rapidly and as time wore on the
Static began to lose money and ran
deeply into debt. The management
was unable to keep up its payrolls and
as is too often the case the owners of
the paper began attempting to levy
tribute upon prominent politicians and
citizens. The paper got after premi-
nent client of mine who upon my ad-
vice refused to be b'ackmailed. How
to stop the TRADES of abuse which ap-
pea-ed regularly in the columns of the
| Static was question.
"My client was desperate and feared
something of sensational character
might be sprung on him and absolutely
ruin him with his family and friends.
Everything the paper was printing
! about my client was true and conse-
quently libel suits-civil or criminal
would not hold. Therefore other means
would have to lie employed. The own
ers of the Static were obtaining large
sums from others in a similar manner
method known to all as pure and
simple blackmail.
"Upon investigation l found that
everything the Static owned was COW
cred by a blanket mortgage-including
book accounts. I learned also that
many of the artists and mechanics were
more than two weeks back in their ray.
therefore inserted want advertise
ment in ene of the daily papers offer
ing to purchase labor claims against
the Static and in the course of few
days / had obtained several of them
amounting to ne arly $4,000.
s'The Static usually went to press
about p. M, in order to get its paper
out through the afternoon news dis
tributing agencies. l believed il ]
could annoy the managers by holding
up the edition for eae day I would be
able to affect a compromise so that there
would be no further inuendoes printed
in the paper casting reflections upon
my client.
"But how to cause the annoyance to
them was puzzle. As l said, all OF
the property owned by the Static was
mortgaged-the mortgage covered
everything it owned. Under the New
4 York law labor is first lien upon al
property mortgaged or otherwise -bu,
long litigation would ensue and no good
results could be accomplished. After &
careful examination of the mortgage
found thatcuts. Illustrations and plates
in process of drawing, making or man
ufacture were not included in the mort
gage. therefore determined to attach
all plates as rapidly as they were being
made.
II sent for 'Hen,' the undersheriff
, placing attachment papers in his hand
with instructions to call at the Office O
the Static and attach all plates and il
) Iustrations in the course of manufac
ture. l instructed him to be Their
about 10 q. M, to place an embargo ol
!, the plates and hold them.
tSee next coiumn)