The Washington times., 1909-01-17
LIBEL SUIT ACTION
MYSTIFIES WRITERS
Correspondents Subpoenaed
to Appear Do Not Know
Evidence Expected.
FIRST INSTANCE I
OF SUCH ACTION
Attorney General Promises State
ment Of Proceedings This
Week.

The five Washington correspondents
who have been summoned TO appear be-
fore Federal grand juries here and IN
New York in mysterious act'-n de
s.l5 . 4 The United States against
III. U.e= Publishing company have
ugt tae slightest hint today as TO what
they arc expected to testify, the infer
enCe, however, being that the president
has made good i'm his recent intimauou
that those papers who charged irregu-
larIty In the purchase of the Panama
Canal by this country would be sued
Iof criminal libel.
one of The suUpoeuaed men is OF the
opinion that "dragnet' proceedings have
been begun and that the Government,
after securing certain Information, will
strike direct al the head OF the Press
Publishing Company, publishers of the
New York World, and that. Joseph
Pulitzer viii be the first of the pro
prletors TO face probable Indictment.
Statement Promised.
Tie Attorney Genera. by whose order
the Subpoeuus were issued 10y District
ATTORNEY Baker. has promised a state
zneut concerning the peculiar action
early this week. This is the first ia
stance wherein the United States has
brought suit for libel against any IN
GfV5dual or concern, and SO far neither
tine President nor other Federal officials
have signihed under what statute the
action is brought.
SubpognJs have been served upon the
following. Otto Carmichael, Charles y.
Albert. and J.. Jesse Conway, OF the
Washington stan Of the New York
World. James HOrndQdE. OF me " ASH
jngton staff of the Indianapolis News;
Jeremiah Mathews, OF the W aStlnBlot
stan of the New York sun. Harris NJ.
CrIsL, of the Washington stan OF the
Brooklyn Eagle.
Correspondents Carmichael Albert
and Conway i'm addition TO being or
Oered TO appear before the graEd jury
iu this city on Tuesday are individually
required To bring with them all hles on
and evening editions. for the months OF
September October, November. anu Dc
cembers 1908
The Panama canal articles which
fuoved so Objectionable to the fresI-
dent appeared in the World during TINS
period.
Had No Connection.
AIR. IoIuaday. of the indianapolis
News. whose publisher was bitterly
seatued by the President because the
parer reproduced some OF the World
articles. said This morning that me had
had mo- connection whatever with the
publication OF the alleged ibelous mat
ter and that he knew of 40 reason why
Le should Dee summoned
The Subpoena on Nr. Crist. of the
Brooklyn Eagle was in blank and Qlu
pttny in any way Ar- Cfl5l Wa lHe
only COrTesp0 udeut who IS summoned
10 New York instead of Washington.
lie is ordered TO report there tomor-
a9 Fer
District Attorney StimsOu..
Mir. crIsTs DO appears investigated tne
Panama Canal purchase story ~ Sep
TEMPER last, but after an interview WITH
William Nelson Cromwell. the attorney
who negotiated the purchase. he decided
not 10 use the article ln Inc Eagle
CTist Isl summoned To testify I'm belali
OF the United States Gov eminent, put
no iurimaron is given as 90 the subject
matter OF the testimony
Served by Two.
The subpoenas in each instance were
served by two persons, one a marshal
from the United States MarshaIs Of
flee. the other Detective Grant, repre-
sautug the office of the District Attor-
1ev Why this double preCautiou In the
manner of service is another of the
so far unexplained features of the mys-
ferrous case.
Iu addition 90 tile newspaper men
named above. it IS learned mat 5dul-
t50uaI summons have been issued TO
Tre following
j. o. sRaueIer. manager OF the Wash
fuEt1u News Association ~ uldu
smith newspaper carrier -rae W.
men are supposed, IT ls thought 10
testify TO the circulation or the papers
Hilton n. Brown. general manager,
Bart Parker. cashier Edward 1di blliE5
foreman of the composing room anu
Charles Clark, bookkeeper Of the In
d.aHau8I.s News, OF Indianapolis all OF