The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-04

whether the articles referring to Mr..
were a fair sample of the
nolicy of the publication. Yodcr re-
piled that some of the articles re-
ferred to men and some to conditions.
He was not attacking men. he asserted
but attacking evil. and acting for the
common good
And Tor your own good in par-
ticular?
NO"
But isn't your living dependent on
1t? The more sensational you make
IL the more you maker
Not necessarily. Sometimes sensa-
tional statements only lead to carnage
SUITS
"Dcfamcr of Character"
Now let me ask you, are you not
a professional defamer OF character
for the purpose of making a. living?
II have never DETAINED any man
DO YOU not make it a part OF your
business to attack men IN punlic
prints as a part Of crusade against
evils which you ina CINE TO eA'st.
(Which l know to exist was the
answer
DO YOU know of your own kioWt-
edge of any fact where Mr.. saunders
mas been guilty of corrupt act"
There was no direct answer. and the
attorney pressed on to ask the edltor
whether he ever saw with his own
eyes. or heard with his own ears, or
saw any writing signed by Saunders
| that would prove him Il corrupt man
The writer again evadcd direct an
swer.
! "rhen your charges are mere hear
say"
mo. rhey were based on grand jury
proceedings. reports of committees,
sworn evidence. the telephone fran
chise Investigation and other things.
! The witness later admitted that ne
had not read the files OF the Richmohu
papers covering those Investigations
at the time he wrote the articles about
+ Saunders and Leaman, saying that ne
! knew In q general way or those
4 things" though he hadn't gone to
I the files and looked up the record"
| Witness admitted that an article
published on election day was designed
10 show Saunders up as a corruption
list and boss"
you claim to be moral man, with
no purpose to. unnecessarily defame
any men. We are to Infer then that
when YOU attack q man, he is poiitl-
cal crook or rascal
Not necessarily"
There was long line of question
ing as to the contracts for printing
the pamphlet on which Saunders ana
Wlliams had each bid, and then as to
what was meant by the term "Saun
ders's committee" referring to the City
Democratic Committee. Witness said
lie did not mean that the committee
belonged to Saunders, or that ne DOM
l-inated it, but that 1t was the commit
tee OF which Saunders was subchalr-
man.
AS to City Committee.
THAT was the committee you later
spoke OF as the seat OF political cor.
ruption'?'
Yes"
What act within your knowledge
{, has the committee ever done that was
corrupt Had you ever been present
at II meeting of the committee Whei
\ that article was writtcn?"
NO. ! understood they We're secret
j never saw wish my own eyes any
corruption In the committee, and die
not refer to any specific act"
"Then you based your article or
somebody's statement TO You?"
Yes. Sometimes I know thing
without having seen IT."
Or imagine it?"
mo; have il on statements or 9TH
ers.
II see YOU ask the question In you
pamphlet why Is 1t that clean mel
won't offer for Office in Richmond:
DO you mean to charge that there ar
no clean men in Office
NO. / haven't said that
.,rr,l,o ooyt ri, arva is tn the dirt
ring Who belonged to tt?'
II don't know who belonged TO !
They have mysterious ways"
an your article you assert that cleo
illons have been stolen in Richmond
and that The present policy OF the com
mittee shows that election will be stol
en- this year. Where did You get tina
information
1T was because of the appointmen
OF improper men to hold the elections.
Then you make the charge withou
any proof whatever that there Is !
, the committee graft of the worst de
! scrptioN9"
Their acts, which were criticize
IN that article lead to that belief. Tn
corruption OF the committee is II, mat
& ter of common knowledge, Grand iur
, records show that elections have bee
- stolen here The Investigations, re
g ports and street talk were enough I
4, make one absolutely know That thel
\ is eorruptioa."
i, Now as to the article on which tt
= sui, is based; do l understand in tn;
r article that you did not intend
|. charge Saunders with political corrul
tom
- The article speaks for itself"
:. No direct Answer,
= IT speaks of Saunders az the hos
and l.eaman as his lieutenant, ana go
on. Than whom Richmond has nev