New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-08
CHALLENGE TO AN EDITOR
Pittsburg District Attorney
filings Down Gauntlet.
ANOTHER MAN HIGHER UP
Invites Writer to Name Him
Hoffstot May Be Tried
Here.

Pittsburr. April district Attorney Will
lam a BIakelev issued a general invitation
tonight for any one or all Of the residents
OF Allegheny County TO appear before the
grand Jury tomorrow to contribute any
secrets they may hold about grating in
Pittsburg. The invitation is especially d.
rected toward Alexander ?. Moore. editor
OF The Pittsburg Leader which IN an
editorial to-day charged that a prominent
man known 10 the writer was still 10 be
implicated in the graft scandals as the real
man higher up
The District Attorney tonight gave out
the following statement:
II desire publicly to state that | have
received a great many anonymous com
munications charging that certain individ-
uals are implicated i'm the graft scandal
and in addition TO this notice In an after
noon paper that there Is distinct and
definite charge against a man higher up
now desire 10 invite any individual OF
Allegheny County to come before the grand
Jury Of Allegheny County. now invest.Sat-
ing graft and municipal corruption. to-
morrow morning at $50 O'Clock, and will
guarantee that he will be given ample OPP
portunity to give his evidence and testi-
mony.
This invitation in particular il directed
TO A. p. Moore. editor OF The Pittsburg
Leader He has publicly dared me, upon
more than one occasion, 10 do certain
things | now accept his challenge. with
out conditions. and challenge him to pro-
duce all his evidence and testimony before
the grand jury of Allegheny County.
II do this in justice to the peopleof Al
Iegheny County. who have the right now to
know the full and complete lengths to
which municipal corruption has descended,
and 1 trust that Mr.. Moore can find abso-
lu;ely no excuse 10 decline this most urgent
request"
A letter 20 Mr.. Moore TO this effect, re-
questing his presence before the grand jury
tomorrow. was also given out.
District Attorney Blakely. in discussing
his trip 10 New York City. declared that
while he was in the metropolis he was fol-
lowed day and night by detectives and his
every action closely watched.
The grand jury made no presentment to-
! day. but that the inquisitors were still busy
/ with the bank ordinance cases was evil
/ denced by the presence Of ]. s. Kuhn. presi-
dent Of the First National Bank. and j. VI.
| Young cashier of the Second National
| Bank, as Witnesses
". b. Rodgers, personal counsel for F.
N Hoffstot. of New York. who was indicted
yesterday on the charge OF bribery and con-
/ spiracy. left Pittsburg for New York to-
| night to take up with his client the matter
of extradition. 1t is said that he promised
the District Attorney to inform him by wire
tomorrow Of Mr.. Hoffstots decision.
To fill vacancies in Councils caused by
the resignation Of its indicted members
| haG al oil
for April Is. Ten days before the proposed
election the Mayor will issue a fOrma
| proclamation.
The indictment Of HorstOt was the one
topic discussed to-day in the graft expos
ure Mr. Hoffstots extraditon will be
asked for. but in the event of the failure
OF that procedure, II is reported. he will ID
tried in New York State. This decision, &C
cording to the District Attorneys office
was arrived at I'm a recent conference be
tween District Attorney Blake1y. of thu:
city. and Prosecutor Whitman. of New
York.
Frank y. HOffstot. president Of th'
Pressed Steel Car Company. at his offiC,
here yesterday referred inquirers to his
counsel. Adrian II. I.arkin. of the law firn
OF Joline. Larkir & Rathbone. Mr.. Larkir
said the indictment was a decided surprise
The situation in Pittsburg is hysteri
CAL" ne continued. They're apt 10 indie
any one. II looks as IL they had been cast
ing about there for some one to indict and
fastened on a nonresident as the mos
convenient prey. You had better look on
yourself; they may indict you next"
The reporter FASTENED TO protest that h,
had never paid any one $1,000
Neither has Mr.. HOffstot' rejOined tn
lawyer. He assures me he is innocent o
wrongdoing or OF any wrong intent. o
course don't want to deny the seriousness
OF the case. It's very serious situation
But when the trial begins Mr.. HoffstO
will be there and with nothing TO fear"