The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-04-06
WARRANT WAITING
FOR THE WITNESS
John A. Penton Arrested in
Washington on Charge of
Criminal Libel.
SHIP SUBSIDY QUARREL
CONGRESSMAN STEVENSON Is
COMPLAINING WITNESS.

Washington, April 5.--The arrest OF
John A. Penton of Cleveland, o., secretary
OF the Merchant Marine league of the
United States, for criminal libel against
Representative Stevenson of Minnesota
followed hls 6ppea rance as a witness to-
day before the ship subsidy committee.
fentOn accompanied the detectives TO
the district attorneys office and was
released after depOsItlng 900 cash bail
Tbs arrest was made on a secret lndlct-
ment returned March 80 based on an
editorial which appeared on December
last in The American Flag the official
organ OF the Merchant Marine league
The alleged lIbeloGs statement, accord
ing to the Indictment, appeared unde the
heading, "Steenerson Soon to Have q
Chance" and read as follows:
II Congressman Steenerson has any
: cal solcitude for American labor; II ne
is, in truth not throwing dust IN the eyes
o. his constituents by declaiming against
cOOle labor, he will soon have an op-
portunity to show his sincerity
If he desires TO suppiant cooIe LABOR
with American labor, he may follow Presl-
dent Taft and the loyal members OIL tne
Minnesota Congre ssional delegation ana
vote for such legislation in the next Con-
gress as will effectually do away with
coolie labor on American ships doing
American business.
Accused of FaIsifying Facts.
Continuing, under a sub-naad, Nv hat
Manner of Man Is This?' the article
reads:
rs d man fit to hold public office that
will deliberately pervert and mallclously
falsify the facts connected with any IN
POI tant public question?
Is he a safe-a trustworthy MANI we
hold that he is nOt-that such man Is
dishonest and an enemy to his country
and his cOuntry's best interests, and that
4
TO American progress at home and ABROAD.
There are not many such in Congress-
but there will always be found Few, ana
the Ninth district of Minnesota has one.
Mr.. Fenton asked the House tnvesti-
eating committee today to postpone ms
examination until h could obtain counsel
from Cleveland. He Identified a number
of his letters submitted by MI. SteeheI-
son. and admitted some OF them Were
unfortunate in their language, aIJnOuSu
he said the league assumed responsibility
for them. He also told the committee
that the November issue OF Tine Amefl-
can Flag" which has been offensive TO
members of the House, had been de-
strOyed and the publication OF the paper
had been discontinued
The committee decided to consider Mr..
Penton's request in executive session.
McCleary a Witness.
At the hearing today NJ Steenerson
caused stir when he inquired OF James
T. McCIeaFy of Minnesota, formerly a
member of the House and formerly second
assistant postmaster general, VINO was
also a witness if he had not USED mis-
privilege to the floor of the House 10 urge
members to support ship subsidy legisla-
ton.
MIR. McCle1ry Indignantly denied the
charge. $1,000.
talked about cur merchant marine TO the
members of the House. but l certainly
was not active in behalf OF the Ieglsla-
ton" -,
not talk ship subsidy on the floor OF the
0use?'' asked Mr.. Stevenson.
Il think some member made a sugges-
tion which amounted to that" replied Mr.
McCleary.
isn't ii fact" asked Mr.. Stevenson,
that a member of the House would not
sign a petition YOU were circulating, ask
ing that you be appointed director OF the
mint, because you were lobbying Tor snip
subsidy"
..The man who declined to sign that
petition did not have courage enough to
state it that way, and you are the man.
holly retOrted Mr.. McCleary
Always Favored a Subsidy.
Mr. McCleary said his interest in ship
subsidy dated back to the time when he
was a mem Der of the House and an ottl-
cial in the postOffice department, ana
had difficulty IN getting man Hduuleu III
American bottoms. He admitted ne hau
delivered a number of addresses on the
subject of ship subsidy for which he
was paid expense money by the Mer-
chant Marine league of the United States.
Once he received 500 for a trip to New
orleans and Birmingham. lie said he
knew nothing about a paid lobby for a
shin subsidy.
The committee has no intention at pres
emf of going to Cleveland to take testi-
mony. though that has been talked Of.
Many officers of the Merchant Marine
league live in Cleveland. Representa-
tive Stevenson said that, so far as he
knew. there was no intention of prose-
cutting any official other than Penton
under the libel charge.
Speaking of Penton's arrest, Mr.. Steen-
erson pointed out today that he had been
careful during the morning meeting or
the committee, to have the letters sent
out by the league Identified, and that
Penton had assumed responsibility for all
his SIGMA