New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-06
MORE SUITS BY HEARST
Seventeen Additional 100000
Libel Actions Started.
COHALAN OUT I'M STATEMENT
Man Over Whose Fee Storm
RACES Says He Welcomes
Proceeding in His Case.

William Randolph Hearst has brought
seventeen more suits for libel on account
OF the publication Of the speech by Mayor
Gavnor attacking him at the dinner of the
Newspaper Publishers Association. It WAS
said last night by Clarence Z. Shearn,
counsel for MI Hearst, that the sunmonses
had been served, but the complaints had not
vet been drawn. Each Of the new suits IS
for 100000.
AdoIph S. Ochs, publisher OF The New
York Times; Herman Ridder publisher Of
the ''Staats-Zeitung" Henry Wattersou,
publisher of The Louisville CourierJour-
nal" and Melville f. Stone, general man
ager of The Associated Press. have been
sued individually on the ground that they
had advance knowledge of what Mayor
Gaynor was going to say, and took no steps
to prevent the speech or its circulation and
publication after its delivery.
In addition to these actions, a separate
suit has been brought against the stats
Zeitung'' and "Das New-Yorker Stats
Zeitung Abendblatt" Other suits have been
brought against The Louisville Courier
Journal" The Call The BuIetin'' and
The Chronicle" in San Francisco, and
seven papers IN Boston.
Il was said last night that the suits
against the Boston papers might be with
drawn, inasmuch as they all Joined in the
action Of the Boston Newspaper Publishers
Association deploring the attack Of the
Mayor at a dinner Of the organization OF
which Mr. Hearst was a member.
And there VIII be other suits. according
to Mr.. Shearn.
We are not going into this thing for the
sake OF getting any money" he declared,
but in order to see whether It IS possible
10 get a square deal in the newspapers Of
this country"
CohaIan Issues Statement.
Daniel 2 Cohalan. who UP TO date has
simply smiled at the controversy going On
between the Mayor and Mr.. Hearst, gave
out & statement last night welcoming the
trial Of the suit brought TO force him to
return $3.50 Of his fee to the city treas
ury. He said
I have taken no part in the controversy
which has been carried on in the news
papers during the past week over the pay
Tnent to me by the city of New York OF
$4,000 for legal services in the franchise
tax cases formerly in my charge. l do not
make It a practice TO try my cases in the
newspapers. But q taxpayers action has
been started, and I desire 10 say that l
will welcome the trial OF this action as l
believe II Will determine the reasonable
and title to the money which was paid me:
It will enable me TO prove in court OF
law, with definite charges made and with
NV defence a matter of record, the entire
regularity and propriety Of the payment.
[ may add that the work in these matters
covered a period of more than two years.
The suits involved a total of more than
500 600. Nv biII as rendered was care
fully considered by the proper city authorl-
thereon was determined after an investi-
CATION and consideration of all the facts
/ have no doubt as TO the result of this
action tried as h.5d T5u De of neWsnapers
and | shall do everything in my power to
facilitate its trial.
r,itv Chamberlain Hyde yesterday per-
r1itted an inspection OF the books in his
office giving q record Of the Cohalan war
rant. The receipt book showed an entry
recording the receipt of the famous No.
100 on December 81, 1909 At one side Of it
was written in ink, Returned TO the Mayor
AZ his request" Just over the previous
date was written, 81 t. TO- 10 indicate that
the warrant had been returned on that day
Under it was the initial B" which is I'M
derstood TO have been the receipt of a Mr..
brigham in the disbursing bureau of the
Finance Department, 10 whom the warrant
was turned over the same day.
In Permanent Book.
There Is another permanent book III the
Chan7berlair's office containing q record Of
co,7,nIAted warrants. Here was an entry
NJ the Cohalan warrant, dated December 81,
700 Auparently when the warrant was
sent hack 70 the Mayor everything except
the date was erased and entered over again
81, the same line after it was returned on
January l. over December 81 appears
q H. 10"
Controller Prendergast indicated yester-
da,- that so far as he was concerned there
volIId be no interruption Of the progressive
work Of the Board OF Estimate because Of
his feeling over the attempt TO put upon
him the responsibility of the Cohalan pay
ment.
There will positively be no break in the
BOARD of Estimate started by me- he said.
~ was elected on platform calling for
good government, and on that platform l
Stand and shall continue TO stand. I have
nothing but the most profound contempt
for the man who measures his official &C
tions bv his personal prejudices and differ
ences Of opinion"
Charles r Murphy called on the Mayor
yesterday afternoon, but he would not say
1,-be+ber the Cohalan warrant was topic
Of discussion
Herman Ridder also was n caller at the
City, Hall. but il was said that his visit had
nothing 70 do with the suit that has been
brought against him by Mr.. Hearst