The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-03
HEARST BRINGS SUIT.
Charges Libel Against Times, Eagle
and Associated Press.

New York, May 3.-William r. Hearst
has begun a libel suit against the New
| YORK Times because that neWSpape!
| reported the speech of Mayor Gaynor al
| the Associated Press dinner on Thurs
day night, in which the mayor declared
| that two state prison felonleS-namely
forgery and Justification of a public doc
ument-%ere committed in the eager
ness Of this publisher and editor
| tHearst) tC wrong the mayor of the city
| of New York" Mr.. Hearst alleges that
by reason of the. publication OF the
| speech he has suffered to the extent OF
| 100000, and he asks to be awarded that
| sum in damages.
A summons ard complaint in the suit
We're served on the Times by clerk
in the office of Clarence 7. Shearn, Mr.
Hearst's attorney. These papers cite
PARTS of the Times account OF the
mayors speech and parts of the speech
itself as the basis of the suit.
Mr.. Shearn told u reporter that Mr..
Hearst was also suing the Brooklyn
Eagle and the Associated Press. The
suit against the Eagle is understood TO
or's speech and an editorial article;
that against the Associated Press upon
the sending of the speech to it's mem
bers. Damages in the case OF the Eagle
are put at 500 600; in the case of the
Associated Press at $5G0,000.
AS to the suit against the Associated
Press, it was noted that the Americans
report of the mayors alleged lfbelous
ment in italics that the speech was
printed in full as reported by the AS
sociate1 Press"
Hearst Denied Hearing.
I'm each CASE said Mr.. Shearn. 1.-The
suit is based on the same ground, the
calling of Mr. Hearst, falsely and ma
liciously, forger without giving him
an opportunity to explain his side of
the matter
The complaint in the suit against the
Times says that the defendant made
said publication without first COM
municating with the plaintiff or giving
the plaintiff any opportunity to deny or
refute said charge
The Times made diligent efforts to
obtain Mr.. HearSt'S reply for stimuli
taneous publication with Mayor Gay
nor's. speech. that paper asserts. Its
first inquiry at the American office met
with the reply from the night city edi-
tor that John Temple Graves editor OF
the American, had been trying vainly
to reach Mr.. Hearst and that until he
did nothing would be given out. Later,
just before the Times went to press, a
second application to the American
brought the response that no reply
from Mr.. Hearst would be given out
that night.
Hold Statement Refused.
The Times printed the following
paragraph Immediately preceding May
Or Gaynor'S speech:
1T was announced early this morn
ing at the office of the New York
American that no statement in connec-
ton with Mayor Gaynor's remarks con-
corning Mr.. Hearst would be given out
at this time"
AS a matter of fact, Mr.. Hearst's re-
ply was not given out until Friday |
night. The Times printed it in full Oh |
Saturday morning.
Melville E. Stone, general manager of
the Associated Press, when asked at |
his home in the Lotos club about the |
suit against that organization, said he |
had not heard it before. When asked |
what he thought about it, Mr.. Stone |
said:
THE Associated Press simply peril
formed it's duty of giving to its MEM
r RS the news of an important gather
ing. including a public address by the |
mayor of the city of New York. We |
the news, that is ALL