Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-29
|ASSA|LS CANAL BILL PAGE GIVEN LIMIT.
AGAINST American Shipping In Sentenced to Five Years and
terests, Says c. S. MeIen. Is Fined ST 900.
HELD AN AID TO CANADA SET FREE ON PROBATION
Country Should United New York Merchant Promises Never
States He Saws Again Write Lbelou Matter
SEES DANGER MONOPOLY NOT SATISFIED WITH ACTION
Americ Railroads. ton to Release OF
ing of Prisoner
Sentenced to Five Years and
Is Fined $1,000.
SET FREE ON PROBATION
New York Merchant Promises Never
Again to Write Lbelous Matter,
NOT SATISFIED WITH ACTION
Department Of Justice Takes Excep-
ton to Release Of
Prisoner.

Devote your energies in the future to
the conduct Of your business and do not
undertake to run the world, as you seem
to have tried to do
Justice Barnard in Criminal Court No.
thus admonished Henry w. A. Page of
New York today in imposing the maxi
mum penalty for libelfive years in the
penitentiary and $1,000 fine-on the pris-
oner. then suspending its operation and
placing him on probation for three years
with directions to report in person or by
letter to Probation Officer Porter quar-
terly during that period
Page expects to sail for Europe next
Wednesday, He thanked Justice Barnard
for his leniency and promised to desist
from his Objectionable writings.
At first, Page qualified his promise by
saying he would desist as far as these
people are concerned but United States
Attorney Wilson insisted that the promise
should be general, and Page withdrew the
qualification.
Exception to Suspension.
The Department of Justice did not take
kindly to the action of Justice Barnard
in placing Page on probation. and dis
patched Assistant Attorney General Ad-
kins with q message to the court to Sc
cure, If possible, a rescission Of that fea-
ture of the sentence imposed by the
court.
Justice Barnard. when asked about the
attempted recall" said he had refused
the request, because. he considered that
Page, having been placed by him In the
custody of the probation ofhcer. the
court had lost jurisdiction over him
until Page should violate the terms OF
his parole.
Page had left the courthouse when
allowed his liberty by the court. and
had proceeded to his hotel to prepare
for his return to New York. The pro
him and Detective Helan visited the
hotel and Page returned to the city
hall. His counsel. Mr.. Thomas accom-
panied him to the courthouse and was
present at the conference In Justice
Barnard's chambers.
When the court had declined to
change the sentence Mr.. Adkins and
Mr.. Thomas visited the Office OF the At
torney General.
Convicted of Libel.
Page was convicted yesterday after
noon Of lbeling Representative Clayton
and the other members Of the judiciary
committee Of the House of Representa-
tives. He sent a scurrilous pamphlet
through the mails calling them crooks"
and "perjurers," because they declined to
present to Congress a memorial by Page.
entitled the Death Of Liberty. In which
he requested impeachment proceedings
against certain judges OF the New York
state courts. who had granted alimony to
his wife and given her the CUSTODY OF
their three children.
Attorney Samuel Bell Thomas of New
York. counsel for Page. made a formal
motion for a new trial this morning.
which was overruled by the court At
torney Thomas asked for a light sentence
or for probation, calling attention to the
lack of malice on the part Of the accused.
that he had lived twenty years In Amer
lea, had built up big business and had
never before been charged with crime.
Assistant Attorney General Adkins ask
ed for the laws extreme penalty. declar-
ing that Page had been engaged In libel
Gus writings 70 rthe past five years. He
claimed the prisoner had evidenced venom
sending OF the pamphlet to the governor
and the legislature of Alabama.
Page Submits to Sentence.
Justice Barnard then asked Page II he
had anything to say before sentence and
was answered by Page: Nothing. your
honor, I leave the matter In your hands :"
The court proceeded to characterize the
libel as most unusual and most extrava-
CANT, remarking that 1t carried it's own
antidote.
No one believed the assertions. the
court suggested, and no one had been
seriously injured. The law. however.
does not allow the maligning of people
and persons should not be allowed to do
So
Justice Barnard proceeded to impose
the maximum sentence of Ave years i'm
prisonment in the pen.tentiary and fine
of $1,000 On. the promise of the de-
Page placed on probation. giving his per-
sonal bond to refrain from further libel
Gus illusions.