The sun., 1916-12-08
TELL OF A 'GRUDGE'
AGAINST C0RRIGAN
Witnesses, Playwrights and
Press Agents Testify in
100000 Suit.
AUTHOR SOUGHT REVENGE
Howard Accused Magistrate Of
Plotting to Railroad Him,
Friends Say.

Playwrights' and press agents day
was observed yesterday at the trial Of
the 5000. 900 libel suit which Magistrate
Joseph L. Corrisan n bringing against
the Bobbs- Merrill Company for publish
ing a novel by George Bronson Howard.
entitled Gods Man." which the Magis-
trate maintains has passages character
izng him as the reverse Of the title.
The two press agents testified before
Supreme Court Justice Gor that the
novelist believed Magistrate Corrigan
held him for trial In order to steal
from him Theodore Gerard, the young
actress, who caused his arrest In 1909.
to induce her to return jewelry which he
had given her.
Magistrate Corrigan. recalled to the
stand, denied Howard's reported insinua-
tions, declaring that before the actress
appearance in Jefferson Market court he
had been introduced to her and she had
said, How do you do?" but that the ac-
quaintance began and ended there. He
thought he might lave seen her later at
the Casino Theatre, but whatever hit she
lost on him. for he failed to notice her.
Try to Prove Firm Knew.
The witnesses Of the day were called
by his attorney, Henry W. Arnold. TO
controvert the claim Of John l.. Lock-
wood counsel for the publishing Arm.
that the BobbsMerrill Company did not
know before they issued the book that
Magistrate Corrigan was the Magistrate
"Cornigan" OF the manuscript, who was
described as unfiatteringly similar to
/ some OF the prisoners he sentenced.
| After John W. Rumsey. president OF
the American Play Company, which
pleases the movie fans by turning sue
cessful novels into motion pictures. had
identified letters from the publishlng :
| house signed ny one Carl Bernhardt.
| Hans y. johnson. Jr., told the court OF
/ Bernhardts presence In cottage at
Belleclaire. l.. l.. where Howard In the
Ssummer OF 1915 was putting God 5
! Man through the final stages OF evolu-
| ton.
johnson. who shared a cottage with
the writer during week ends. told OF see
ing Howard and Bernhardt going over
the manuscript and proof sheets OF the
novel. which Is not popular work with
the Magistrate. To a question whether
he had ever heard the novelist tell Bern
harit why he had written tho bool.
johnson replied:
"On one occasion Mr.. Howard said ne
was trying to get revenge on Judge Cor
rigan." At this Bernhardt, according to
the witness. .only laughed" Then At
torney Arnold sought to show that the
book. which the defendants claim sprang
from fictitious imaginings. represented a
different sort OF dream.
Talked of "Getting Even"
Patrick L. Francis. the next witness
said he was n theatrical producer and
former newspaper man and described
meeting Howard and Bernhardt outside
the Eltn-e Theatre In August. 1915. a
month before Gods Man" came into the
world. When Howard, "A friend OF Fran
els for ten years. introduced Bernhardt
Francis said that the novelist made con.
versat!on thus:
Congratulate me. I've Just finished a
hook-'Gods Man Mr.. Bernhardt /.
the New York representative OF Bobbs-
Merrill You know I'm getting ever
with that swine Corrigan. You know
now he tried to railroad me when l was
arraigned before him and how he tried
to get Teddy Gerard away from me"
How about the libel in IT." wa
asked by Francis according TO his test.
mony.
I'm spelling the name Corn'gan." wa,
the reply. which Francis said Ilowart
gave him, but In the contents pag,