New-York tribune., 1918-06-04
Hylan Drops $525, ,000Libel
Suits Against 1.-THE World''
Mayor Says He Is Too Busy With Public A.
fairs to Push Case; Must Pay Court Costs;
Defendant Demands Extra Allowance

Asserting that all his time must be
devoted to "the great pressure of pub
lilo business" and that he knew of
no vindication of judge or jury" that
could equal that of his election last
November, Mayor Hylan yesterday
Withdrew his two suits against the
Press Publishing Company, publishers
of "The World" for $525,ooo damages
for alleged libel.
The suits, which were based on ar
tlcles published in "The World" during
the municipal election last autumn,
and which, Mr.. Hylan contended re-
fiected on his reputation as a lawyer
and imputed German sympathies
to him, were to have been tried before
Justice James C. Cropsey, in the Su
preme Court, Brooklyn, yesterday. Mr..
Hylan had been unsuccessful in at
.ee,mpts to have the trial postponed un-
til next October.
-. When the case was reached Frank
Moss. counsel for Mr.. Hylan, said,
your honor, ask that this case be
discontinued" He then produced let
ter from Mr.. Hylan authorizing drop
ping the suits. Justice Cropsey as
sented to this proposal, and imposed
the court costs on Mr. Hylan.
Defendant Demands Allowance
Howard Taylor, counsel for the de-
fendant, thereupon obtained permis-
sion to file an affidavit showing that
IAN extraordinary allowance" should
be obtained from Mr.. Hylan because of
the expense the defendant had en-
tailed IN preparing their defence. Mr.,
Taylor said he would ask that Mr.. Hv-
Ian be required to pay the maximum
of $4,000 for each case, or $4,000. as
recompense for the Mayors failure to
prosecute.
Mayor Hylan's letter to Mr.. Moss,
written last Friday, said:
the court to postpone my action against
The New York World The reason
for the request was the great pressure
of public business upon me at this i'm
portant time. The court has refused
what appears to me very reasonable
request, made in the public interest T
am compelled, therefore, to ask YOU
to discontinue the actions, as il seems
to me that my first duty is to the pub
nc IN these critical times, and that T
should devote my full time and at
tention to the public business ard
not to the prosecution of my private
lawsuits and personal matters. AS far
as vindlcaton is concerned, I know of
no vlndication of any judge or iurv
that can equal or approach the over
whelmlng verdict rendered by the peo-
pie at the last election. Any other vim
dlcatlon, no matter how complete.
would seem feeble and futile in com,
parison and would add nothing to the
honor that l have received from the
public and to the gratitude feel
toward them"
Says Public May Judge
"If the Mayor went to trial at th;s
time he would be compelled to vacate
the City Hall for the month of June"
said Mr.. Moss. Gle would be Obliged
to turn the affairs Of the city over to
other hands. June is ordinarily a
most important month in the city's af
fairs, and it is especially so now be-
cause of the war"
Mr.. Tayloi, said:
We were ready to try the cases as
soon as they were reached on the
calendar 1t was as much a surprise
to me as to any one else that the plain
tiff did not care to so on. The public
can judge from his attitude what he
thinks would have been the result Iof
that trial Mr.. Hylan's course was not
the result of any sort or kind of
agreement with the defence.
w Justice Cropsey is to receive
Wednesday or Thursday the affidavits
for and against the defendants appli-
cation Tor an extra allowance"
What "The World" Says About 1t
"The World" commenting editorial
ly to-day on Mayor Hylan's withdrawal
of the suits, saws:
pleading the pressure of public
duties, Mayor Hylan yesterday, by
counsel, withdrew at his own cost two
suits for libel against The World, in
which he asked damages to the amount
of $525, 900 Appearing also by coun-
sci, The World was prepared in its
own defence to go before a jury on the
issues as presented.
THE actions at law now dismissed
by the Mayors motion and without
stipulation were undertaken by him in
consequence of questions raised as to
his fitness for the position which, by
the favor Of his fellow citizens, be now