New-York tribune., 1918-08-27
ii Mount Vernon
City Officials Sued
By Hearst Company
Actions for $10o, 900 Each
Allege Intent to 1njure
Sales of Papers

MOUNT VERNON, N. Y, Aug. 26.-
With the serving of papers to-day upon
most Of the defendants it became
known that the Star Publishing Com
pany, the organization through which
William Randolph Hearst publishes
"The New York American" and "The
Evening Journal" had started suit for
$780, 900 each against fourteen officials
of this city. The defendants are Mayor
Edward F. Brush, Corporation Counsel
j. Henry Esser, Police Commissioner
r. NJ. Winfield, Police Chief j. c..
Foley and all Of the ten members Of
the Board Of Aldermen.
1t is the contention of Hearst that
the defendants, with the exception of
Police Commissioner Winfield and Po-
lice Chief Foley, reached an agreement
to injure his business and reputation,
and that in carrying out the project
the Corporation Counsel drafted an
ordinance aimed at his papers, which
was violation of his constitutional
rights, and that the Aldermen passed
the ordinance and the Mayor signed it.
The defendants, with the exception
of the Police Commissioner and the
police chief, it is alleged, intended Ito
hinder and prevent the plaintiff from
carving on his lawful trade and to pre-
vent him from selling his newspapers
in Mount Vernon" and Caused it to be
believed that the newspapers and the
plaintiff were unpatriotic, reasonable
and seditious."
Request for Arrest Refused
1t was learned that the Star Publish
ing Company had asked the Corpora
ton Counsel to make an arrest under
the ordinance, simply as a test case, in
order that an application might be
made for writ of habeas corpus and
the matter brought again before the
courts in that fashion. The Corpora
tion Counsel refused.
Alderman William G.. Dawson, author
of the ordinance, declared that he only
hoped that Mr.. Hearsts estimate or
the damages he had suffered was corr
rect. and promised to go on fighting
the Hearst papers until they repudlat,
ed the stand they had taken concernt
| ing the sinking of the Lusltanla ahd
/ other matters. The suits were an at
( tempt to intmidate city officials, ha
said.
"Hearst's lawyers and his circula-
tion manager must have got their wire $
crossed" said Alderman Dawson, be
cause the circulation manager SAID
that the concern was doing more bus'-
ness than ever here, while the lawyer
claims that it has suffered a loss or
100000. I hope the lawyer is right.
! Mr. Hearst must have an idea that an
alderman is in the capitalist class.
Personally, feel much fattered.
"Seriously speaking ] view thus &C
ton as nothing more nor less than an
attempt to intimdate the city officials
and | believe that there is no one who
knows any better than William A. De
Ford counsel for the Hearst inter
ests) that his complaint will be thrown
out Of court In fact, question very
much whether he will bring it to
court.
lone thing is certain; it will have
no effect on my determination to keep
up the fight to rid this city of yellow
and seditious newspapers.
81 read in this mornings paper of
the crucitixion of Sergeant Cole by the
Germans, and | have in mind the fact
that while Hearst was attempting TO
arouse our sympathy for poor, bleed
ing Germany tho Huns were cruelty
ing Canadians who were unfortunate
enough to fall into their hands"