The sun., 1918-08-22
HECKSCHER SUES
SOCIETY WOMEN
Says Mrs. J. Herbert Johnston
and Mrs. Robert j. Kelly
Slurred His Loyalty.
ASKS MILLION DAMAGES
Tea Table Gossip Declared to
Intimate He PrOwled on
Sound for Kaiser.
ASKS MILLION DAMAGES

August Heckscher, wealthy mine
owner. real estate operator and philan
thropist. brought suits for 100000 each
yesterday against Mrs. Teenie Noel John
ston, wife of ]. Herbert Johnston, and
Mrs. Dorothy Van Schaick Kelly, wife OF
Robert ]. Kelly, alleging that in tea
table gossip" they had, in effect. charged
! him with being pro-German and brought
his loyalty 10 America into question
among the members of the fashionable
society colonies on Long Island, where
all of the parties to the action are prom
inent ,
Mr.. Heckscher's suits caused SEN
sation last night in the exclusive social
coteries in which he as well as Mrs.
Kelly and Mrs, Johnston moved an
nouncement that papers in the action
actually had been served on the women
he accused bringing to a head gossip
that had been banded about on the
| island for many weeks.
Through her husband Mrs Johnston
admitted from her country place, Kalmia
Park at Huntington last night that the
papers in Mr.. Heckschers suit had been
served upon her. At the Kelly place.
which also is in the West Neck section
of Huntington. however, servants In
sisted that neither Mr.. nor Mrs. Kelly
was at home and that no one there had
any idea of their whereabouts,
Luncheon Gossip Quoted.
Specifically. Mr.. Heckscher charged
that the attacks upon his loyalty to his
adopted country were launched by Mrs.
Johnston at a luncheon she gave in her
Long Island home July G. on that oc-
| casion. the Heckscher complaint alleges.
Mrs Johnston. discussing the war. re-
| marked that "she doubted the loyalty to
the United States of its citizens of for
eign BIRTH" and then added:
THE boatmen said that Mr. Heck.
| scher's boat went out every night al
o'clock"
The action against Mrs. Kelly was
based upon the allegation that from
the Johnston luncheon she went TO the
home of Mrs. Grace Lambert. another
! member OF the exclusive North Shore
society colony, and repeated there the
| charges she heard made against "th'
Heckschers" at the Johnston home.
In both actions Mr.. Heckscher'!
! charges are based upon Information
and belief" In connection with the sui
against Mrs. Johnston Mr.. Heckscher'
| complaint says:
Upon information and belief, tina
! this defendant thereupon and on sale
occasion and in the presence and hear
! ing of divers and sundrv persons ant
! with the intent of injuring this plaintiff
| and to cause IL to be believed that thii
plaintiff had violated the espionage ac
| did speak and publish the followlnS
false. defamatory and malicious word'
! concerning the plaintiff The boatmeI
! said that Mr. Heckscher's boat went ou
every night :, ] o'clock meaning there
! by that plaintiffs boat nightly at
| O'Clock "rent forth Ciandestinely an,
! habitua4.. under cover OF darkness
upon the waters of Long Island Sount
and It's tributaries for the purpose o
spylng. conveying information or sup
plies TO, or otherwise serving the in
terest OF the German Empire and IL
servants and agents, contrary to tn
| interests and welfare Of the Unite,
states, with which said German Empir
then was and now Is at war"
| Thereafter the complaint argues tina