New-York tribune., 1918-05-26
Alderman Denies
Tribune Urged Hin,
To Bar Out Hearst
Dawson, of Mount Vernon,
Acted on His Own
Initiative

William r. Hearst's complaint that
The Tribune and "other persons and
corporations" had conspired to pre-
vent the sale of his newspapers in
Mount Vernon and other places was
investigated yesterday by District At
torney Swami. Alderman William G.
Dawson, who introduced the resolu-
tion by which Mount Vernon de-
nounced the Hearst newspapers as
harmful to the best interests Of the
nation in prosecuting the war" and de-
barred their sale in that city until the
end of the war, was the principal wit
ness.
District Attorney Swami, after
questioning Alderman Dawson, said
sentative of The Tribune or any other
person directly or indirectly ap-
preached him in regard to the resolu-
tion until after it had been adopted
by the Board of Aldermen in commit
tee. Describing the testimony fur
ther. Mr.. Swami said:
"Mr. Dawson assured Mr.. Dooling
and myself that he was moved to in
troduce the resolution because he was
very much wrought up by reading
articles in The Tribune about Mr..
them, eliminating in one on Sunday,
May IL. The more he read, he said,
the more determined he became to in
troduce such resolution, and the
Sunday article Of May IL, he said, was
the last straw"
Some Aldermen Protested
Mr.. Swami said Mr. Dawson de-
scribed how some of his associates on
the board came to him and told him
that they believed the resolution was
illegal and that they didn't want to
vote for it on that account, but that
cause they didn't want to be regarded
as unpatriotic.
"Dawson said some of them even
asked him to withdraw the resolution"
said Mr.. Swami. "They said that on
account of the big gains which the
Germans had just made on the West
front the residents Of Mount Vernon
were in temper not to be trifled with,
and if they opposed the resolution they
would be regarded as unpatriotic by
those patriotic persons who wouldn't
understand that they opposed it on ac-
count of the question Of legality in
volved."
Dawson also told Mr.. Swami that he
replied to his :onfreres that any men
who felt the way they did ought to
resign from the board.
Mr.. Swami said Dawson testified that
the day after the adoption of the res
olution a reporter for The Tribune, to-
gether with representatives. of other
newspapers, talked with him about it..
That night the board formally passed
it by vote Of to 8, and Mayor Brush
signed it. He said The Tribune re-
porter that day told him what had
been done in other places against the
Hearst newspapers, particularly in
Poughkeepsie, where a Grand Army
post had burned copies of "The Amer
lean" and Evening Journal"
Questioned Its Legality
Dawson" said Mr. Swami, testified
that the Corporation Counsel Informed
not draw up resolution such as Daw
son wanted that would be legal. Daw-
son finally told the Corporation Coun-
sci that if he didn't draw it up he
would get some one else to do it. He
also said he told the aldermen during
debate on the legality of the resolu-
tion that he had been told that Su-
preme Court Justice Mills had ex-
pressed the opinion that the thing to do
was to pass the resolution anyway and
let Mr.. Hearst come up to Mount Ver-
non and prove its unconstitutionality
Dawson, however, admitted that he did
not hear Justice Mills make that re-
mark and he couldn't tell us the name
of the person who told him the justice
had made it,"
Mr.: Swami said Dawson testified that
he was born in Scotland and came to
the United States in 1906. He said
Dawson had three brothers in the Eng
lish army, one Of whom had been
killed.
"The aldermen said Mr.. Swami,
"who voted for the resolution were
four Republicans and three Democrats.
Those who voted against it were Re-
publicans."
Mr.. Swami said that Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Dooling, who has charge
of the case, has arranged to subpoena
most of the aldermen for this week.