Arizona state miner., 1924-01-19
FINAL RETRlBUTION
Editor Watson and Family are
Awarded bankers Home

sold to Hannah J. and H. B. Wat on,
owners OF the Arizona State Miner
the entire estate of former Banker H.
C. Springer, in Wickenburg. The
property comprises three lots, bunga-
low, outbuildings and all improve
ments Of the former bankers home
The sale was effected in compliance
with a court order to satisfy judg-
ment in favor of Editor Watson and
his wife, and rendered against Banker
Springer, who was convicted of boy
cotting and conspiring to ruin the
business Of the Arizona State Miner
several years ago. Briefly told, the
facts of this celebrated case, now of
statewide interest, are as follows:
During the fall Of 1918, Editor Wat
son, employed on field research and
representing the Mining and Scien-
tific Press of San Francisco, and the
Arizona Mining Journal, came to
Wickenburg. Attracted by the unde-
veloped mineral resources of this sec
tiOn he outlined an arrangement to
publish a weekly paper at Wicken-
burg with A. r. Volk and Banker
Springer, prominent then as presl-
dent and secretary of Wickenburg's
chamber of commerce. K K Bow
sher, a former partner of Watson, was
overseas in France, fighting for his
country. After the armistice was
signed and Bowsher came home, the
tentative arrangement to move their
paper to Wickenburg was concluded,
and the publication was moved to
Wlckenburg and it's name changed
from the Golden State to the Arizona
State Miner, under contract with
the officers Of Wickenburg Chamber
of Commerce. In less than three
months friction ensued because the
patronage promised to support the
paper was violated. At a chamber of
commerce meeting held in the bank,
Watson demonstrated at the falling
off in patronage, and was informed
that he would have to alter the Min
er's political character against Gov
ernor Tom Campbell. "Then l quit"
said the editor. But he found that the
obligations insured in moving and
running losing business had been
assumed by the bank. If he quit, he
must forfeit his plant, whereas the
chamber of commerce, being an un-
incorporated body, were irresponsible
so far as legal redress was concerned.
A temporary compromise was fol-
lowed by an open street row between
Watson and A. R. Volk, president of
the chamber of commerce, over the
publication Of Phoenix advertising,
giving Phoenix prices on merchan-
disc. During one of Editor Watson's
trips to Phoenix after business, the
president of the chamber of com
merce and Banker Springer drew up
a paper and went about Wickenburg
business houses soliciting signatures
to boycott the State Miner. 1t was
delivered through the mall with 13
signatures attached of which Banker
Springer signed two himself, one
without consent, and coerced others
to do the same. Suits followed, with
Attorney Weldon J. Bailey of Phoenix
as counsel for Watson and wife.
against signers of the boycott paper
Those against A. r. Volk and his
firm were. compromised Others were
dropped because they were co-erced
into signing by the banker and head
of the chamber of commerce. A re-
vulsion of feeling later over the boy
colt and subsequent attempts Of
Springer and Volk to put the State
Miner out of business, brought food,
meat, vegetables and money from the
farmers, miners and sympathizers
around Wickenburg to tile over the
of himself and family and
their gratitude caused family reso-
luton to "stick."
The story of how they stuck though |
unjust usages of commerce were IN
voked to destroy their credit, so they |
could not buy newsprint, and were
forced to utilize wall paper to get |
their paper out, has been broadcast