Year: 1866

ayers have boen doing until recently In gratui-
tously advert sing the HERALD, we repeat that
the account is not yet settled They still owe
us heavily, and If they do not pay up or fur
nish collateral they may yet see times worse
for them than visitation of the cholera.


The Batemsns and tho Bohemisns I'm


Court.


We publish this morning the report of very
singular case which has just been decided before
Justice Gross. A Bohemian named Daily sued
Hezekiah Bateman, the father Of Miss Bateman,
the actress, for services rendered in manipulate
ing the press in Miss Bateman's favor and writ
ing for her one Of those elaborate puffs that are
styled in theatrical circles memoirs or biogra-
phies. In the testimony given during the trial
we have perfect picture of the manner in
which the Bohemians manage their business.
DAILY comes forward with the utmost impudence
to confess all the facts of the case, and another
Bohemian, named Otterson, is equally frank
and candid. DAILY fourishes as the dramatic
critIc-Heaven save the mark !-of the Express
and Of weekly paper, while Otterson swears
that he is now the managing editor Of the
Times and that he was connected with the
Tribune while acting as Hezekiah Bateman's
agent The proprietors of the papers are prob
ably too busy with other matters to pay much
attention to the conduct Of such subor-
dinates, and thus 1t has happened that
the Bohemians have been able to infest al
most every paper in New York, except the
HERALD, and every paper in Philadelphia, ex-
cept the Ledger, which Is now in the hands Of
q competent gentleman, who would not allow
its columns to be prostituted by these counter
felt critics. Let us hope that the public ex-
posure Of this trial and the brazen effrontery
Of all the parties concerned will efEectually
break up this Bohemian system, which is dis
grace to journalism and TO literature.


It seems from the evidence that DAILY began
operations by adapting play for Miss Bate
man. The press Of this city criticised this
play very severely, and Hesekiah Bateman.
snV quaUelllng with several Of the critics,
decided to catch the public with memoir,
and employed Dsly to write It This bogus
biography, which Bateman describes as @too
Alppant," was used at one Of the establish
ments which "do not advertise in the New
YoRx HERAID;" but in spite Of this Bateman
testiies that he withdrew the play for some
time ON account Of the adverse criticism
which it received" When Miss Bate
mn went on to Philadelphis II was de-
cided to make q great effort to secure
her success. Bateman, who receives fifty
dollars q week for acting as his daughters
| agent, "thought that the author Of the play,
being New York editor, might be successful
in manipulating the press Of Philadelphia in
her favor" DAILY thereupon obtained leave Of
absence from the paper with which be was
connected and went to Philadelphia, where he
managed the advertising, printing, criticisms
and other newspaper work" The method of
his management is very curious to the uniniti-
ated. He "bscame so intimate with MEM
bers Of the press Of Phladelphia that he was
allowed to write what he pleased in their papers
in favor Of Miss Bateman." This was his oc-
cupation by day, and "at night be would be In
| the theatre TO pay attention to and treat MEM
bers Of the press" With remarkable gene
rosity he "once gave an oyster supper to these
| individuals to influence them in Miss Bateman's
favor" These statements give us On elevated
idea Of the journalists of Philadelphia and Of
the mode in which regulations are manufac-
tured In that city. If an agent Of an actress
will only stand treat he can write what he
| likes and have Il inserted a. criticism. One
oyster supper buys up the whole Philadelphia
press, with the honorable exception which we
have before noticed. Never was system Of
puffery at once so simple, so comprehensive
and 30 exceedingly cheap.


We are sorry that we cannot claim that
the press Of New York Is superior TO that of
Philadelphia in regard TO Bohemianism. Heze-
kiah Bateman states that "he never attempted
the Philadelphia system here regarding the
press" and Otterson testifes that he "acted as
agent for Mr.. Bateman, but not In the manner
spoken Of regarding the Philadelphia prcss;"
but we are afraid that II this trial had occurred
In the City Of Brotherly Love we should have
had revelations concerning certain Of the
metropolitan papers quite as disgraceful. The
wherever Il found them; but all the other
journals have been more or less In their power.
To be sure their price has been somewhat
higher here than in Philadelphia. We do not
believe that the New York Bohemians could be
purchased with only one oyster supper. But
the principle is the same, though the applica-
ton is little varied. Here Is this Daily, who
avows himself the critic Of two papers, and yet
consents TO act as Miss Bateman's agent What
kind of criticism could he write about MISS
Batemanf What reliance could be placed by
the public upon his remarks concerning her
actingf Otterson, although employed upon
the Tribune, accepts twenty dollars a week
FOR his services as the agent Of Bateman Who
can place any confidence in the Tribsme's the
L. ~ ~