The Editor and Publisher 1901-11-23: Vol 1 Iss 22
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( > 1 THE EDITOR and PUBLISHER A JOURNAL FOR NEWSPAPER MAKERS. VoL I, No. 22. NEW YORK, November 23, 1901. $i A Year, 5 Cents a Copy. HEARST TO FIGHT. THE MAN WHO DID. AMERICAN’S CASE CREATES A CHARLES M. PALMER AS A GREAT STIR IN CHICAGO. TEACHER, MANAGER AND NEWSPAPER BROKER. One Court Is Pitted Against Another, and a Big Battle Will Be Fought to A Well-Known Figure in the Press Protect the Liberty of the Press— World of the East and the West— Lawyers Say There Was No Con¬ his Aggressive Work on the San tempt of Court. Francisco Examiner and the New The sentencing last week of two York Journal—His Latest Achieve¬ members of the Chicago American’s staff to imprisonment for alleged con¬ ments in Business. tempt of court by Judge Hanecy has The announcement last week of the created an unwanted stir in the purchase by Frank A. Munsey of the Windy City. Washington Times from Stllson Messrs. Lawrence and Canfield were Hutchins, which appeared exclusively not locked up in Jail, but were released in The Editor and Publisher, with under bail In habeas corpus proceed¬ the modest foot note announcing that ings soon after the sentence was pro¬ the sale was negotiated through the nounced. hn)keragc offii-o of Charles M. Palmer, A stubborn legal fight is bonnd to brings into prominence in a new role follow that will probably be prolonged a well-known manager and a business until late In the spring. The Amer¬ both unique in itself and of Interest ican has engaged the best legal talent and undoubted value to newspaper In Chicago to argue Its case In the men. whether owners or possible courts. future owners. Mr. Palmer, who Is too well-known THE FAMOUS STORKY C.VSE. to all newspaper men to need Intro¬ The basis for this unusual attention duction, became convinced, from his to a single court proceeding rests on experience in the purchase and sale the theory that when the final decis¬ of newspapers for himself, that there ion of the upper court is written the was a wide field for enterprise in case will become historic in the an¬ negotiating as the confidential repre¬ nals of the legal lore of Illinois. This sentative beween owners and buyers. generation in Chicago has not before About a year ago he purchased from had the opportunity of witnessing the E, P. Harris, who hod alre.idy- been trial of a newspaper and its responsi¬ experimenting on the same lines, the ble editors and writers for contempt daily and weeklyn newspaper end of of court. Back in 1876, more than a his brokerage business, and, early last quarter of a century ago, there was Spring, opened a suite of offices recorded the famous Storey case. devoted exclusively to this business Wilbur F. Storey, editor of the old in the Postal Telegraph Building. Chicago Times, was cited for contempt SOME LARGE TRANSACTIONS. for publishing certain criticisms of the grand jury for voting .Indictments During the brief period that has In¬ against him. The court held the ed¬ CHARLES M. PALMER. tervened since he has took hold of the newspaper brokerage business, Mr. itor guilty, and sentenced him to the WHO EFFECTED THE BADE OF THE WASHINGTON TIMES. county jail. Pending a review by the Palmer has shown that there is room for an agency of this kind. The sales Supreme Court, he secured his liberty WILLMAN AND SUN WIN. MANAGER SEEKS DAMAGES. on a writ of habeas corpus, and the he has effected have been numerous, higher court finally reversed the de. some of them involving transactions amounting to hundreds of thousands cision of the lower tribunal and dls- Suit Against the Paper and Oscar P. Mayor of Syracuse Defendant in a chargea the editor. of dollars. Willman Is Dismissed. Newspaper Libel Suit. Although much has been written In the present case one court is pit¬ A suit was tried Nov. 12 In Part II. ted against another, the original judge Arthur J. Plcotte, manager of the about Mr. Palmer and his newspaper of the Supreme Court, In which Oscar Labor World, Syracuse, N. Y., has experience and career, it has been in is evidently determined to punish P. Willman and the Sun Printing and what has been called “juggling with sued Mayor James K. McGuire for a sense fragmentary and incomplete. Publishing Association were defend¬ $6,000 damages for libel. Space will not permit as extensive the law;’’ three great law firms, with ants. the State’s Attorney and his staff, are The complaint states that the de¬ review of this here as we would like The plaintiff alleged that be had fendant tried to coerce and induce the to present to our readers, but the fol¬ engaged on opposite sides of the case, been arrested on December 22, 1899, and they have argued, besides techni¬ managers of the Labor World to sup¬ lowing will be of interest: and that $5,000 was due to the plaintiff port him In the campaign, but that Its Mr. Palmer’s early youth was passed calities and facts, the broader propo¬ because he had been wrongfully locked sitions of the freedom of the press and support was refused unless the mayor in the healthful environment of farm up in the Oak street police station would take back certain alleged slan¬ life in western Wisconsin, where were the dignity of the courts, and with It and in the Tombs, his case having all the bench and bar have become derous statements affecting the as¬ laid the foundations of the superb been dismissed on his getting out on sembly and officers. health that has enabled him In later thoroughly aroused over the case and habeas corpus. It Is then charged that the defend¬ its probable ending. life to withstand a strain of work The case was dismissed by Justice ant falsely uttered defamatory words which few men have undergone. After WONT GO TO CHICAGO. Smith as to the Sun Association, and concerning the plaintiff wherein he a thorough education and an exper¬ William It. Hearst, editor of the New the jury brought In a verdict for the charged the managers of the I.Abor ience as a school teacher, he was in York Journal, while In New Orleans defendant, Oscar P. Willman, who was World with having attempted to black¬ 1876 employed by the La Crosse last week, was Interviewed by a Pic¬ concerned in making the arrest, which mail the Democratic organization. (Wis) Morning Chronicle as travel¬ ayune representative, to whom he took place on Nassau street, near the ing correspondent and circulation said, in reply to a question as to Tribune newspaper building. agent, and in this capacity covered whether he would go to Chicago to The cause of the arrest was that the Stamford Telegram Suspends. western Wisconsin, southern Minne¬ submit himself to the contempt pro¬ plaintiff was circulating papers to the After a checkered career since sota and Northern Iowa, thus gaining ceedings already alluded to. detriment of the Sun, as alleged, the August, 1897, the Stamford (Conn.) a wide acquaintance with business and “I have no intention of going to Chi¬ circulars stating that the Sun opposed Telegram, the only Democratic paper newspaper men. cago just now, as it Is not necessary. the 'Typographical Union No. 6, and in a territory containing 60,000 inhab¬ HIS EARLY TRAINING. The paper there Is published by a cor¬ there were several statements argu¬ itants, has suspended publication. poration, and I am not even an ofilcer ing for the boycott of the newspaper. Lack of business is the reason He attracted the attention of W, R. of the company. The proceedings In assigned. The paper was published by Finch, publisher of the Repnbllcan question can go on just as well with¬ a stock company headed by Judge and I.eader, the opposition paper at out me, and I am not wanted for any¬ President for the Fourth Time. H. Stanley Finch. La Crosse. To Mr. Finch, who is now thing that I know of. In fact, I have The Publishers’ Association, of New U. S. Minister to Uraguay and Para¬ not any very definite recollection as York City, at its annual meeting held guay, Mr. Palmer owes the foundation to the matter for which the company Nov. 16, re-elected Edward P. Call, the Paper Mill Sold. of his newspaper training. Is held In contempt. My lawyers don’t business manager of the Evening Post, Hugh Mclnnes, owner of the Re¬ During the three years that he re¬ think that it was a contempt, and the as president for the fourth time. Her¬ becca Paper Mills, in Bridgeport, mained with the Repnbllcan and court seems to disagree with them, bert F. Gunnison, of the Brooklim Conn., has disposed of ids plant to Leader as city editor, his duties were and that Is all there is to it until it is Eagle, watt chosen vlceK:hairman. Tb;. Edward M. Taylor, of ^ilmlLr numerous and diverse. He edited floally decided," Other offlcfer* were ro-olected. Pol, tor 188,000. ijCmtim'ed m faff T•^ / THE EDITOR AND PUBLISHER. November 23, 1901. SCHEMERS ARE BUSY new incorporations. whatWHAT theyTHEY wouldWOULD do.DO. newspaperNEWSPAPER growth.GROWTH. - The Medford Citizen Company, of - - AMERICANS WITH GOOD THINGS Augusta. Me. Capital stock, 310,000. Clerygmen Offer Advice on Running a There Has Been a Gain of Nearly ARE FLOCKING TO LONDON. Incorporators. John Williamson, Jr.; Daily Newspaper. 8,000 Periodicals in Ten Years. ARE FLOCKING TO LONOON.