Newspaper Page Text
VOL. V. NO. 2,028.
TROOPS CALLED.
Indiana Miners Are Running
Things Their Own Way
THE SHERIFF POWERLESS
Governor Matthews Has Order
ed the Military to Proceed
to the scene of the Trouble
Indianapolis, June I.—The situation
has become so alarming in the Davies
county coal regions that Governor Mat
thews has made a move. In reply to a
call for troops received at the executive
office he sent a dispatch to the sheriff of
• Davies county requesting him to keep
him informed as to the situation at Con
nelsburg. In response to this a dispatch
was received stating that bloodshed Can
, not be averted.
The governor at once decided to order
the state troops to the scene. Miners
are collecting at Connelsl urg in great
numbers; they are well armed and have
declared their intention of allowing no
trains to move. The sheriff and his
deputies are powerless and have time
and again been overpowered.
Trying to Stop Them in Ohio.
Bridgeport, June 2.— A serious out
break among the miners along the
Cleveland, Loraine and Wheeling rail
road is imminent. A double header
coal train was stopped at the Wheeling
j and Pittsburg Coal works, two miles
west of this place by a mob of miners
numbering 500 or more, who forced the
trainmen to run back to the Bridgeport
yards.
Sheriff Scott and a force of deputies
are on their way to the scene of the
trouble to protect the railroad property.
At 2 o’clock, the two coal trains under
guard of the sheriff and a posse of depu
ties will start from here.
The miners are still massed at the
point where the train was stopped and
a collision between them and the sher
iff’s posse seems inevitable. Miners all
along the road are excited by the recent
events and may join those already
massed to prevent the running of trains.
Cripple Creek Refused Protection.
Denver, June 2.—Judges Binder and
Hallett, of the United States circuit
court, has denied a petition of the Rav
engold Mining company, of West Vir
ginia, for an injunction to restrain the
miners from interfering with its prop
erty at Cripple Creek. Had the injunc
tion been grunted, United States troops
would probably have been sent against
the miners.
The claim of the company was that
the title of the land is still vested in the
United States government, that the
I state officials had refused to give proper
protection and that the strikers pre
vented the company from prosecuting
transactions necessary to the proving of
its claim.
West Virginia Militia in Revolt.
Huntington, June 2.—When compa
ny G of the Second regiment was order
ed to the Camden mines, half the men
rebelled, and refused to don their uni
forms even after the colonel had been
. summoned. The company is one of the
oldest in the state, and has done
more and better service than all the
others. But the men were enraged be
cause a few months ago they put down
a riot in the Kanawha, and were kept
*in the field for several weeks, but have
never been paid. The men will be court
martialed.
Militia Ordered Out.
Indianapolis, June 2.—The governor
has ordered out the militia. Nine com
panies, including oue of artillery, will
start immediately for the coal fields by
special train.
A PRINCE WANTED.
< The Anxiety of a California Woman for a
Titled Kinsman.
San Francisco, June 2.—lt is report
ed here that an engagement has been
settled between Prince Poniatowski and
Miss Beth Sperry, of Stockton, Cal., sis
ter of Mrs. William H. Crocker, of
Frisco. The story, as told here, is that
Mrs. Crocker is eager to have a prince
in the family, and that it was her in
fluence which caused the breaking of
the prince’s engagement to Miss Maude
Bourke. Miss Sperry is a very hand
some brunette, and her fortune, which
will come from her father, the million
aire wheat and flour operator, is $1,000,-
000. It is said that Mrs. Crocker want
ed the wedding in London, but Ponia
tpwski preferred New York. Mrs.
Crocker has a great ambition to be a so
cial leader in Frisco.
* Turpin Says He Sold to Belgium.
Paris, June 2.—Le Temps publishes
an interview with M. Turpin concern
ing his invention of an electric auto
matic mittrailleuse, which he was al
leged to have sold to Germany. M.
Turpin says that the invention was sold
. to a Belgian company. He thinks the
weapon will be so destructive that wars
will cease for the lack of soldiers.
Liquefied gas is used in the machine,
the projectiles being hurled with tre
mendous force to great distances, and
from any height, the apparatus being
such as tc afford buoyancy.
Miss Sessler’s Assailant Arrested.
Greenfield, Mass., June 2.—Josiph
Warren, who attempted to assault the
15-year old daughter of William Sessler,
of Colraine, was arrested in Deerfield.
He pleaded not guilty and in default of
$5,000 bail was sent to jail. He has
served a 10-year sentence in the state
prison for a similar crime committed in
W.est Deerfield.
THE ROME TRIBUNE.
OWENS AND THE EDITOR.
A Scurrilous Letter Written to Injure the
Kentucky Candidate.
Lexington, June 2.—A most sens;;-
tional and exciting scene took place a
few days ago in the editorial room of
Charles C. Moore, editor of The Blue
Grass Blade. There were present W.
C. Owens, candidate for congress against
Breckinridge; C. C. Moore, General W.
H. Gentry and J. Walter Leake, who is
a friend of Mr. Owens. Owens said to
Moore:
“I have come to see you about the
lying, scurrilous letter which 1 under
stand you have received from Jett’s sta
tion, postmarked Georgetown, in which
my character is attacked iu a most
shameful manner. You say you believe
the letter to be a forgery, and yet you
will print it this afternoon in The Blade.
I have this to say: We have both been
men of peace, and I have tried to do
right, but if you publish that letter v,-e
will be so no longer, and you must
stand the consequences. If published,
it will reflect seriously on some ladies o:
Frankfort, and will, besides, be sent to
my mother and sisters. That I can not
and will not stand. What I have to say
to you is that I ask no favor of you. do
not want you to defend me, but I will
not have that published and scattered
broadcast when I have already de
nounced everything in it, and any one
who circulates it is a liar and a scoun
drel.”
Moore began to explain that he was
doing tnis to defend Owens, but Owens
shut him oil, saying that he did not
want to be defended by .Moore. Then
Moore asked to be allowed to read the
letter which he did. The letter was
dated Jett, Ky., May 27. Moore had
headed it. “Show 8.1 l Owens is Ever
lastingly Ruined.” The letter makes
grave charges against Owens, of immor
ality and gambling, aud is signed L.
Crutcher. The postmark is George
town. and the postmaster of that place
has just come to say that the postmark
stamp was a forgery. Moore then
backed down, and said if Owens wished
it he would nor publish the letter. To
this Owens replied that he would say
nothing, but the letter had better not be
published. Moore then agreed not to
print it. The original copy of the let
ter will be placed in the hands of a de
tective, and the author ferreted out.
Moore kept the original, although Ow
ens asked him for it, and said he
thought he knew where it came from.
The Country’s Indebtedness.
Washington, June 2.—The debt state
ment, just issued, shows a net increase
in the public debt, less cash in the treas
ury, during day, of $3,603,030. The in
terest bearing debt increased $460; the
non-interest bearing debt decreased $640,-
879, and the cash in the treasury de
creased $7,243,450. The balance of the
several classes of debt at the close of
business May 31, were: Interest bear
ing debt, $635,041,840; debt o:i which
interest has ceased since maturity, sl,-
858,390; debt bearing no interest, $380,-
016,329. Total, $1,016,916,560. The cer
tificates and treasury notes offset by an
equal amount of cash in the treasury
outstanding at the end of the month
were $621,128,445 —an increase of sl,-
136,650. The total cash in the treasury,
$783,283,264; the gold reserve was $78,-
693,267; net cash balances, $39,161,068.
Destruction to Kentucky Crops.
Princeton, June 2.—The army and
cut worms are playing havoc with crops
throughout this section of Kentucky. In
the Fredonia valley, the best farming
portion of western Kentucky, and ex
tending over 60 miles in length, whole
meadows have been destroyed by the
army worms, and the wheat and rye
crop will be badly injured by this pest.
The cut worms in localities have de
stroyed thousands of tobacco beds and
in many instances have ruined crops
that have been set out.
Yale Teaiu Going to England.
New York, June 2.—lt is now pretty
certain that a Yale athletic team will go
to England to compete with one from
Oxford. Maclane Van Ingen has cabled
that the details have been all practically
agreed on and the date of ’the inter
national contests fixed. They will take
place on July 14 and will consist of nine
events, including a half mile run, which
has been substituted for the regular
3-mile run of the English program.
Murderer aud His Wife Commit Suicide.
Palestine, Tex., June 2. John
Chestnut, living near here, shot and in
stantly killed W.lliam Evans, a neigh
bor, in the field of the latter, because of
a quarrel over some family matters.
Chestnut then returned home and he
and his wife committed suicide. Evans
was a man of family; Chestnut had no
children. Both men were industrious
and well-to-do farmers.
Maryland's Governor Out A grain.
Baltimore, June 2.—Governor Frank
Brown has formally announced him
self a candidate for renomination. His
present term of office will not expire
until the first Wednesday of January,
1896, when his successor will be inaug
urated. There are at least four other
avowed candidates in the field for the
governorship, with several counties still
to hear from.
Mrs. Lease Signed for July 4.
Sioux Falls, S. D., June 2.—A con
tract with Mrs. Mary E. Lease, of Kan
sas, to deliver a political address here
July 4 has been signed. Senator Or
ville H. Platt, of Connecticut, will
speak for the Republicans. The Demo
crats have not yet secured a speaker. It
is expected that 25,000 people will be
here.
Norfolk’s Coal Shipments.
Norfolk, June 2.—The Norfolk and
Western railroad shipped 208,000 tons
of coal from this port during May. It
was the largest month’s shipments in
tba historv nf the road.
ROME, GA., SUNDAY MORNING, JUNE 3, 1894
MR. HILL AGAIN. I
He Wanted an Open Investiga
tion of Bribery Charges
SOME PUBLIC MADE LAWS.
He Wants Some Investigation
of the Crookedness of Laws
Made In Public,
Washington, June 2.—in the senate,
Mr. Hill called up his resolution direct
ing the special committee to investigate
the charges of bribery, senatorial specu
lation and the influence of the sugar
trust in the framing of the sugar sched
ule to throw open its doors while the
testimony was being taken. He took
the floor in support of his resolution.
He argued that the terms of the resolu
tion under which the special committee
was appointed was neither authorized
nor refused authority for secret session.
The senate made laws in the interest
of the public; why should not the com
mittee investigate in the eyes of the
public? Precedents, Mr. Hill said, were
all against secret sessions. The com
mittee, and the senate, would subject
themselves to just eritism if they kept
the doors closed unless some special aud
peculiar reason existed therefor.
He could find nothing in the matters
now to be investigated which would
warrant secret sessions. The charge
that the secretary of the treasury had
suggested a proper sugar schedule was
not anything so improper that the pub
lic should be debarred from hearing
the testimony, neither did the charge that
senators had bought and sold sugar
stock involve considerations of such
character as to warrant secret sessions.
Certainly speculation around this sena
torial circle, he said, had not been so
heavy as to influence the market if it
were to be made public. Senators were
not here to protect the market.
The senate was discussing the sugar
schedule in open session. The commit
tee was investigating charges relating to
influences which framed that schedule
in secret. Why should one be public
and the other private?
The discussion was further continued
by Senators Gray, Lodge, Allen and
Hill. Then Mr. Gordon of Georgia
asked unanimous consent that the reso
lution be voted on without further de
bate. Mr. Dolph objected and argued
in favor of bringing the contumacious
witnesses before the senate and punish
ing them for contempt.
Then Mr. Gordon renewed his sugges
tion, and Mr. Washburn objected. The
resolution went over without action,
and consideration of the tariff bill was
proceeded with.
The house went into committee of the
whole to further consider the bill to re
peal the state bank tax act and Mr.
Izlar, of South Carolina, continued his
remarks in favor of repeal.
Representative Holman will try to
displace the state bank tax debate with
the Indian appropriatian bill, of which
he has charge. Friends of the Brawley
bill are trying to arrange a compromise
with Mr. Holman, and hope to arrange
for a vote on the state bank tax bill
next week.
The Beginning of tha End.
Washington, June 2.—Senator Har
ris said that his announcement of night
sessions beginning next week, meant at
the outset 8 or 9 o’clock and that they
would not be prolonged beyond that
hour if reasonable progress was made
not a later hour might be insisted upon.
He declared that he considered this the
beginning of the end and that a final
vote was not far off.
The Exposition Appropriation.
Washington, June 2.—The report of
the subcommittee on the Atlanta expo
sition is practically completed. It will
be presented to the full committee with
in a few days, and a vote in committee
taken. Colonel Livington is confident
of almost a unanimous vote favorable to
it in committee, and thinks he can get
the bill through both houses in four or
five weeks.
SENT TO KOREA.
The American Interests There Demand
the Presence of Warships.
Washington, June 2.—Orders have
been cabled to the flagship Baltimore,
of the Asiatic squadron, to proceed with
all possible dispatch to the coast of
Korea and take whatever measures are
nec< ssary for the protection of America’-’
interests. An official note of thanks
whill be sent to the king of Korea for
his timely warning of the rebellion of
some of his subjects which is said to be
directed against Americans.
The United States legation at the Ko
rean capital, has been instructed to keep
the state department fully informed of
the progress of affairs as long as they
they are serious; and it has also been
notified of the orders given to the Balti
more. That ship has been at Nagasaki,
Japan, for the past two weeks, but has
Srobably sailed for Chemulpo by this
me. The distance is only 700 miles,
which can be covered in two days.
A Train Captured by Coxeyltes.
Bascobel, Wis., June 2.—An lowa
contingent of Coxeyites, after waiting
all day for transportation east, took
forcible possession of the passenger train
going east during the night, and could
not be ejected.
Died in Its Mother's Arms.
Dubuque, la., June 2. —Mrs. Dewitt,
of this city, visited a doctor’s office with
a sick babe. After describing the symp
toms she removed the wrap and discov
ered the child was dead.
I MASS MEETING
Floyd County Populists Meet at
the Court House.
TH<REE CANDIDATES OUT,
Major Hargrove, T. C. Hamp
ton ans W. G. Dunehoo will
Make the Race.
The city court room of the new court
house was comfortable filled by popu
lists, with a fair sprinkling of curious
democrats, yesterday morning, when
Chairman Fleetwood called the mass
meeting of Floyd county third partyites
to order, to put in nomination candi
dates for the legislature.
On motion of the temporary chairman,
Squire T. C. Hampton was elected per
manent chaitman, and Mr. S. S. Cowan,
Secretary. Mr. Zick Hargrove, ex-re
publican postmaster of Rome, took the
stand and ppured hot shot into both the
republican and democratic parties, then
praised the populist party in a long
speech. Mr. Hargrove’s talk was loudly
applauded by the large crowd.
Fully one-third of those in the room
were colored men, evidently from the
country, and they were as observant and
interested listeners co the proceedings as
the whites.
The chairman called for two members
rom each district to act as the nominat
ing committee. A few districts were
not represented and others had onl j one
man present. The committe were:
Rome —D. M. Johnson, Kenny Fincher.
Cave Spring—D. S. Orndorff, T. J.
Madden.
Barkers —S. H. Kyle, J. A. Howell.
Chulio—M. A. Wimpee, J. M. Hender
son.
Etowah—F. Best. T. J. McClain.
Watters—T. J. Whatley, J. R. Cowan.
Floyd Springs—J. B. O’Brien, J. W.
Fleetwood.
Everett Springs—J. B. Earl, Jr., J. P,
Everette.
North Carolina—M. L. Palmer, W. H.
Camp.
Texas Valley—Geny Rhinhardt.
Foster’s Mill—D. S. Harbour.
Flatwoods—Tom Manning, J. D. Tra
cy, colored.
Howell’s—W. S. Howard.
The committee retired to deliberate as
to the strongest men to put forward, to
oppose the democratic nominees. Mr.
M. L. Palmer was called on for a speech
and held the attention of the meeting
for several minutes. While he was
speaking, a colored man in the audience
rose and asked what reason could be ad
vanced for the colored man uniting with
the third party, and what benefit wonld
they derive from such an alliance. Mr.
Palmer then endeavor to show how both
the old parties had betrayed the trust of
the people aud that the third party had
been organized to protect the interest of
the laboring man, be he black or white,
against capital,
When Mr. Palmer sat down, a perfect
storm of cries for “Speed, Speed,” arose
all over the house. The coon-skin poli
tician arose, and bowed to the cheering
crowd with easy grace. He paid his re
spects to Cleveland and the administra
tion in a teries of funny stories that kept
the crowd laughing all the time. He
said that when Cleveland was elected,
the merchants of Rome closed their
doors and bad a big torch light proces
sion, and whooped and yelled until they
were hoarse, now many of them have
their doors closed by a receiver. Ter
rel said that he had a big stack of let
ters at home, soliciting him to run as an
independent candidate for the legisla
ture, but had decided that he would
not announce. He was just warming up
to his subject, when the committee came
m to make their report and he sat down.
The following gentlemen were then
named as the populist candidates for the
legislature: M»j. Z. B. Hargrove, o
Rome; Esquire T. C. Hampton, of Fos
ter’s Mill; Mr. W.G.Dunehoo, of Chulio.
The ticket is about as strong as could
have been selected, and the convention
accepted the nominations by a unani
mous rising vote. Many colored men
voted. Maj. Hargrove was well known
all over the state as an ardent disciple
of republican principles, but has lately
alii ed himself with the papulists. Mr.
Hampton is a prosperous farmer of Fos
ter’s Mills district. Mr. Dunehoo is a
farmer and merchant in Chulio district.
Each of the nominees accepted the honor
conferred by short talks. Several talks
were made by different speakers, and the
meeting adjourned.
From now on, the legislative race will
be red hot.
Exchange Hurting Foreign Corporations.
London, June 2.—The shareholders
and bondholders in Spanish railways
held a meeting here and resolved to ap
peal for immediate governmental assist
ance, as the high rates of exchange are
menacing the financial stability of the
railways.
To Retire from the Turf.
London, June 2. —It is reported that
the Duke of Devonshire, the Duke of
Portland, and Baron de Hirsch have de
cided to retire from the turf and sell
their racing horses. It is understood
that this action will be taken very
shortly.
YESTERDAY’S ELECTIONS.
It Stands Ten and Ten So Far As Heard
From.
Twelve counties acted yesterday.
And the day was one of surprises.
Atlanta, June 2.—(Special)—General
Evans has carried Mclntosh, Dade, Polk,
Camden and Putnam, giving him ten
more votes.
Coweta, of course, went for Atkinson
as did Catoosa, Pierce and Chattahoo
chee, giving him teu votes.
At this hour, 11 p. m., it is impossible
to obtain accurate information from
Jones, Heard or Charlton, although
Charlton is reported for Atkinson.
“GOTTA MY HARPA.”
A Small Negro Grabs a Harp and then
Skeedadleg,
There is a dusky son of Greece who
bas a street stand for cheap jewelry and
odds and ends, about the middle of the
empire block. He has one of those long
unpronounceable names,' and speaks
English that is worse than broken.
Business is not always rushing with him,
mid occasionally he sits and dreams of
n.s distant home, forgetting for the mo
ment that he bas property in tempting
array beside him.
Friday morning he was at his usual
f tind, but no customers had come his
way for semetime, and he was wrapped
in profound meditation. A small, but
shrewd looking negro urchin of some ten
years, sauntered up to the Greek’s stand
with a sang froid that was matchless.
He took in the surroundings with a quick
practiced eye, and before you could say
“Jack Robinson,” had a French harp
and was off up the street like a swallow
before the sleepy Greek comprehended
the situation. With muttered impreca
tions in his native tengne, the man
with the hard name pursued the swiftly
moving gamin. The hoy turned the cor
ner and started up the steep hill leading
to the old court house and the panting
and almost exhausted Greek was close in
the rear.
“Stopa thiefa,” he yelled,but the little
coon only pulled the harder. Seeing that
his pursuer would soon oveitake him,
the boy set upon a good scheme to elude
him. Taking the harp from the', case, he
dropped the empty case on the ground
and continued his flight. The trick
worked all right, the man stopoed to se
cure his harp, and when he discovered
the mistake, the negro bad completely
disappeared. Now the street peddler
doesn’t doze any more.
NORTH ROME TATTLE.
What the People in This Lively Suburb Are
Doing and Saying.
Mr. W. S. Phillips has moved his fam
ily into the large residense near the
bridge.
The ladies of North Rome will give an
icecream festival on the beautiful lawn
of Mr. A. Rawlins, on ;Kingston avenue
Monday night, for the benefit of the
North Rome Methodist Sunday school.
A nice time is iu store for all those who
attend.
The beautiful lawn at the residence of
Mr. John F. Williams, on Calhoun ave
nue, presented a carnival appearance
last Tuesday evening. The occasion was
a school picnic given by Misses Bessie
Williams and Edith Rawlins as the clos
ing exercises of their school. A large
crowd of the patrons, scholars and
friends of the school were present, and
they all made merry from 7:30 to 10
o’clock. The children romped and
played, while the older ones sat about in
different places and talked about “how
the young ideas learned bow to shoot in
those days when home-spun yarn was
all the go.” According to Greek mythol
ogy, the gods of the Olympus fed on am
brosia to become immortal. If such was
th> case, every one that was present at
this picnic was immortalized, if cakes,
custards, ice cream and everything else
good to eat can do such a thing.
Misses Williams and Rawlins are two
charming and accomplished young la
dies as well as efficient teachers, and the
mere announcement that they were dear
ly beloved by all their scholars, bespeaks
that their school was a grand success.
They were the toasts of the evening, and
they will be pleasantly remembered by
all those who were so fortunate as to be
present and enjoy their hospitality.
Rumor has it that a wedding will short
ly occur in North Rome. Oae of the
contracting parties does not reside here.
The Ezboa club will meet next Friday
night at the residence of Mr. J. Frank
Harbour, on Calhoun avenue. The pro
gram will be very interesting, and a rich
treat is iu store for all those who attend.
Miss Lydia May Clements, of Anniston,
arrived Monday and will spend the sum
mer with her grand parents, Rev. and
Mrs. Jas. A. Clement, on church street.
The North Rome Baptist Sunday
school held its annual celebration at
Popes Grove last Thursday. The crowd
went upon the steamer “Tony” and the
day was most pleasantly spent. The
beautiful spring o’erhung with arching
vines and whispering myrtles, shady
n»oks, towering oaks, weeping willows,
sweet birdiecome anthems and gentle
zephyrs makes Pope’s Grove a most de
sirable and pleasant place to spend a day
away from the crowded city.
PRICE FIVE GENTS.
SEALED SECRETS.
Correspondents Will Not Al
ways Give Tneir Authority
NEVER BOUND IN SECRECY
Some Interesting Cases Where
Tests Were Made—Lin
coln and the Reporters
Washington, June 2.—The recent re
fusal of several newspaper correspond
ents to disclose to an investigating com
mittee of the United States senate the
names of the persons who gave the in
formation which was the basis of what
is commonly known as the sugar trust
investigation caused great interest to be
aroused in Washington and throughout
the country.
The correspondents were bluntly told
by the senators who composed the com
mittee that they could not refuse to di
vulge these names except that by so do
ing they might tend to incriminate
themselves. Behind that assertion lay
the chance of imprisonment as refrac
tory witnesses until the information
should be given. Yet the correspond
ents still persisted in declining, stating
that they had been advised by counsel
that the senate had no legal right to
compel the disclosures, and that to di
vulge names would be to betray confi
dences and obligations involving person
al word and honor, something that if
done or if compelled to be done would
cause the press of the United States to
sink to the unimportant relation to the
public of being the mere chroniclers of
routine events.
This incident has served to recall
other and very exciting experiences of
newspaper correspondents in the past
when called upon to make revelation of
sources of information that was of great
public importance.
At the time of the civil war all of the
leading papers of the United States sent
special correspondents to the field, with
some of whom the generals in command
had more or less trouble. General Sher
man, for instance, threatened to try by
dfumh<?qd coqrt martial and shoot cor
respondents found guilty of sending in
formation of movements designed to be
secret to their newspapers, and had it
not been for the patience and good sense
of President Lincoln it is possible that
some of them might have been severely
dealt with. Mr. Lincoln, when appeal
ed to, took the ground that, while for
the success of the cause it was at times
necessary to take great and even stern
precautions against the premature pub
lication of plans, nevertheless, as the
war was the people’s war, they had a
right to know what had been done as
soon as it was done, and that the cause
itself might be greatly aided if the peo
ple had accurate information as to its
progress.
The only occasion when a correspond
ent ever got into serious difficulty dur
ing the war happened to be not in or
near a battlefield, but in New York. A
newspaper writer was, as he always
claimed, imposed upon with a fraudu
lent draft of a proposed proclamation
for a day of fasting and prayer by
President Lincoln. He caused it to be
published in several newspapers. Its
publication caused intense excitement,
since it was looked upon as a last des
pairing cry from the president. The
authorities at Washington at first be
lieved it was a treasonable attempt to
paralyze the government’s work on the
battlefield, and therefore suppressed the
newspapers that published the procla
mation and committed the correspondent
to Fort Lafayette.
A very brief investigation revealed
that there was no plot behind the for
gery, and that it was a thoughtless im
position, the predecessor of some of
those sensational untruths that have
caused the word “fake” to be invented.
The newspapers were permitted to re
sume publication, and in a few weeks
the correspondent was discharged from
the military prison.
The most famous case of imprison
ment of newspaper correspondent for
refusing to testify before an investigat
ing committee took place during the ad
ministration of General Grant as presi
dent. Commissioners had negotiated
the treaty between the United States
and Great Britain, by which the court
of arbitration was appointed to decide
the damages, if any, that Great Britain
should pay to the United States for neg
ligence in permitting the Confederate
cruiser Alabama to be built in and to
sail from a British port. Mr. Z. L.
White and H. J. Ramsdell at that time
were the Washington correspondents of
the New York Tribune. They procured
a copy of the treaty while it was under
consideration by the senate in executive
session. Its premature publication
caused intense excitement and has al
ways been regarded as one of the finest
of journalistic victories.
A committee of the senate was ap
pointed to learn how a copy of that
treaty reached these correspondents.
Messrs. White and Ramsdell were sum
moned before the committee. They ad
mitted that they had procured the copy,
but refused to disclose from whom they
received it. They were brought before
the bar of the senate and again asked to
testify and again declined, and then they
were ordered under arrest, to remain as
prisoners until they gave the testimony
sought.
The incident created a national inter
est, and the daily life of the imprisoned
correspondents was the subject of dis
patches in all the newspapers of the
country. They were not sent to jail,
but confined in a committee room, being
deprived of nothing but their liberty.
At last, after several weeks of such
, confinement, they were released by or
der of the senate, and the information
sought was never obtained by the sen
ate, nor was it ever made public by the
correspondents, both of whom are now
dead.