The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-21
JAMES FISK, JR., AND HIS LIBELS UITS
From the ~ y. Times

JAMES FISK, JR., AND HIS LIBELS UITS.
From the NJ y. Times.
We see it announced in some of our ex-
changes that Mr.. James Fisk, Jr., has discon-
tinued his libel suits against the Springfield
Republican and the New York Tribune. What
may be his motive for so doing we do not know.
Whether he has concluded that his character
cannot be injured or that it has been so badly
damaged to be beyond repair, we are not in
formed. Probably, however, the sums for which
he has sued those journals-a paltry 800, 900 in
each case-do not seem to him adequate to the
emergency.
No such objection holds in our case, and we
trust he does not intend, for that or any other
reason, to discontinue the suits commenced
against the Times. We want those suits tried.
They allege damage to his character to the
amount of a million and quarter-a sum which,
if recovered, will do something toword patch
ing up his reputation, and may even bolster up
his failing credit for a little longer The amount
claimed is certainly respectable. By means of
swearing that he resides in Massachusetts,, he
has succeeded in brin ging the suit in Fede-
raj Court not overburdened with business and
presided over bya learned able, and industrious
judge and now that the regular theatrical sea-
son is drawing to a close, Mr.. Fisk, Jr., can find
leisure to attend to the suit and thus bring it toa
speedy trial.
There are several points involved in Mr.. Fisl's
career and especially in his financial opera
tions, which, for the information and protection
OF Jne puDllc, ought 10 De thoroughly cleared
up, and a libel suit affords the best possible
means of bringing this about. The history and
nature of his relations to the Erie Railroad-the
amount of bonds he has caused to be issued, the
amount of money he got for them, and what has
become OF 1t, are all points of very great inte-
rest to a great many people. In the various
railroad suits that have been had, he has man
aged to evade them ALL but in a libel suit he
cannot 90 so, and we propose to avail ourselves
to the fullest extent and for the public good of all
the opportunities which the law affords us for
making the investigation thorough and satisfac-
tory. We shall have the opportunity first, to
prove the truth of everything we have said of
Mr.. Fisk; next, to show, by its relation to the
public interest, that it was said with good and
justifiable motives; and finally, that Mr.. Fsk's
character is one which cannot possibly be in
jured by anybody, to one hundredth part of the
extent he imagines it to have been injured by us.
In the course of such trial. covering so large
field and involving so many points as this one
does, we shall be able to show great many
things which could not possibly be elected in an
ordinary controversy growing out of business
relations.
We protest, therefore, against Mr.. Fislls dis
continuing the suits he has commenced against
us. The various little attempts he has made ut
bullying or black-mailing us into silence or ac-
Quiescence in his views and purposes are of no
consequence, and we are quite willing to over
look them. We do not propose to change our
course of comment upon Mr. Fisk and his fnan-
Cial operations in any respect, or in the least
particular, Inc Only CllGCJ MS proceedings can
have will be to enlarge the field of comment,
and sharpen the public interest in the whole af-
fair.
But it is greatly for the interest of the public
! that the suits should go on. Fisk Jr., is phe-
nomenOn-one which the public ought to under
| stand good deal better than they do. The
three-tailed calf or the horned seal, was a com
| monplace, everyday affair by the side of Fisk,
| Jr. His operations in Wall street and elsewhere
| have been more curious than the performances
of Aladdin Blue Beard, and Signor Blitz put to-
gether. 1t will not do to let such natural curl
osity pass away, and ION the megathera ana
more thorough exploration than he has yet re-
ceived. trial, in United States court, of the
suits he has commenced, will give frst-rate
chance for such a dissection as win leave nothing
to be desired 1t ought to be GHte-DlOrtent for
| the sake both of the subject and of the spec
tators so we peg Mr. Fisk, Jr., to lose no time,
but push the trial forward as rapidly as possible.
lie viii find us quite ready for active operations.
But he must not be surprised if the parties to the
case, plaintiff and defendant should change
places during the trial.