Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-01-30
LIBEL SUIT.
L. n. HAvRRsrIoK ON THE STAND.
Two Thousand Dollars Claimed.


The libel suit of Mary Ellen Blakely
against Christopher Armstrong, Jr., of
Bowling, is now before the Circui. Court,
and promises to be costly one to some.
body. Damages are claimed 10 the amount
Of $4,000, and we understand that one off
Ger reports having sum moned twenty-eight
witnesses, Some weeks ago we fully ex-
planned the origin of the suit. Armstrong
is the Bowling eorrespondep, OF the Rock
Island Union, that immaculate Journal pub
lished exclusively for circulation in piors
and religious families, and remarkable for
containing nothing to cause the young idea
to shoot in the wrong direction. As guard
ian Of public deeency and morality, it was
quite natural it should publish all the stuf
Armstrong chose to write, especially when
it reflected injuriously on an innocent girl
some sixteen or seventeen years Of age.
This latter fact gave some little spice and
point to the production, which else had not
been perused at all. The people Of Bowl
ing were deeply affronsed, and more partic-
ularly the immediate relatives of the cAlum-
mated one. When the Union was called
upon by legal gentleman, and threatened
with ell the oondign penalties of the law, il
FASTENED TO ges down on its marrow bones
and shell out the name Of the offending
correspondent. Anything was preferable
20 a 81, 900 libel suit. So, one bright morn
ing, Armstrong woke up and found himsel
famous. Stripped of his modes. nom d.
plume, he stood before the world il tht
gorgeous Establishments of a literary chArac
ter, snd-had 81, 900 libel sut on hand.
The manner in which the moral and re
ligious sheet squirms out of all complicit,
in the affair is exceedingly child-like ant
bland. Here is its explanation:
The case grew out Of an old quArre
between the two families, who are resident
Of Bowling township and distantly relate,
! to each other, its immediate cause being
letter which was written by Mr.. Armstrong
and published in the Onion lsst November
which the plaintiff alleges contains cover
and malicious attack upon her, but whic
was oouched in such general language tha
) its hidden meaning, if it really had any, wa
not perceptible to the editor Of the Union O
any oIher persons not intimately adquslnte
with the parties.
a This is quite compli nentsry TO the pei
csptive faculties Of',hs editor of the onion,
, and OF course exoul pstes him entirely. Il
:. was simply imposed upon by the wicke
n wileS of designing correspondent, fee
very sorry about IL, would Mt have publishe
. the CON IN nicstion for the world if he ha
known what it contained, and hoping b
obsequious apologies will be accepted
the injured parties, will lay up from til
J sslutsry experience valuable store {
" wisdom which shall last him IS long as be
) in the newspaper business. And so forth.
+ Messrs. Sweeney & jackson are attorney
= tor the prosecution, and Osborn d Curt
for the defence. assisted by Mr. George
D Hubbell, of Davenport.
: A Jury was yesterday impsnnelled, cot
sissiug of the following gentlemen:
u r. F. Babcock, Harmon Marshall, r.
D Mitchell, A NJ. Hubbard, Thomas Cam
bell, Frank TiudAll, Peter Rogers, Villa
$ Dixon, William Levy, John hays, jam,
q Taylor and Sylvester DAiley.
Mr.. Jackson delivered his opening r
!, marks last evening, which consisted of
n statement Of abe case from the plaintiff
ia standpoint. This morning Mr.. Osborn r
"a Piled, and the examination of witnesses SO
O. ceeded. L. II. Haverstick, P. NJ, was {
tie stand most of the day. The prosec
tion have been endeAvoring to extract fro
a his testimony the fact that the defendA
Is wrote the offensive letter, and that
inuendoes we're directed at the plsinn
u Much Interest is felt in the matter BY Il
g public, and there has been large A,tsn
&c Ance.