, 1873-03-23
A BIG LIBEL SUIT.
Joel H. Wicker Sues the "Inter-Ocean,N y
Laying His Damages at $500, 900.
The Penalty that Attaches to the Publication ol
So.CaIIed "Sen5ations."

The Int<r-Ortan would appear to hsye been guilty of
publishing most scurrilous story affecting the pri-
yate and domestic life Of of weat1cst ctlzens.
Me.srs. G. II. Knox and II. Il. Wilder, attorneys for
Joel Il. Wicker, Instructed BY their client to nst-
tute proceedings against Mr. Scamtuon, for libel,
900 damages, particulars Of which suit oc-
taned In bill Just drafed, which hero summarize:
Tho complainant afirms In his bill th.t, until tho
el sao sc ennop sn S oe of .
>; ana @ az*a' sne h,t ne has been
and has, BY long continued edort and industry
mulated largo amount Of property, and reputed
to possess large wealth; that during this time he
trscted marriage aud formed hono tn Chicago,
where he surrounded BY his children: that IN
Of time his wife died leaving him with the
Of maintaining bis household aud family and that, IN
conducting his household affairs, it became
for him to employ cerain hel1 ana a1uoug os:s no
engaged sarah Goap' xho f.. soyesa xsa;s e.;
that said aolAn, by her becoming denaanor and
faithful discharge her duties, gained his favorable
towards hsT md interested IN her better cucaion
and advancement; that ho conducted himself toward
Of hs 1dy Hard fSr at scr
about her welfare, and offered to prosids hs:. =:
Ras x sn & 1s m
after provide for Goan the best Of educational advan-
ages, paying her expenses that Goan sfss tho e1r-
ch,lce return to his house, and To thencetorta
treated her member Of lis own fa1n!ly and nos
as an Inferior, md provided M her Win @ nome
that after return plaintiffs house, and being
inst!gated BY rereons unknown to him and who prs-
tended to be her f2eds, hut who were in fact oni:
| seeking to use her medium for obtaining from
him portion Of his property she bsssn ~ u2Sa;efaly
tnreiga plaintiff into 1narrngo With her, intending
thereby to become possessed Ct large Psrt Of hts e.
temrts that Go.n continuing be inatt8aed b. said
pretended f1iends set up tho faso aud wicked pre-
s ae s maz m
money, to Wit - damages for the pretended
violation OF said pretended agreement: that not eas-
Of Goan, with still further idea Of obtaining from
| lin property, begin to harasa and annoy him, and
bis footsteps @ and fcoSed and ass3ulted him, and
endeavozed to break into Ills house at night with tho
do L, him Bv s
their pro1ered protection and assistance, AID for
long to compelled. through fear for hs personal
guarded At night AMI to be accompanied during tho
day by sufficient protectors from their intended 70"
ment; to was rendered nnircrsble and wretched,
| and in order to put stop to the terror and
@ sngis object ] Of relieving himself from The danger
4nce, md protesting that his setion F.s .,u not
ho was Induced to agreo to marry her, snd wss
shor. afterwards lawfully married to her in the City
tie defendsnt, proprietor and publisher Of dali?
newspaper in Chicago called the lntc',-oeean. d.:
him BY II, St.ons Il 1na1 h
Goaa, and his marriage with her, one part OF which
libe1 stated that 'her t9oans> charms Proved toa
| much for 11r. W1ckers susceptibility, and
ne .rr1.ss, as, xn,es =. Scented: q
1spetcd himself Of his bargain some time alter
| ward, and postponed thu wedding day" ttneanln9
thereby that he had not only proposed mAr1tage to
| marry her1. Tho libel further atated that 1e lad
employed and paid deteettves to act q. sFtes upon
1ctlona and to cndeavoE By the use Of Ill arts and
beguileneat. that money could procure to accomplish
her departure from the path Of virtue, and to secure
tho utter ruin OF ler good fame and reputation thai
tho nluons did their work faithfully, but. were e19
| nauy b.Hled and forced to report to thei1
employer {neanlrg plainttN that during tho space OF
to uso al tho arts and beguilen,tnta hi,
| money conld procure to accomplish her ruin
that in another pnrt Of the libel is contained the fo,
lowing Nbclous natter: Is Then the nrn came, and
Mr. Wicker made the prete1t that he was tota1y ill.,
poTerished and had not any longer means to suppo7
awfe {neaning that hs admitted to doan the pretend
ps7s q; I'D libel WIS sho following matter: J." II.
Wicker put her OF With I1ea Of poverty unt! last
summer when she becauo !: Last convinced of big
perddy (mcauin3 thereby that he continued until LAST
arrangement to marry her, but, not intending to DC
80, put OF the performance With pretended Plea o.
poverty until Go1an became convinced Of the sal'ed
perhdy} md In another part Of taid libel occur. tna
following matter: g Lately, Wicker has made ove7"
lures for compromise, beginning with the ecla1atoo
Of his willingness to consummate the marriage
{upe,utnR that he made proportions to conIro-
ulso her suit against him, and acknowledging the pre-.
tended cugsgenent), and further =" ne Claimed fhat
al his property goue and that he had not doIaE
in tho world and that suhstautlato this he showed
mortgages upon his property amounting to $55D,54
and that he offered S 900 to be let o" THEREFOR, n
Joel Il. Wicker Ees7!"ed to bring suit against 1ld
Newspaper called tho fu<7-oes0"' Piae4n8 Liz o476e-
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