, 1875-04-22
THE STOREY LIBEL SUIT.

THE STOREY LIBEL Butt.
Avertlict ctfor Ssa5, QUO damages ae nitlst news-
piper in siit for libel IL likely arrest attefi-
ton everywhere. 1tisone ot tho targcstawnrtls
over given in a Huit of tll!s character in tho
United Statcs. This WINS tho Awnrtl of the
Jury yesterday in the suit brought ngalnst tho
Chicago Times by Miss EARLY, OF Roc'dord'
for defamation of character.
Tie cAso In Il remarkable nne In ovary re-
spcct. Tho libel was printed about ycnr
ngo. It charged sexual rclatinns between Aliss
EARLY, the daughter of the then President OF
the State Senate anl actng L'cutenant-Gov-
ernor, aud Mr. CNAwroHD, member OF the !
Legislature. The charge was 'na,le with tile
greatest circun,stantiality, nnd co''clled i'll
language that il too rcpulsse aud obscene to
repent or cl,arncterizo. Miss EAnt4Y Ind |
stainless reputation, aud tho publication OF
this nrticle was not merely Il shock to tho
,uosal senBo Of tho community, bnt excited
tho most violent indignation il, tho City of
Rockford. 4 suit was brought i'll Miss
EAnLYs namo for 5O.000 damages. It was
felt by her family ans1 friends TINT in this
way alone could her fnir nanso he fully vifldi-
cntcd aud the publisher of the libel properly
punished
Tho lrin1 wns very brief. T1c publication
was admitted, mud there WIS no attempt Mt
j,sstiilcatiou. 1t WIS sufficient to develop
however, tile most reckless journalism TINT
Inns over been exposed. Tic evidence showed
TINT disqualification WIS prompted by the re-
ceipt Of four letters at tllo Office OF tho
Iimts (only two Of Which wore pro-
tluced), written ly persons unknown to
tho oilico; that Mr.. STOREY roceivcl these
letters, partially road them, nnd turned tRe1n
over to ono Of his assistants to prepare Tor
publication; that tho lattcr turned them over
to nnotlcr assistant, with instructions to
write mp al nrticlo from them; and that an
article, p,,rporting to bo special tclegraphio
dispatch from Rockford, was prepared i'll tho
Times Office, ,nnking tho infamous charges.
1t did not appear from tho evidence how
closely tho writer adhered to tho information
given by tho letters, how much ho distorted
or enlarged upon them. It did como out,
however TINT tho Times hal s]fccial CORE
suont1cnt in Rockford, to whom it1nigl.t Lavo
referred lilo matter for. Investigation, aud 70
lnye ascertatncl Immediately tho truth Or tito
falsi.y Of tho charges, but TINT AR. STonEy
did not take any steps to do this. 1t also
| transpirctl from the evidence TINT Tho only
retraction matlo in Tho caso wna subsequent
to special Investigation some time after tho
suit wns commenced agail1st tho CONCERN,
and the rotrnction was only in the shape Of n
reference to ilispatcl, from, Rockford Btat-
ipg that the Times Ind beon deceived by
letters it lad published. Tho Court held
That this rctraction was not enough to cover
lho case. It WAS also shown in evidence
TINT tho editor hal offered reward for tho
discovery of tho persons who sent tue do
fnnatory lettc.H. This waa tile case.
The Jury, under tho instructions Of tho
| Court, yero unable to find extcnuating cir-
cp1nstanccs, and it is snid TINT tho minority
were in fayor Of awarding the full amount OF
Si0,000; but, after II long deliberation, ex.
tending for into tue night, tlero was n COM
promise on 's.a, ZOO, the iinat award. As tic
i latlyH character Ia above reproaclt, and nc
such libel after its exposure could have beer
damaging to her reputation for chastity ant
purity, tho verdict must be regarded as a1
award Of punitive damages, rs the only WAY
In which tito ofrense could bo properly pun
is!.cil.
It is not unlikely tl1at this largo award vii
encourage great many persons to brint
yexatious libel.suits against newspapers ller
mud elsewhere without any real grievance
a,d with purely nlcrceuary motives. Tius j
: tho ponnlty which decent newspapers have t
suffer for tue olfonsos Of indecent nowe
papers, and 1t is tho roason why publisher
Of every other daily newspaper In Chi
cago open the Times oacl morning with
. sort Of apprehension TINT 1t ,nay contai
some dreadful libel, Which, it successful
. puuiRhed, 1nny breed q crop Of vexatiou
suits against oil tic other papers for publish
4 Ling matter which otherwise would mover has
i Gocn imagined to DO lbelous.
n In publishing metropolitan newspaper,
i IL utterly impossible for tho editor to SEQ I
a know nil, or oye1. llalf, Of the matter wlid
Il each night goes into his paper. Tho best
|. can 10 Ia to give general instructions to h
O suborlinates to bo Us careful md clrct'mspo
|. ~ posaihlo, and not knowingly aud una!icion
r. " to authorize any libeloss statements to
If insertot1. And IT, by inatlyortanco or misu
" tlcrstenling of tho facts, an injustice IL don
II a correction or explanation should be matl
10 Hut iu the light of tho testimony presel
N cd at tho trial, after making due allownn
a for crrors and accitlonts, tliero still seo1ns
N lsayo bcon absolutely no excuso for tho
T. sceno article In tho 1Smts whicl. |,es cost t
:. concern so dearly It tie verdict il allowed
r. stand. Aud whatever may DO the final resu
It if 1t shall INDUCE ordinary prudence mud