The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-04-01
SUIT FOR LIBEL.
Rjgler Us. BaScOm and SaEtOn.
The Petition in Full
THE REPOSITORY FOLKS WILL
HAVE 4 CHANCE 10 PROVE
THEIR ISLANDERS AGAINST JOS
RIGLER - DAMAGES LAID AT
TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS,

Below we publish the petition filed in
Court on Tuesday of this week by S.
Meyer &c Son, attorneys for Joseph Rig.
Ter, who brings suit against Bascom d
Saxton, claiming damages in five thous-
and dollars, for lihelous articles publish
ed against said Rigler in the Repository
of last week. The document explains
ITSELF
Court of Common Pleas Of Stark Co., ohio.
Joseph Rigler, Plail titt,
VS.. ClVll AcllOn.
William r. BasCom and
Thomas w. SaXton, De- Petition.
PENDANTS.
The plaintiff, Joseph Riger, of said
County of Stark, complains Of the de-
PENDANTS, William r. Bascom and Thorn
as w. Saxton, Cf said County Of Stark,
for that the said plaintiff hath always
sustained good character, and been re-
puted al d accepted in the community to
be person ofgood name, fame and credit
and never suspected of having been guilty
of robbery, larceny or other crime; and
he, the said plaintiff, hath for number
of years last past, been duly appointed
and acting as a police officer in the city
of Canton, in said County of Stark, and
still is discharging the duties ofsuch po'
lice officer of said city, as authorized by
law, and to the satisfaction and acceptance
of the proper authorities and the people
generally of said city, honestly and faith
fully, and was never guilty OF suspect
ed Of dishonesty or other misconduct
in his said office; and he, the said
| plaintiff, hath been and was, in ac-
knowledgment Of his integrity and of his
faithful performance of his duties rs a
police officer of said city of Canton as
aforesaid, on the goth day of March, 1875,
at said city of Canton, duly nominated
as the candidate of his party for City
Marshal of said city of Canton, at the
Spring election of said year, 1875, to be
supported by the electors of said city at
said election, and be elected by them as
such City Marshal, being deemed well
qualified to fill said office, and worthy to
discharge the duties thereof and said
plaintiff was and still is a candidate for
said Office.
Yet the said defendants, well knowing
the premises, and maliciousIy intending
to injure the plaintiff in his good name,
credit and reputation, and to bring him
into public scandal, intamy and disgrace,
and to deprive him of his office aforesaid,
and also to defeat hin. of his election as
City Marshal aforesaid, and also to cause
it to be suspected and believed that the
plaintiff had been, and was guilty of rob
berry, and larceny, and unfaithfulness,
and dishonesty in his office as police Off
Ger aforesaid,
tCAUsE OF ACTION NO. ~
did on the 25th day of March, 1875, at
said County of Stark, in a certain weekly
newspaper, printed and pablished by
them, the said defendants, whereof the
defendant, William T. Bascom, then was
and is the editor, and the defendant
Thomas w. SaxtOn, was and is the prb-
sher, falsely, wickedly and maliciously
published and caused tn be published, of
ard concerning the plaintiff, certain
false, malicious, scandalous and defama-
tory libel, containing, among other things,
the false, malicious, defamatory and libel
Gus matters following, of and concerning
said plaintiff, and of and concerning said
plaintiffs aforesaid conduct in his office
aforesaid, that is to say "An Astute De-
| tective" (meaning the plaintiff as police
officer aforesaid) "0n the War Path"
"'rhe eagle-ey ed Joseph" (meaning the
plaintift) lays the ropes for Mike is
mistaken fora drunken rowdy, and makes
night hdeOus with loud profanity" "a
beautiful specimen of honest worth"
"He" (meaning the plaintiff comes up
to Mc(iregor's standard, and is nomina-
ted for City Marshal"
! Not long since certain guardian OF
the night" (meaning tae PLAINTIFFS police
officer aforesaid) aroused the drowsy
denizens of the city, and made night
hdeous by his inebriate profanity, as he
dragged through the streets supposed
thief, tor whom, as he declared, he had
for some time been laying the ropes. He
had propped himself in doorway and
| the lines of imagination becoming some
what entangled with his imaginary ropes
he mistook the first passer by for his
man, and called loudly for Mike to sur
render He coupled his demand with u
pistol ball, which he sent through the
coat Of his victim, and rushing on to him
dragged him off in triumph. On reaching
the Mayors office it was found that the
supposed thief, whom he had frightened
nearly to death, and whose pockets he
had rihed" (meaning that the plaintiff
picked the pockets and robbed an inno-
cent man under pretext of arresting him
and Of searching his pockets for weap-
Ons) under the pretense of searching
for weapons, was no other than timid
music teacher, whose only olfense, if Of
fense it might be called, had been his in
ability to distinguish at first sight the
difference between drunken and disOr-
derry policeman and any other kind Of
drunken, disorderly rowdy, and who in
nocently n,istaking the policeman in
question for the other kind of a man, d
being roughly accosted and shot at, Lid
attempted to escape with his life"
"This beautiful specimen of honest
worth IS, however, up to the required
standard in the Democratic party. and on
last Saturday was honored with the nom-
ination for City Marshal He is now lay
ing his ropes for his election. Will the
sober, intelligent people Jf Canton sub
init TO such an outrage as the election OF
such man TO the head of the police
force of the city. We will wait for Ne
Grtgor's answer"
By means whereof the plaintiff hath
been and is greatly damaged and injured
IL mis- good name and reputation: to the
damage of the plaintiff Five Thousand
Dollars.
cause OF ACTION NO. 81
The plaintiff further says, that said de-