Daily Republican., 1880-04-12
OUR LIBEL sUIT.

How Mr.. GFubb G0t HuFt-H'
Teiia o "BgarniBg News" BspOrt
er ala About It-Ths Law o
Libel.
As may be supposed the salt brongh
BY Ignatius G. Grubb. Rsa., against 81
REpUBLIcAH for libel has oecasionsd con
siderable talk. For very proper rea
sons 10 representative OF the RRPUBLr
oAx called upon Mr.. Grubb TO get hi
statement Of his reasons for bringing
the suit, but this has been done by |
"Morning News" reporter whose inter
view with Mr.. Grub6 ia gladly accord
sd place In the RHrUBneAE that th'
general public may have proper nm
deYstanding Of his Grievanors. Mr.
Grubb says:
"Ihavs brought suit against them
bat a. il Ia q private civil suit. l hav:
preferred that II should be kept out o
the newspapers, at least until 1t ap
psared regularly In tho course Of act
uai trial Of tha aas0. Bat siace IN,
propristors OF the REPUmICAs have al.
ready seen ft to give 1t publiciiy,i will
give you the information you ask. The
cause OF action has arisen cut OF o ssri
ems accident which befel me last week
Daring the last few months Of my tern
OF Secretary Of State, / had greatly
overtaxed my strength, aad 10 eonse
queuce was very Ill during last sum
insr. In the autumn. by advice OF my
ph ysisian, I resorted 10 regular horse,
back exercise. On Thursday evening,
The Let instant, as l was returning IL
the stable at Eleventh and West
streets from my customary, ride, nv
horse slipped upon the city
raj way track In turning the
corner Of Tenth and West, fell
hsadlong with me snd dashed my face
violently against tho street paving
stones. The conclusion aud injury
were very serious, and lay notionlesa
and insensibls for some moments, as
have since bsen informed by a gentle.
man who Witnessed the accident. ] was
mn ediately taken 70 my physician,
who attended to the injury. On the
next morning, Friday, he paid me q
visit, and requested that would call
at his residence that evening fer fur
ther treatment before retiring for the
night. This did, and by his advice
proceeded to Joseph fullmer's new res
taurart, sos Market street, for parcel
Of fresh beef, which obtained and ap-
Piled it to my woundsd face upon reach
Jog nv own residence in the vicinity.
And yet, Notwithstanding these simple
facts, and despite the fact that my 40.
Oident was Very generally known
among my friends and others through
out Wilmington, the Daily REPusLI-
CAN, on Saturday afternoon, the Sd
inst, two days after my injury,
published tee malicious and scandalous
naming, but so unmistak-
ably designating and referring to me,
and imputing that was at Fullmer's
on the said preceding Friday night ia
q condition Of gross intoxication that
had obtained the injury to my face
By reasar Of that condition, or else In a
brawl, and WAS in such con-
1ition when l left the restaurant that |
should probably fall on the public
streets before l reached my home, only
! few yard5 distant. This defamatory
article is so falas and rnalevolent, 80
and rnprovoksd, and so
Vanton and brutal, that cannot, and
night not, to suffer it to pass unno-
iced, and in that silence which, to
many worthy people who do not know
ms personally would justly seem tacit
.oufrssion Of its truth and justice. The
.rticIa is undoubtedly libelous, and
calculated to dlscredit and
hjure NE in social ard business repu-
alton, and to make me, as the sutj "ct
4 1t, tho objec! Of reproach and riai,
ule in general estimation. | have too
much respect for the good opinion Of
he reoJle in this community and else
there to quietly suffer myself to be
,ubliahsl as a shameless sot Or o
Midnight brawler, and do not intend
. do so.
~ feel Nat cTe It to myself, 10 mY
,rofessio and to the public, 70 recent
hiS gross ossapls upon my Tspntation,
nd this 1agrant invasion Of the saroti-
= of the private affairs Of q private
itissn. Ihavs not brought this suit
lastily, but after due reflection, and af
or weighing well tie annoyance Of its |
ublicity and the expense and labor of
Is strsD uous prosecution. I know that
e.. 49,, yiie:!!m.gg q Ss::N3undl'ss and cGs 90.
ageeas libel ste ii circumstances which
make them shrink from conflict with
hs Newspaper which defames them,
nd suffer their cruel wrong In shame
nd silence bacause they are unable to
ear the cost aud publicity Of their le-
al vindication. There is q growing
nd rcprehensible tendency among
ome newspapers Of the country to pry
1to the private relations Of private per-
ons, and to make their most private
ceilings and affairs public property in
ther lords, TO publish that which Is
ct proper for pa blio information, and
, which the public has no right or
laim. This Ia a gross invasion Of p.i.
ate rights, and should be sternly re-
ukcd and efectually restrained. A.
ain, mere vague rumors, frequently
ltal and irremQdiablv TO their naples,
losims, originating with irresponsible
ossips and circulated BY exeoraels
sandal moDgen, gre often eagerly
eizsd upon and published by newspa-l
era without any effort to ascertain
heir truth, even when thsir truth or
alsity ia readily obtainable.
SIT Is full time that the courts and
uries should take notice Of this re-
roach to honorable journalism, aud
his psrversion of the true mission OF
- n