Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1882-11-30
THE LIBEL SUIT.
GEORGE j. REEK'S COMPLAINT
AGAINST THE ENTERPRISE.

of George j. Reek against the Enterprise
Publishing Company, filed in our District
Court yesterday. The Enterprise will now
have an opportunity of proving the charges
which it has SO recklessly made. Mr.. Reek
is willing and ready to meet the charges,
and, if we are not much mistaken, he will
succeed in doing so effectually. Messrs.
Baker & Wines, as his attorneys, will fight
the case for all there is in it:
In the District Court of the Sixth Judicial
District of the state of Nevada in and for
Eureka County.
Ne. 1862.
George J. Reek, Plaintiff, VS.. Enterprise Pub,
lishin4 Company, Defendant.
The plaintiff. George j. Reek, for his cause
of action against til e defendant, Enterprise
Publishing Company, alleges that he is a cit
izen of aud residing in Eureka County, State
of Nevada; that the defendant is q corporation
organized and existing under and by virtue of
the laws of the State of Nevada, aud has at all
the time hereinafter mentioned, and still is
tho proprietor. and engaged 4 in business in the
said State of Nevada, in the publication of the
Daily Territorial Enterprise, a newspaper o
a very large and general circulation in the sal
State of Neva "a and elsewhere, and especially
in the said County of Eureka; that upon and
IN W tho ~ tdI VI -NOf' 'SF-r sAAS
p ,aintiff had borne u good name and character
among his neighboTs and cquaiutances as q
peaceable, quiet and 1aw-abiding citizen.
Plaintiff alleges that said defendant upon the
said 18th day of November, 1882, did publish
and circulate in said Daily Territorial Enter
prise, OF and concerning this plaintiff, the
following defamatory, false and malicious
libel, to wit:
1--WE publish on our first page this morning
the testimony heard at Eureka ut the prelim-
mary examination of George j Reek for the
killing on the Sd instant of James E. A der
son, the editor of the ureka Leader. The
report is taken from the SENTINEL of the l1th
instant, a journal which, being morally re-
sponsible for the tragedy, has ever since
handled the case, if not with suspicious reti-
cence, at least with an evident desire to wash
the olood-stains from Reek's hands; a journal
from whose office issue all the Associated
Press dispatches pertaining to Eureka affairs,
which must be taken into account i'll this con-
nection, because the dispatches adverting to
the Reek Anderson tragedy were eoncooted
either to supprt IS the vital facts or to color
them in the interest of the murderer. We
accept the sENTINEL's report of the prelim-
mary examination because We have had access
to no other, and We accept it with the belief
that it is lot an impartial Ieport.
The Enterprise invites every citizen who
abhors murder, and loves justice, to read thu
SENTINEL's report, and then to ask himself
whether, even upon the testimony as therein
submitted, this cowardly murderer, Reek,
should not be brought to the bar of jus ice,
whether Il petty Justice of the Peace is to be
allowed upon the same sh pwin5 to let down
the prison bars to facilitate the escape of one
charged with the highest crime known to the
law :? We are certain the people of Eureka
County have been i'll this matt +
hy accessories to that crime and by their own
law officers, and that when they fully realize
its atrocity, they will see that the plot to make
u mockery OF justice in their midst is defeated.
If Reek is not called to account, and the III
vestigation is not pushed to the utmost, one
thing is certain, the people of the State have
greatly erred III their estimate of Mr.. Daven-
port, whom they have just elected Attorney
General, and who is at present District At
torney of Eureka County, and who conducted
the proceedings for the State before Dogberry
Harmon
1--WE call upon the journalists of Nevada to
express their opinions on the subject. One of
their number, whatever have been his faults,
was shot down i'll IL alice for simply doing his
duty. The political campaign Is over, and, lei
it be borne in mind, that it was on the eve of
the election that James E. Anderson was slain.
The excitement attending the close of the
campaign obscured all the circumstances OF
this tragedy. The slayer and his victim be-
longed to the Republican party. There are,
tn refore, no politics in the matter. Both
Democratic aud Republican journals can unit
in d~enouncing this Infamous attempt to
trampte justice under foot in Eureka County.
Nevada cannot we'll endure this shame. The
victim of this dire tragedy was one who had a
national reputation. His bereaved widow is
now bearing his remains to be inferred in an
Eastern grave. Are We such barbarians as to
regard the killing OF u man under the circum-
stances thus far disclosed as merely q common
place ecu renee Are we willing TO have it
go out to the world tn at Nevada regards muir
der rs q jest, and has neither courts nor ma
chinery for the punishment of murderersf"
Plaintiff further alleges that said libel is
false, and was well known to the defendant to
be false, at the time of the publication thereof.
Second-Pla ntiff. by way of reference to the
Await count harAIn nlA1DlS fha hanptt of NIL
OF inducement therein pleaded. as
fully as though again plead In this count. and
alleges as = second and separate cause against
said defendant, Enterprise Publishing Com
pany, that said defendant upon the 10th day of
November, 1882. did further publish aud CIR
culate in said Daily Territorial Enterprise of
and concerning this plaintiff the following
false and malicious libel, to witt
"At the time he murdered Ande son he was
u candidate On the Eureka County Republican
ticket for County Superintendent of Public
schools. Reek, on the day after the tragedy.
did not deem 1t prudent to rematn on the
ticket, inasmuch as soIne people entertaining
notions about murderers might OH
ject to vote for one to take charge of the edu-
cational interest of u community
Plaintiff further alleges that said defendant,
Ia the said issue of said Daily Territorial En-
ter prise of November IL, 1882, did furthtr
publish of and concerning this plaintiff the
following defamator false and malicious
libel, the same being print d and displayed in
large type and in u conspicuous place, to wit:
ANDERSON'S MURDERER"
Plaintiff further alleges that said libel is
false and was well known to the defendant to
be false at the time of the publication thereof.
- by way OF reference to the
first count herein, claims the benefit of all
of Involvement therein pleaded, as
fully as though again plead in this count, and
alleges as a third and separate cause of action
against said defendant Enterprise Publishing
Company that said defendant upon the 18th
day of November, 1889, did further publish
and ctrculate in said Daily Terri torial Enter
prise of aud concerning this plaintiff, the fol-
lowing defamatory. false and malicious libel,
to wit:
"Reeh. the Eureka murderer, ought to be
made to stand his trial for the malicious kill
ing of the late James L. Anderson. 1t is merely
a legal fl ton that every man 10 presumed to be
until no is found to be guilty. We are
willing that Reek shall enjoy The benefit OF this
fiction, but at the same time, FUZZY realizing the
weight of the word, Its legal Specification, and
its harshness. we can regard him only as Il
Eureka County cannot afford to
remain under the stigma of white-washing
and then allowing them to become
educators If children
Plaintiff further alleges that said defendant
in the said issue of said Daily Territorial En-
terprise of November II, 1889. did further pub
lish OF and concerning this plaintiff, the fol-
lowing defamatory, false and malicious libel,
to wit:
"rhe Virginia Chronicle in the reinstate-
ment of Ileek Az Principal of tue Public School
at Ruby Hill perceives a defect in the public
school system. The force of our neighbours
obser vation lies of course in its hos llity to the
cause of nou.sectarian education. No system
oan be devised that is not open to abuse. A
systsm Of religious worship Is not necessarily
n bad one because now and then u nan who
leads In prayer undiscovered to be u sedncer
and u seouuarel, The public school system as
exeImpliiied at Ruby Hill is decidedly defect
i've. but the only way to remedy that defretis
to train an indignant public opinion upon
those who are responsible Tor the reinstate-
ment of Reek, The parents iu Ruby Hill
whose moral sensiuilities ARE not entirely
blunted have also a ready remedy they can
withdraw their children from the murdsrer's
class"
Plaintiff further alleg s that said libel il
false, and WAS well known to the defendant
to be false at the time of the publication
thereofi
F~ourth-Plsintif. by way of reference to the
first count herein. claims the benefit of all