The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-08-17
That Libel Case.

That Libel Case.
Last week Mr.. Gould had number
Of articles in the Herald about Sheriff
Cherington, a few of which we copy,
as follows: y
Wonder what part of the Platform Cherington was
executing when he took the two Jurors out to get
Beer?
1t is true that the sheriff in charge of the Jury
the Grover trial went out with two of the Jurors to
get BEER, for which his Honor Judge Tripp gave a
severe lecture! Wherein is there Criminal Libel in
publishing this fact?
1t is technical Libel to publish that Republican
Sheriff before the Court charge of contempt,
and that he took Jurors out to get Beer! If Demo-
crat had been up for contempt and took Jurors to
Saloon for Beer it would have been right to publish
the facts for the Information of voters and the public
good
1.-THE official paper,' noticing the fact that two of
the Jurors the Grover trial had been taken out by
the sheriff to get BEER, very mildly stated the case
about this wise: sit seems that two of the Jurors
during the progress of the taia and during the ad
journment OF the Court had been in Chris Bertschs
saloon drinking Beer" not a word about being ac-
companied by the Sheriff in charge, a whisper
about what Judge Tripp said concerning the matter
The facts seem to be that the Deputy sheriff took
the lJurors to Chris Bertschs, and the high sheriff
took them to Frank MOTIFS to get BEER!
Some weeks ago we gave full ac-
count of the contempt case against
Sheriff Cherington. We will briefly
state it again.
J. W. Dowler was Marshal of the
village Of Oak Hill. It was pay day
on the railroad, and there were nearly
hundred drunk men in the village
during the afternoon and evening.
Dowler arrested some of them, and
they knocked him down. Afterwards
he knocked one Of the drunken mob
down, and technically committed an
assault and battery. For this, Judge
Trip reluctantly fined him five dol
lars and costs, and as is his almost
universal custom, ordered him to stand
committed to Jail until fine and costs
be paid. Upon examination it was
found that the fine and costs amount
ed to SIG. Mr.. Dowler did not have
the money, and he and his attorney
went to the county commissioners
who were in session, and they remit.
ted one-half, and ordered the Sheriff
to release him. The Sheriff was now
in peculiar position. The Court hac
ordered him to put Dowler in Jail
the Commissioners had ordered him tt
release Dowler. The Prosecuting At
torney, in order to relieve the Sherif
from this dilemma, filed an informa
ton against the Sheriff, charging hin
with contempt Of Court, in not put
ting Dowler in Jail. The Sheriff an
swered the information by attaching
; the order made by the Commissioners
i. and the Court held the answer good
that the Commissioners had authority
to take the action which they hat
taken, and the Sheriff was not guilt,
Of contempt. Now this is all there i
Of this celebrated contempt case, an,
it is the only contempt case that ther
ever was against Sheriff Cherington
and it had no connection in the worl'
with any matter about beer, or jurors
Now as to the beer matter. In tn
Grover case. as in all such cases, tn
Court ordered that the jurors be KEEP
together, and if it became necessar.
J for one or more Of the jurors to leav
the others, they must be accompanie
} by an officer. Elwood Dickson foun
it necessary to go to the Postof6ce, a
he was expecting money order, an
John L. Davies was about getting ou
the first number of his paper, tn
Jackson Journal, and it was impo,
t tant that he should 60 for few min
utes, to his Office. He was also
member Of the village Council, and
, was important for him to meet tn
, Council for a few minutes, to make
E report. Sheriff Cherington went wit
them, and as they passed Fran
!. MOTIFS one Of the jurors proposed t
get some cigars. The Sheriff tol
them that he did not smoke, but the
could get cigars. They stepped il
and the Sheriff stood at the door
a minute or two, talking to J. M. Tripl
$ when the jurors came out. Not
word was said about beer, at any time
and if the jurors took beer he, th
l Sheriff, knew nothing about it. Thi
l is in substance what the Sheriff tol
, us, and as Davis and Dickson ar
young men who stand fair in thi
| community for truth and veracity, W
think they owe it to the cause Of trutl
and justice, to tell the public who
lying about this matter. They know
If Gould is lying about the Sheriff
ard slandering him, it is due the She1
iff to let the public know that fact;
, the Sheriff is lying, the people shoul'
know it, before they vote at the Octo
, Der election.
Messrs. Davis and Dickson hav
, the floor.