Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-08-22
Blaine Sues a Libeler.

come to grief. Having so failed by
their tattooing and libelous publ
cations about Blaine to excite any
thing in the public mind but dis
gust, and Blaine himself treating
them with silent contempt, thu
editor of "a Western scandal sheet
lately published a story to the eff
feet that Blaine married his wifi
through fear of a shot gun an(
simultaneously the tombstone on
which was inscribed the age OF
their dead son was chiseled anC
the inscription erased. Of this Mr.
Blaine took proper and prompt no
tice by directing institution of a
suit for libel against the paper.
The following is the telegraphiC
account of the affair:
INDIANAPOLIS, IND, Aug. A.
On the Sth instant the Sentinel, OF
this city, contained an editorial
charging that Mr.. Blaine had Sc
duced his present wife in Kentucky
and then fled to Maine; that the
Young woman and her father fol.
lowed him, and that he married her
at the point of a shotgun. This
having reached Mr. Blaine, he sent
the following dispatch to Col. Hol-
lOway:
BAR HARBoR, Me-, Aug. a.
Col. w. r. Holloway: l have this
moment received the atrociouS IL
bel of the Indianapolis Sentinel. 1t
is utterly and abominably false in
every statement and in every
implication. Political ISLANDERS |
do not stop to notice, but this edi-
tor assails the honor of my wife and
my children. l desire you, without
an hours delay, to employ the pro-
per attorney and have the respOn.
sible publisher of the Sentinel sued
for libel in the United States dis
trict court of Indiana. 1t is my
only remedy. l lam sure that hon
orable democrats alike with honor
able republicans will justify me in
defending the honor of family, if
need be with my life.
JAMES G. BLAINE.
Col. Holloway placed the matter
in the hands of Senator Harrison's
law firm, and the papers are now
in course of preparation in accord
ance with Mr.. Blaine's directions.
A man in Blaine'S position cannot
afford now to notice these who are
employed to lie about him, or these
who make a business of conduct
ing campaigns in that way; but
when, as he says, the character of
his family is put up as a target for
scandal-mOngers it is his plain duty
to 90 to the rescue.
All lovers of law, order and de-
cent journalism will applaud Blaine
for putting his foot fatty on this
piece of villainry.
Since the above was i'll type the
following has been telegraphed by
associated press
INDIANAPOLIS, IND, Aug. 1S.-
The suit of Mr.. Blaine against the
Sentinel of this city has caused a
good deal Of cOmmOtiOn among the
democrats here, and the plan of
defense has not yet been fully de-
termined upon. A consultation
was he'd to-day between Mr.. Shoe.
maker, the proprietor of the Senti-
mel, Gov. Hendrick Senator VOOr-
hes, and ex-senator Mcdonald ll
of whom he has secured as counsel.
At this conference it is stated that
Gov. Hendricks was decidedly in
favor of carrying the war into Afri-
ca and making vigorous defense,
endeavOring to prove the allegation
made, at least substantially. This
was also the view of Mr.. Shoema-
ker. providing the democratic party
would stand by him and furnish the
sinews Of war, and, if the case went
against him, pay the damages that
might be awarded.
Ex-senator Mcdonald, it is as
serted, couseled delay. lie urged
that the case should not be tried
during the campaign, but that it
should be postponed until after the
election, hoping that then the suit
would most likely die a natural
death, as after the result was known
there would no longer be any in
centive to keep the matter before
the public. He also urged that the
spectacle of Mr.. Blaine coming to
Indiana to defend his family would
be likely to impress most people in
his favor, even if it we're probable
that the charge could be proved,
and he was extremely doubtful
whether it would not be a very
dangerous thing to admit. In his
opinion the case, if allowed to come
to trial, say in October, would be
likely to turn the tide very strong
ly in Mr.. Blaine's favor, and every
thing possible should be done to
stave it off.