The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-19
THE MRS. BLAINE LIBEL.

Yesterday evening, at late hour, the Sen
tinels attorneys fled abill Of discovery in the
United States Court in the suit for libel
brought by James G. Blaine. The purpose of
the bill, as stated, is to secure from Mr..
Blaine, under his own signature and oath, an
answer to the list of interrogatories filed with
the Sentinel's answer, and which have hereto
fore been published. It is our purpose, at this
time, simply to make plain the depths of in
fanny reached by the Sentinel in this matter,
it not being the desire or aim of the plaintiffs
attorneys to try the merits of the case in the
public prints.
The Sentinel made charge against Mr..
Blaine, the foulest that could be well i'm
agined-a charge that did not affect him so
much as it did the virtuous good name Of the
woman who has been an honored wife to
him for third of a century, and the mother
of his children. Mr. Blaine was the Re
publican candidate for President of the
United States The libel was uttered for
political effect solely Had Mr.. Blaine not
been such candidate no cur in
the land would have been found
mean enough to gnash its poisonous
fangs in the character of his wife and her
children. Being this candidate for President,
resident of the State of Maine, unacquainted
with our system Of jurisprudence, and
~, oI bai
known publicly, and the libel being uttered
for political purposes Mr.. Blaine was sur
rounded with difficulties which can only be
family imagined. He obeyed his frstimpulse,
however, and ordered suit for libel to be
brought in the United States Court This
was the only answer he could make.
Suit was promptly instituted. The
Sentinel, as defendant, exhausted the full
time of fifteen days before making answer
and then demurred in series of pitiful petit
Jogging, shameful pleas which were at once
disgraceful and an insult to the intelligence of
the court and the public. When the demurrer
was overruled, the Sentinel made answer in
justification, and appended list Of interroga
tories addressed to the plaintiff, the very
framing of which was confession that when
the charge was made there was no proof in
their possession upon which to base it. Be
sides this, the attorneys for the Sentinel
knew that the filing Of the Undergraduates was
not conformable to the practice of the court.
Mr. Turpie himself admitted that Judge
Davis and Judge Drummond had declined to
allow the asking of such interrogatories. Yet,
for buncombe's sake, and to repeat the
essence of the vile story, the attorneys fled
these questions, and, despite the plain talk Of
Judge Woods, proceeded to argue for the
issuance Of rule against Mr.. Blaine Of
course, the rule was not granted, but Mr..
Blaines attorneys stated once and again
that, voluntarily, the plaintiff would answer
the questions, and that very soon.
The Sentinel has attempted to create the
impression that it wanted to bring the case
to an early trial, yet its attorneys have
served notice upon Mr.. Blaine's attor-
neys for the taking of dispositions in Kentucky
during period running well into October, and
have notified them that further dispositions
would be taken elsewhere To the sug-
gestion that the case should be
tried before November, and that it was
evident from the dates set for the taking of
o,,<-:A;a,,e 4ho4 +ba4 xro,,lJ - ,x,,,1r.;h III,
the Sentinels attorneys replied that they
had nothing to do with the political aspect Of
the matter, but must prepare the case in their
own way. Mr.. Blaine's attorneys said the
time to be spent in Kentucky could be materi-
ally shortened; but the Sentinel's attorneys
would listen to no suggestion or arrangement
whereby the trial might be FASTENED.
What the Sentinel may print in its
columns for political effect and what its at
torneys say and will agree to in court, are two
different things.
Andnow, in the face Of the repeated state
ment Of Gen. Harrison that the interrogato-
ries would be voluntarily answered, the SEN
tinel files bill Of discovery. 1t is plain that
it viii attempt to pose as trying
to force Mr.. Blaine; but the filing Of
the bill is cumulative evidence of the
fact that the paper is not in possession Of the
evidence necessary to sustain its plea Of justi-
fcation. What will any honest man think
and say Of a newspaper that will utter the