The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-15
Hon. James G.. Blaine Institutes Suit
Against that Paper for Publishing an
Infamous SANDER on Him,
And Will Make Vigorous Prosecution
Of the Circulator of the Story.
A Characteristic Telegram from Mr., Blaine
Full Text Of the Complaint Filed in
the United States Court

John G. Shoemaker was probably the most
surprised man in the country, yesterday morn
ing. when the news was brought to him, while
orders of James G. Blaine, were about to file a
suit against him in the United States Court, for
libel. Nothing could have disturbed the peace
of Mr.. Shoemaker's mind much more, and the
news was as unexpected as discomfting.
Ifeverybody were readers of the Sentinel it
would hardly be necessary to explain
the cause of such SUIT A week
ago half-column editorial was published
in the Sentinel, under the heading Can Blaine
Afford Itl" and in it the most atrociously SLAM
derous accusations were made, rejecting upon the
marital relations CT Mr.. Blaine. There was no
authority whatever for the charges and nothing
was offered to support them. The story was so
manfestly false and malicious, that it was
allowed to pass without any contradiction. A
copy of the article, however, was inclosed in
letter and sent to Mr.. Blaine by Col w. R. Hol-
loway. Yesterday morning telegram was re-
ceived by Col. Holloway, from Mr. Blaine, dated
at Bar Harbor, Maine, reading as follows
w. R. Holloway, indianapolis:
have this moment received the atrocious libel of
abomnaby false in every statement and in every i'm
plcation. Political ISLANDERS do not stop to notice
but this editor assails the honor of my wife and
children desire you. without an hours delay, to
employ the proper attorney and have the responsible
publisher of the Sentinel sued for libel in the United
States Circuit Court of Indiana. 1t is my only RENE
dy, and that the honorable Democrats alike
with honorable Republicans, viii justify in de-
Tending the honor of my family, if need be- with my
life. JAMES G. BLAINE.
In obedience to the peremptory orders given,
tboY ~ i,,+ ba hon Of fho law
firm of Harrison, Miller & Elan, and COM
plant, charging the indianapolis Sentinel and
John c. Shoemaker with libel, was Immediately
prepared Shortly before 6 o'clock last evening
this document was filed in the Office of the clerk
of the United States Court and summons was
at once served upon Mr.. Shoemaker by the
United States marshal The following is the
complaint in full:
Mr.. BLAINE's COMPLAINT
James G.. Blaine plaintiff versus The Indianapolis
Sentinel Company and John G. Shoemaker, defend
ants. For libel.
James G. Blaine the plaintiff, above named,
citizen of the State Of Maine, complains of the
said defendants. the Indianapolis Sentinel Com
pany, a corporation created by and under the
laws of the State of Indiana, and citizen of
said State and John O. Shoemaker, who is also
a citizen Of said State Of Indiana and says, that
the defendant company is the owner and pub
Usher of a daily newspaper called the Indianap-
oils Daily Sentinel which is printed and pub
lished at the city of Indianapolis, in said State
of Indiana; that the defendant John
c. Shoemaker is the president and business
manager of said company, and, as such, directs
and controls the publication of said newspaper;
that on the 9Th day Of August A. D., 1884,
the said defendants wickedly intending to in
jure, defame and scandalze the plaintiff. did
maliciously print and publish in the regular
daily issue of said paper for that day, of and
concerning the plaintiff, a certain false, scan
dalous and defamatory article, in the words fol
lowing, that is to say:
CAN BLAINE AFFORD IT2
The campaign war against Mr.. Cleveland is TO say
the least, an indecent Finding no vulnerable
point IN his public record, the enemy have assaled
supposed irregularity in his private conduct They
have dressed and redressed the affair until the naked
facts of it are but a small part of the furbelowed,
lled and rued bizarre figure waltzing in the Blaine
Republican prints. This besmrching Of private char
acter is the stock in trade of the Blaine folks it is all
they have to offer against the Democratic candidate
But James G.. Blaine afford this plan of battlea
If his own TANKS are as unprotected as they
renty understood to be, is he not provoking scathng
fire by permitting these assaults Grover Cleveland
The Democracy will hardly remain quiet upon
Blanes inner life when his supporters are resorting
charges of seduction made upon Mr.. Cleveland-and
which are false upon their very facecan it appears
be turned Blaine and made to stick There is
hardly an intelligent man in the country who has
not heard that James G.. Blaine betrayed the girl
whom he married. and then only married her at the
muzzle Of shotgun. The Democratic press has had
which must cause pain to the members of Mr.. Baines
family. The Republican papers have long known Of
them, and have allowed them to go undenied IL Mr..
Blaine the scoundrel to betray innocent girl
if, after despoiling her he was the craven to re-
fuse her legal redress giving legitimacy to her
child, until loaded shotgun stimulated his con
sciencethen there is blot on his private character
more foul possible than any of the countless stains
on his political record His conduct discoses moral
oblquity rendering him undeserving social confidence
and an unfit man TO be President. a candidate with
such record cannot afford to assail his opponents
AS between Cleveland and Blaine, what fair1ninded
voter hesitate to pronounce the former cleaner
and purer mans
That large number Of copies Of said news
paper, to.wit five thousand, were upon said day,
by the defendants, caused to be circulated and
distributed throughout the said city of Indian
apolis and throughout the State Of Indiana.
That by reason of said publication plaintiff has
been damaged in the sum of fifty thousand dol,
lars, for which sum he demands judgments
HARRISON, MILLER & ELAN
Attorneys for Plaintiff
AN INTERVIEW WITH EDITOR SHOEMAKER
Early in the afternoon journal reporter
called at the Sentinel Office and found Mr. Shoe
maker and Mr. Charles Stewart, the managing
editor of the paper in consultation In ques-
tioning Mr.. Shoemaker about the case. the re-
porter asked upon what authority he had made
the accusation in the libelous editorial, but
Managing Editor Stewart intcrposed an objec-
ton to his making an answer, and advised silence
about the whole matter for the reason, he
stated, that political capital would be made out
Of whatever statement might be made.
sTt seems strange" Mr. Shoemaker ven
tured to remark however, that
should be singled out for a libel suit.
paper at Emporia, Kan, and the Sentinel has
said nothing much worse than was given in the
story published in the Chicago Times"
Are the stories published in these papers the