, 1884-08-15
BLAINE'S LIBEL SUIT.
An Indiana Newspaper Prefers
Some Serious Charges
Against the Morality of the
Maine Statesman
And Gets Itself In Court In
Consequence.
Mr.. Blaine

DAoA AAOanC0s
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, August l4.-Ol
the sth inst, the Sentinel of this cit,
contained an editorial charging tina
Blaine had seduced his present wife il
Kentucky and then fed to Maine, wher,
the young woman and her father followed
him and he married her at the point of
shotgun. This having reached Mr.
Blaine, he telegraphed Colonel Holloway
of the Times, as follows
l have this ome read the atrociou:
libel Of the indianapolis Sentinel 1t i
utterly and abominally false in ever,
statement and in every implication. Pc.
litical ISLANDERS 1 do not stop to notice, but
this editor assails the honor of my wife
and my children. l desire you without
an hours delay to employ the proper
attorney and have the publisher of the
Sentinel sued for libel in the Unite Stat ,
District Court of Indiana 1t is my only
remedy. 1 am sure that honorable Demo
Gratis alike with honorable Republicans
will justify me in defending the honor Of
my family if need be by my life.
(Signed) JAMES G. BLAINE.
Colonel Holloway placed the matter in
the hands Of Senator Harrison's law firm.
and the papers are now in course Of prepa-
ration in accordance with Mr.. Blaine s
directions.
Harrison, Miller & Elan, the attorneys,
in accordance with Mr.. Blaine directions,
filed this evening in the United States
Circuit Court, a suit against the Indian
apolis Sentinel company and John C..
Shoemaker its President and business
manager, who, it charges, directs and
controls the publication of that paper.
The document proceeds as follows: That
on the sth day of August, 1884, said de-
PENDANTS wickedly intending to ~injure, de-
fame and scandalize the plaintiff, did
maliciously print and publish in the regu-
lar daily issue of said paper for that day,
Of and concerning plaintiff, certain false,
scandalous and defamatory article in
the following words:
CAN BLAINE AFFORD FTP
THE campaign war against Cleveland
is,.to say the least, an indecent one.
Finding no vulnerable points inhis public
record the enemy have assailed the sup
posed 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 fur
beloved, frilled and rufled bizarre figure
Waiting in the Blaine Republican prints.
This besmirching-of private character is
the stock in trade of the Blaine folks. II
is all they have to offer against the Demo
cratic candidate, but can James G. Blaine
afford this plan Of battle? If his own
TANKS are as unprotected as they are cur
rently understood to be, is he not provok-
ing a scathing fire by permitting the as.
saults on Grover Cleveland? The Democ.
racy will hardly remain quiet upon Blaine's
inner life when his supporters are resort
ing to scandal ~mongering against its can.
didate. The charges of seduction made
upon Mr.. Cleveland, and which are false
upon their very face, can, it appears, BIZ
turned on Blaine and made to stick
There is hardly an intelligent man in the
country who has not heard hat James q
Blaine betrayed the girl whom he married
at the muzzle of a shot gun. The Demo
cratic press has had the ~magnanimity no
to put forth these reports which mus
cause pain to members of the Blaine fam
lily. The Republican papers havt
long known of them and hav,
allowed them 10 go undenied
If Mr.. Blaine was the scoundrel to betra,
an innocent girl; if, after despoiling her
he was the craven to refuse her legal re
dress by giving legitimacy to her chill,
until a loaded shotgun stimulated his con
science, then there is a blot in his privat
character more foul, if possible, than an
of the countless stains of his politics
record. His conduct discloses mors
obliquity, rendering him undeserving G
the social confidence and an unfit man to h
President. A candidate with such
record cannot afford to assail his oppc
nents. As between Cleveland and Blain
what fair-minded man an hesitate I
pronounce the former a clearer and pure
mani"
: The plaintiff lays his damages at $50
600.
This evening it is understood that t.
morrow the proceedings will be begu
against Shoemaker and tie author of tn
article. under Grubb's libel law in ii
State Courts. This will compel NJ
Blaine's attendance as a witness. Th
attorneys say the suit and criminal pr,
+ ceedings will be pushed with all possib
e dispatch.
st. John Says a Few Words.