New-York tribune., 1886-02-28
THE BALL LIBEL CASE.
RErRAcrIoN AND JUSTIFICATION

To the Edttor Of The Trt6une.
SIR: AprOpOs of your comments on Ihs
Ereniig Post and the Rev. DR.. Ball, of Buffalo, I'm FRI
days TRIBUNE permit me to call your attention to ths
following extract from the editorial columns OF The
Boston Herald of the 18th inst. the thick-and-thn
champion of President Cleveland and the foremost ad-
yocate of British free.trade in this city:
The Sunday HeraId Of August TO- 1884, contained
special dispatch from correspondent in Louisvile.
Ky stating that the Rev. Dr. Ball. of Buffalo, " T..
formery lived in Gibson County Ind, and was there
expelled from the church for dscreditab!e conduct We
have learned that correspondent was misnformed
that DR. Bal never resided u Indiana. and, according
iy was innocent Of the conduct attributed to him. We
are Informed that he has resided IN BuiaI0 t0r s0me
thirty years and is esteemed and respected In that city
The error contained IN the dispatch was InIntentona
and we take pleasure In making thls correcuon
Nv the above it would appear that 1t had taken the
editor or The ad eighteen months to have discovered
his fnlsehood respecting DR.. Ball. shrewd readers
however might infer that the conditions OF settling
libel suit may have been the payment OF rOuhd sum
with costs and the publishing of complete retraction
like tho above QOiNN 7Abi-
Boston, Feb 20, 1856.
Zone of the independent journals which
attempted to break down DR.. Ball in 1854 by lnsn-
uatng that he had been expelled from an lhuiana
church for discredtabe conduct. has eXpHcitS
retracted the vile SANDER. Another, me Ete"'"
POST has attempted to Justify the same slander IN
the following extraordinary passage OF its answer
to DR.. Balls complaint for libel:
1851, the said plaintiff Dr Bald was ID i,aa 9lle
village Of Owensville, In the oLate vi inus,, iG,an,,
BAPTIST Church Of tnat place, upon the text fc1dren
then heirs-helrs3 OF God, joint heirs Win IJn,ig
became unctiOus and affecting an estec""U.o @ %
lady to wit: Mrs James MONTGOMERY sE;
church and village, did according TO tne
obtaining in said church ana IN tna' b ser
mon proceeded, the said lady did again elacuate in
thc same manner and that thereupon the plaintiff al
,l,, mad
Ike circumstances, dd cease I'D tue htst Vi i''
order .aid lady TO hush up" claiming thai such eacu-
atiOns disturbed him lhat theienpln 'lS popTIV ppIrs
laid General Baptist Church ami who were e0'nnoeis
with the sad Mrs James Montgomery, sT' became anu
were ind Znant at thr said palntlh auH har{ VI hn
expressed such indignation to the pial. lnas Vu 'uo @
morning following the delivery OF the aLt sermon oy
said Ball. the OF the said Mrs mes alcnt ~
Immediate apology his mother. ard that thefeuPoh
the said Ball lid go to the resi,encS VI to n cr
James Montgomery ST. aud dd make an alooS5 5,, ~ ~
Tor b nd Insult and that having made such an apOO<y
bi W. ' ss,d action i'm company WIN tho Rev william
Clark tnen the minister 0I the s"d '7ne'a,
i'm the said village and community over inc sald
insult that the said Ball forfeited the respect OF that
tLr cnsu week I'm sal village declared 10 hiV9
forfeited the respect Of the said community OeSHusI "a
his gr,refu insult Of the most esilnaD.e 'ales
III saii village ana tlereTioI ,Srl'ifcr and alter the
from the ia vi,aSr h9S m f los and yio
rI,r,c. og,n-t said Grover Cleveland, The btdinHPpS
n-n - o d. .rp thai SAID Bal WAS once in owens
Vile Indiana and had 70 depart hastily tAeretrom OWING
10 an insult to Christian lady
The Erepi9g Post had charged that Ut. ba'i hau
been compelled to leave town in Indiana on
occouur of "an Insult offered TO Christian lady''
The ii,orc, ,on meant to be conveyed was that he
had been puilty of immoral and dIsreputabe con-
Juct. When called upon to Justify the libel. that
journal produces secondhand story about Dr.
Balf. nu,hing up a rious lady who prayed too LOUD
dur,ng the sermon and disturbed him. Ihat was
the basis for an outrageous attack upon o4irlS-
tjan minister who had resided for thirty years IN
BulfaIo and commanded the respect and esteem oi
tnc religion, community! We leave 1t for the pu'-
lie to decide whether journal that will as'a''inate
private character on such Justification as thS
prayer-mceting scene affords IS entitled 70 any "oio
respect than buncO-5tcercr or h0rse-thleI'-""'I