St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-18
Messrs. Clark, German, Prem
dergast and Petsch Sue
for $4,000 Each.
Gen. John B. Sanhorn Says
There Is No Need Of a Cit
liens Ticket.
Omaha Road Officials Resent
the Insult the Pioneer
Press Gave Them.

libel suits, regardless of cost. The ma
jOrity of newspapers, however, are con-
tent with homeopathic dose. One suit is a
a great plenty in most instances, but the
st. Paul Dispatch wants the whole hog
or none. AS consequence it has laid
in stock of four libel suits, which will
be worn from now on and during the
approaching heated term.
A few days since Christopher d.
O'Brien made professional visit to the
Office of the Dispatch. The fact was
duly chronicled by the Dispatch on the
day following. Itannounced editorially
and at considerable length that Mr..
O'Brien had talked with its manage
ment. Further that Mr.. O'Brien, as at
tOrney for four Democrats who are
recognized as prominent citizens in this
community, had demanded that the
Dispatch retract certain published state
ments regarding the quartette of Dem
Ocrats referred to. Mr.. O'Brien, his
mission and his clients the Dispatch re-
rather than be sbluffed," stated that it
would fight to finish on the issue made
by Mr.. O'Brien in his demand for re-
traction of the statements alleged to be
defamatOry.
Yesterday was the last day of grace
on which a retractiOn might have been
made by the Dispatch. Its 5 o'clock
edition contained mary line" of re-
traction, and at $50 Mr.. O'Brien fur
nished the sequel to what was at first
regarded by the Dispatch as joke. AS
attorney for Chief of Police John Clark,
City Clerk Thomas A. Prendergast,
Alderman Chas. II. Petsch and r. l..
German, of the board of public works,
he filed four bills of complaint in as
many suits for damages, each demand
ing $4,000 against the st. Paul Dispatch
Printing company, George Thompson
and Carroll S. Bartram, for alleged
libel.
THE COMPLAINTS.
The complaints are practically ident1-
cal, the only variance being the name
and occupation of each of the plaintiffs.
They recite that on April 1.-THE Demo-
Gratis of St. Paul held convention for
the purpose of placing i'll nomination
candidates for city offices to be elected
May 1. That neither of the plaintiffs
was delegate to the convention or
took any part in the proceedings which
resulted in the nomination OF the
Democratic city ticket. That each
of the plaintiffs has lived in st. Paul sew
eral years, enjoying the confidence and
esteem of the community, and guiltless
of dishonesty or offense of any kind.
That in the issue of the Dispatch of
April z was published an article, the
statements contained therein being
scandulous, false and maliciOusly libel
Gus. The article complained of is as
follows:
The city hall ring to-day consummated it's
greatest Villainy. Honest, faithful and caDa-
bic John Roche, comptroller of the city for
years, was sacrificed at the command of the
chief of the gang and his heutenants, Mayor
Smith, Chief Clark, Tom Prendergast, Aid.
Petseh and Dick German: The city hall ring
must have Doodle to elect themselves and
carry through their scheme for plundering
the city treasury. Honest John Roche has
always been in their way, and he had to be
got rid of. The ring knows that with this
faithful guardian of the treasury at his post
no scheme of theirs for Doodle could pass his
scrutiny.
The plaintiffs allege that prior to the
convention they were favorable to and
advocated the nomination of Mr.. Roche,
and that the management of the Dis
patch designed to injure and defame
them by the publication of the article.
At this point the plaintiff got down to
business, and perpetrated a .'jOke" not
included in the series to which the Dis
patch made humorous allusion. The
plaintiffs severally aver upon informa-
ton and belief that 1.-THE said defendant
THOMPSON is AN ALIEN,
not citizen of the city of st. Paul or
the state of Minnesota, or of the United
States; but that, on the contrary, he is
subject of the kingdom OF Great britain.
That he does not possess and cannot
exercise the elective franchise either in
the city of st. Paul or throughout the
United States. That he is incapable of
holding real property within the state
of Minnesota. That he has no interest,
right OF qualification in or for or about
the government of said city or state,
and is i'm nowise concerned, or could be
concerned in the same"
The service of written demand for a
retraction of the alleged libelOus article
upon the officers of the Dispatch Print
ing company is cited, as is the neglect
and refusal of the defendants to comply
with the demand. Each of the plaintiffs
claims to have suffered damages to his
feelings, and been wantonly and wrong
fully accused OF offenses which lessen
him in the confidence and esteem of the
public, and demands judgment for
$4,000 and costs of suit.