Omaha daily bee., 1888-07-29
MRS. HOCE'S CAUSE OF ACTION
The Suits Instituted Against the
Lincoln News For Libel.
FULL TEXT OF THE PETITION
The Hastings Board of Trade Pro-
tests Against the Reduction OF
Freight Rates-Douglas County
Taxes Reduced
LINCOLN BUREAU OF THE OMAHA BEE,
1929 p STREET,

LINCOLN BUREAU OF THE OMAHA BEE, l
1929 i STREET,
LINCOLN. July IS.
At the session of the state board of equali-
Eation held ut the capitol this morning an APP
peal for a reduction of the rate assessed
against Douglas county was made by Com
missioners l.. M. Anderson, w. j. Mount and
l.. Rosewater, editor of The BEE. Attention
was called to the fact that one hall of the en-
tire increase of the valuation of the state for
1888, after deducting $1,000, 600 of increased
assessments for new railroad and telegraph
lines, was returned by Douglas county. In
contrast with this several of the larger coun-
ties, notably Dodge, had either decreased in
valuation, by their returns for 1888, or made
q very trifing increase. After an exhaustive
hearing and comparison of relative assess
ments, the board voted to reduce Douglas
county ~ mills on this years state tax.
Computed in dollars and cents this will re-
duce the Douglas county state tax over $780,
600. The aggregate Of Douglas county tax,
however, for 1888 will still be over Sl35, 600.
In 1887 Douglas county paid over S16O, 900 of
state taxes.
The libel cases brought by Mr.. and Mrs. S.
II. Hoge against the Lincoln News and Ben
iamin f.. Pinneo in the district court OF Ian
caster county, yesterday afternoon, provoke
considerable comment and gossip at the cap
ital city. The four cases are for SIS, 600 each,
two against the New and two against Pin
neo, upon which the husband and wife are
separate parties plaintiff. The text of the
petitions are very similar in nature and char
acter. Mrs. Rosana Hoge recites as follows
in her cause joining the News and Pinneo as
defendants:
Plaintiff for cause of action against the said
defendants respectfully shows to the court;
That she is Il married woman, the mother
of two minor children. aged respectively
fourteen and twelve years, and living with
her husband, Stewart f.. Hoge.
That the defendant, the Lincoln News
company, is II corporation organized and in
corporated under the laws of the state Of Ne
braska. That the place of business of the
said corporation is in the city. of Lincoln,
Lancaster county, state of Nebraska, and
the business of said corporation is publishing
and editing a daily newspaper, of general cir
c~ulation in thecity of Lincoln and state of
Nebraska, known as the Lincoln Daily News
That the defendants Thomas nnss =
l.. Rowe, Frank Pierce and William
Z. Balm are the members of
said corporation, to-wit, the Lincoln News
company, and the owners and managers OF
day of July, A. d. 1888, in the city of Lin
coin, Lancaster county, Nebraska, the said
Lincoln News company and each member
thereof, and the SAID Benjamin +. Pinneo,
to iniure this plaintiff and to destroy her
good name and character as q wife and
mother, idid falsely, wickedly, iwantonly
and maliciously write and cause TO be writ
ten and publish, and cause to be published OF
md concerning this plaintiff in the said Lin
coin Daily News, published in the city OF
Lincoln aforesaid, on the said 18th day of
July, A. D., 1883, the following false and
a~efamatory article to-wit: ryw
"ENGINEER HoGE's CAREER IN NEBRASKA
ETC, ETC.
The arrest OF S. L. Hoge, chairman of the
national grievance committee of the brother
hood of engineers, charged with conspiracy
TO damage and destroy Burlington property,
has excited unusual interest here, in the
west, where he is well known and has lived
for years. 1t would seem that no sensible
man would c~ountenance such a scheme, but
those who profess to be posted think it is no
unlikely that Hoge may be connected
with it, judging from some of hi
past acts. Many. things not credit
able TO himself are mentioned
engaged in several matchmaking schemes il
the past. One is mentioned as having beer
worked in the fell Of 1888. Mrs, Hoge, VIII
then lived in Hastings, went down to Omaha
with a Hastings business man and they pu
Mp at the Cozzens house as man and wife
After they had gone to their room the injured
husband broke in on them with O revolver
Ind demanded blood or money. While they
Sere parleying the man suddenly dodge,
out of a side door and got away. Hoge wen
back to Hastings and commenced sui
against him for soc o damages, but tn,
man put his property out OF his hands ant
the matter dropped. a year or so later
down ut McCook, the same scheme wa
worked and a man Of considerable mean
was caught.
This, the plaintiff alleges, charges her will
tho crime Of adultery and blackmail; tina
in the fall Of 1888 this plaintiff did COMM
the crime of adultery in the city Of Omaha
in the state of Nebraska, and also the sam
crime in the city of McCook, of the sal
state Of Nebraska, and meaning that thi
plaintiff was and is unchaste.
That at the times mentioned in said article
the plaintiff was a married woman, the wifi
of the said Stewart +. Hoge, and has bee
and still is a married woman, the wife Of tn
said Stewart Il. Hoge.
That said article so published as .afor
said, and the whole thereof, SO far as relate
10 this plaintiff, was and is false.
That because of the writing and publish
ing Of said false, libelous and defamator
article above set out, plaintiff has ~sustaine
damages in the sum of SIS, 1000, all Of whic
is due and unpaid.
Wherefore plaintiff prays Judgment again,
the defendants and each of them for the SUI
of SIS, 900 for actual and exemplary damage
and costs. CASSIDY & KILHoY,
Attorneys for Plaintiffs.
Detective Pinned was seen to-day /
The BEE representative. He exlle s.
no surprise at the actions in libel brou, h |
Mr.. aud Mrs. Hoge. II may have said VIII
is attributed 10 me,' said Pinneo, tut the
may have some trouble TO prove IL, and mol
10 collect S25 100 from u judgment on me pro
viding they get one"
The Call ncwsboys amused the public Ia