St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-23
AGAINST THE p. p.
Albee's Suit for Libel Comes TO
Trial at Last.

The suit of Charles Albee to recover
$4,000 of the Pioneer Press for the pub
LEGATION of an alleged lib elous article in
April, 1883, has at last come on for trial.
The article stated that Albee, through
his infatuation for one Mrs. Becker, was
threatening to commit murder and to do
all sorts of wicked things. The whole
story is characterized by Albee's COM
plant as false, scandalous, wicked and
defamatOry.
Henry Brudigon, police officer, was
the first witness. lie testified that in
April. 1888, Miller, the proprietor of a
first avenue south boarding house. had
called on him and told him to keep an
eye on the house, as Mrs. Becker, who
boarded there, was being followed and
annoyed by Albee, who was threatening
to kill her unless she would marry him.
After Judge Rea had adjudicated a lit
tie wrangle between attorneys, Brudi-
jon caused an audible smile by remark
ing:
"All / know about the matter was
that | was told to watch Miller'S house.
as man was going around there to Kill
woman
j. s. ManniX, the saturnine, and the
man who wrote the alleged libelOus
article, was the next witness. He had
met Brudigan on the evening of April
s, 1888. had put the stereotyped query,
Whats new?" and had been told by
the officer that Albee was hanging about
Miller'S boarding house, appearing to be
in love with her, and following her
about threatening her. ManniX ami.
mated by desire to secure q SCOOP"
determined to investigate. He went to
the Miller honse and Mrs. Miller told
him that Mrs. Becker was boarding
there and that Albee's actions were
such as to make Mrs. Becker
that she had been told by Mrs. Becker
that Albee wanted Mrs Becker's money
more than anything else. ManniX went
on to say that Mrs, Miller had once
found Albee in the house and had eject
ed him, whereupon he threatened to
kill Mrs. Becker unless she complied
with his wishes. Mrs. Becker had also
told Mrs. Miller that Albee had once
drawn knife on her. Mannix SAID
further that Mrs. Becker'S son had told
him that the Pioneer Press article was
all true, as the boy claimed to have
been present when Albee was eject
ed from the Miller house. ManniX
afterward saw Mrs. Becker in the pres
| ence of Mrs. Miller, and she said he had
| published nothing but the truth and
that ten times as much might have been
| said, as she had to keep id the house all
| of the time through fear of Albee. On
DISCRIMINATION, Mannix was forced
| to go all over the whole story again.
The opposing attorney tried to tangle
up the police reporter of twelve years
experience" but Joseph came up smil-
ing at every call of time and never re-
fused to obey the call of time or to
''foul' in the ''break away. Every
time Attorney Adams would lead 'the
| only Joseph would counter with tell
| ing effect, and so it went on until
| Adams became wearied and allowed
ManniX to resume his seat.
A small woman. with sharp fea-
| lures and I'm-dead-onto-yOur-game
air. answered to the uame of Mrs. Mil
ler. She corroborated ManniX's testl-
mony. Mr.. Miller followed. and said
| he had asked Officer Brudijon to watch
the house, at the request of Mrs. Beck
er. as she claimed to be afraid of Albee.
William Ward, special police officer.
testified that he had been called upon to
protect Mrs. Becker when she was leav-
ing the city, and he went with her as
far as Anoka. Court then adjourned.
Mrs. Becker will testify to-day and her
evidence is expected to be quite sensa-
tional.