New-York tribune., 1891-02-05
HIS DAMAGES SIX CENTS.
LIBEL VERDICT AGAINST THE TRIBUNE.
ALEXANDER J. CAMERON MAKES An LAhl DA
TIoN OF HIMSELF on THE WIT
~rcc ST,\ND

TION OF HIMSELF On HE WILL
NESS STAND.
u took \ tury in the supreme Court before Justice
Barrett Yesterday, les, than five minutes to agree upon
a nominal verdict Of six cents in libel sui br'"H"'
hv Alexander J. Cameron against The Tribune Asocla-
tior The paintn Cameron. in May, 1o71, was
annointsd by Mr. Manning, then secretary of the Treas
urv A. special In ,pcct0r Of Customs al Aspwali WIN
a salary Of 300 year ON MAY - l77'' INC
Tribune received from is regular Boston correspondent
w. Z. Bryant and Published the next morninI' thc
following dispatch
MIR MANNING MORTlFlES MAINE DEMOCkAIo'
Boston, May (speoiaD.-A Maine disp3ich i an
nounces that secrctarj Manning has made d Jid MI
take in appointing one Cnelon ipgci aSei eron 0u rom
Treasury on the suggestion OF Mr. PllshH\' Cahcio @
came to TINS country from scotland several var 90
and found employ ment IN ElnMor WIZ VIZ ,ncb saws
At the end Of couple OF years ne GP inci
his employ er found HAT h, relative had ncdfN r9hcp
lie was indeed for tine offence, tried convicted ai.p
sentenced pay heavy line ana 10 .cii ~ ~ % 49,,
came bookbinder. During the period that I1l.SDnIy
was state Printer, Cameron was slate bnlucI VIZ WV"
tIo ,h SIZE nSo and William H. smith Augusta well
known Democrat and president 0t me NPNcia iiod ,
Sate q tn"' by T' 'sccuns me payment Of fraudulent bs
Democrats in Augusta and Eh,w0IJn are q, rC, rcSnon
learn that Cameron ms DEC" "IP' ~
sible Office.
The libel suit was based upon the puhhca'io" VI
This dispatch and also Of the odltOra on May ~ .o
mentng upon the same matter Lac p'"r"
alleged that because Of these publications. HIS aPlon
ncnt was revoked for which he claimed $4,000 spccia
damages. besides $4,000 general damages. Inc tria
began Monday morning before Justice Barrett. M@a'e
Mocfar,anc appeared counsel for the plant Joseph
H. Choate and Henry w. Sackett for me IIlDuHc' A
plaintiff proved hy LOuis G Martin, VINO III 1000 was
specal supervising agent of the Treasury Department.
that the dispatch as published in The Tribune was
brought to the attention of secretary Manning anu '
within few days thereafter the appointment W"'
revoked Upon this proof the plantif cohteHucu ''"
The Tribune publication had caused his dismissal
But Mr. Choatc showed, upon Mr.. Martins cro'seA
animation that he had sent fo' cameron anu "N0u
him TO make an answe: to the charges tn't '"'io"
did bring to him the next day written statement, -
which he admitted that he had served term ii ia"
tor violation Of the Maine Prohibition law, ana tat o
baS hcon arrested on charge OF assault Wltl I'en
10 kill made upon his uncle, the 1ciatiFe relcIIou
in the dispatch. In his statement cameron s"'u ''
"watching my opportunity, compcIcu MN at ~
muzzlc of pistol to agree 10 produce ana uc'No' "
him certain palcrs then in the uncle's possession ME-
,for,i soid he took this answer to MI Naming anu
,old him that Cameron admitted having been III Ia"
Cor violation of the Maine Liquor Law, ana Oh HdNihs
hccn arrested for other matters that MI MaiE S'u
he was sorry, but that was more t'ah 'he DePd,'
conld carry and almost Immediately ai'er"dru 'dT
cee1 tne appointment Upon this. Mr. Choate con
tended that the dismissal was m"c ulo" ' p
own admissions.
When the defendant came TO put in his evidence an
extraordinary state of affair, vas disclosed. me lcsu
nony Of witness after witness wa pesch'cu ue'ai
confessions made by Cameron OF fraud perPe'a'ea DS
himself or hi, finn upon the state Of Maine whlc ne
was State Binder. The state Treasurer members Va
thc LEGISLATURE and otler persons OF the highest
standing te. tilted that Cameron ackn Wlcdgcd lhdl c
bea obtained pay from the state upon liauouie'
vouchers for binding that had not been dohe anu ''"
these unbound volumes belonging to the a'ac it"' oo
sold for old junk The plainths own cApiaha"o" Up'"
the witness stand Of these confessions was tle "o''
astounding part of the cidencc He said that II was
,r thai H., had tolI these witnesses about receiving
nav from the state for work not done and OF Seilhs
ths hooks for old unh, bat in reality these CONFESSIONS
were in part lies ,,, nm bis
II was part Of his scheme to put up JOB Oh HIS
partner. After they had obtained pay rom 'e 9'"'0
for The work not done, his partner, he SAID sus'
cestea that they sn the books for old junk ana Keep
the proceeds and the State officials ~0ulu never DO
the wiser Cameron said he appeared to ial III Will
this suggestion ard shipped the books away ds il u ~
10 Boston; but he followed the cartmch' WITHOUT HIS
partners knowledge, and had them taken up 10 u'c
attic of his house in Augusta where they remained
for about two years. lie cOncocicd poath cafu anu
mt il on his partner desk if IT lad come from me
Bo,t,n parties In 1or when tie fact Of his confessions
had become known in the Legislature ana he Lau Oeei
charged with the frauds in the House Of Representative
AS stated by one Of the witnesses he CLAIMS l'' Hc
brought the books down from his house, bound them
and delivered them the state. He Insisted that he
had Intended do all along and that tlAt was d"
fulGlment of his contract and not fraud upon the
State.
Much evidence was also introduced 70 prove the
alleged swndle upon the relative mentioned In the
dispach This was 10 the elect that Cameron had
contrved TO get th3 property Of his unc, IN his o"
name and then had refused u restore 1t To him uu 1sN
he was paid about $1,000. UpoA this polnt also the
inry Iound with the defendant. The cents a"dinCd
10 The plaintiff was because o! the mistake made ~
The condensation 10y the LO>t,n correspondent OF IA5
Irjbuuc of the dispatch received llom Maine .
Instead of saving thai Cameron had been lndlcici
for the offence" sWudlIng relative, Ii should nave
read that he was indicted lgg an Onchce against he
laws of Name tried. convicted" ctC. Ju~tco Ia al
cbar-ed the jury that even II ncy bcheNcl thdl Inc
TruDe had established the truth OF the 0der charges
they must stll verdict iOr the pldiHun Tor some
amount, because OF thi, cTIOr ana what litt amount
should be would depend upon what dalndrc, III 3.
Thought CancrOns reputation mad Hu'c.ea "ldcr an
The circumstances and also upOn the question Wht'Htr
The error va> malicious. Inc !u!y eNpc>>ed u'cI
opinion cmphatcdN dpOn the subject ~ thtF 'trnlc
and without hesitation. not one oI inc" N"l II lO
more than q CcIt, damages upon inc INST nditt
Mr. ChOatc's CrO>>-cNainin"tOl Of lie plnhlH was
mastery In the highest decree. lie forced Cnnc'o Oh
10 admit that either hc had Dcen caring Id!s-y upon
the stand or else that statements &c 1Go 10 IN" &c
compelled admit that he had not dared To tn SO
rotary Manning the truth about the iisu1 upon the
State of Maine Wallace Macia;lanc was the attorney
for the plaintiff sacett Bennett were the attorneys
for The Tribune Association.