The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-01-06

metropolitan dailies are handling the mat.
| ter, both by wire and editorially. Editor
tally all the outside journals deprecate
that any such trial should ever have taken
place. This has been our view from the
start. The whole affair should have been
nj, ped ia the bud, even as the early frost
| nips the succulent pumpkin vine. 1t has
seriously injured the Woman's Relief
| Corps everywhere and has destroyed its
usefulness as local organization in Can
ton. After trial was decided on another
mistake was the oath bound, secret court.
But when the trial was on, IL became no
longer personal affair, but public prop
| erty Hence we decided to print the evil
dence, IL it was possible TO secure it. We
| now have the satisfaction of knowing that
| we have printed, not only a fair and
! truthful account of all the proceedings,
but the general public have been favored
! with the whole matter in a lively and
| attractive style. Our best reporters were
| put on the case, and we have three opin-
| ions of three very able attorneys, two of
whom are now on the bench, that the
repertoiial work on this case is OF the
highest order OF excellence,
That the account has been generally inn
partial, is indicated by the fact that both
the participants in the case are complain
ing of this paper. Mrs. Koons was very
seriously offended because we printed the
testimony of J.J. Clark, Ada and George
Clarke, Charlie Oldfield and Harvey Dit
tenhafer, without giving even a
list of her witnesses, or the con-
tents of her afiidavits, in rebuttal;
while both ]. ], Clark and Mrs. Clarke
claim our reporters colored the report of
the case in the interest of Mrs. Rooms. II
is due to truth to say that the NEws.DEM-
oCRAT has no interest in the case, except
to give the news. Neither can it be tor
tured into political question: Both
parties to the case are Republicans. Every
witness for heprosecution, both male and
female was Republican. The NEWS.
DEMOCRAT suppressed all matter tina,
seemed to reflect in any way upon the
plaintiff. For instance, the reporter
brought in report that, upon the opening
of the trial, Mrs. Clarke attempted to in
troduce and have read big gripsack full
of letters, in evidence against Mrs. Koons.
10 this Mrs Koons objected. She claim
ed that none but sworn evidence could he
admitted. There was then II very violent
discussion between Mrs. Clarke and Mrs.
Koons, which threatened to become seri-
Gus. At this point the Presiding Judge,
Mrs. Meredith, ordered the court room
cleared OF all but the members OF the
Court. This was done to enable the par
ties in issue TO cool off, and enable the
Court to pass upon the question with that
cool and dispassionate judgment and legal
acumen for which the Court of the Queens
Bench has been noted for over 375 years.
Where the Court had evolved her intellect
on this question she decided, (all mem.
bers being Unanimously that the letters
sworn evidence could be ad-
mitted. This was clear knock
out for Mrs. Clark, and although our alert
reporter had it all written out the
NEWS. DEMOCRAT excluded it from the
report because it did not seem to bear upon
the testimony of this case. In other words
we only, y,printed such testimony, and such
testimony only as seemed to bear directly
upon the written charges filed. This was
such testimony as that of J. J. Clark, Geo.
Clark, Abbie Clark Rutledge, Charles Old
field and Harvey Dittenhafer.
Mrs. Rooms stood In her own light in
giving the charges she had filed against
Mrs. Clark to reporter of the Rep, who
| telegraphed the same to the Pittsburg
Times, while our reporter was rewarded
with having Mrs. Rooms front door
slammed violently in his face. Then the
| American Press association, located at
Pittsburg, which handles the night tele-
graph report for over 81 daily newspapers
| in Eastern Ohio and West Pennsylvania,
copied the scurrilous item from the Pitts
burg Times about Mrs. Clark appropriat-
ing money, soap and railroad tickets
from the W. r. C. and sent II out as tele--
graph plate matter. When this matter
came to the NEWS DEMooRAT office 1t was
suppressed. We only mention this that
the reading public may know that the
| NEws-DEMooRAT has only endeavored to
give plain straightforward statement OF
the facts developed in the case and trial,
with a careful avoidance OF any item that
would unduly prejudice either party in
the unfortunate controversy.
| THE ORIGIN.
The general public has an intense and
all consuming desire TO know the cause OF
this terrible trouble which is liable to ter
inmate In bloodshed. With view of as
certaining the cause OF the trouble NEWS
DEMOCRAT reporter interviewed a promi-
ne ut ,uc inher OF the G. A, r., who is Q
prominent Republican and business man
He stated that the trouble all originated
from a personal rivalry between two lead
ing women of W. II. e who were former
| ly "a Intimate as twin sisters.
Mrs.. Clake was IN ,da president OF th'
s;ate department, and Mrs. Koons wa
appointed by Mrs. Clarke as treasurer
! NJ Eoous at that time being consider I
by NJ u. Clarke as her mo Il | lllmate Il lend
anu known as woman Of very fine exec
uliye ability. /; has been customary ht r.
tofore at national encampInents fer II
,, president and her immediate fGiends an
associates to stop at the same hotel an
: occupy the same headquarters. At Bos
op, at the National Encampment, Mrl
r secured elegant quarters at the rate of
i day, all at the expense of the Relic
o Corps, a charitable organization, whil
! Mrs. Koons was sent by Mrs. Clark
+ TO a third class, 81 day hote
d When Mrs. Clarke and Mrs Koons n
d tired as state officers of the w. r. c., Mr.
y Koons' administration of the finances
= the association was highly commended !
3 a resolution OF the members Of the corp
eHs- ~ n