The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-10
sxArrIx. WEDNESDAY,. ocE !
A cowARDLr DEFENSE.

Come time since .ths Seattle Daily Teie-
graph" or, TO be exact. ''the Seattle 1ete-
graph started crusade against the chief
of police Of this city. Every issue OF the
upon his character as q man and as pub
lie Official, and with charges which. II
true. rendered him unfit to occupy any
position Of trust or responsibility.
In the face Of such seurrilous attacks
there was only one thing for the chief 70
do. sithsr to resign bis position or TO
demonstrate to the public that the charges
against him were absolutely and ma
liciously false. He chose the latter course,
and caused the arrest Of the editor OF the
Paper on charge of criminal libel.
The case Was tried In the municipal
court before jury. and Mr.. Lugrin. the
editor Of the Telegraph. was found guilty
and sentenced 10 imprisonment in the
county fail for term Of three months and
TO pay fine OF $500. The defense q. this
trial offered no testimony to substaniiate
the truth of she charges repeatedly made
in the columns OF the Telegraph. and by
their failure to do 30 practically admitted
that the charges were false and malicious.
The Tacoma Nssrs. Democratic paper.
commenting upon the trial. denounced
the course Of the Telegraph. and charged
that the paper had failed TO do it, duty
when II failed to even attempt q instiiica-
ton Of its charges against public official.
r,st sxf fha
the Telegraph announced With show of
bravado that IL never intended 10 have the
case tried In the municipal court, but that
when the case came TO trial in the superior
court on appeal II would produce ample
evidence to justify its position and to
prove the truth of the charges made.
Strange TO relate, however. when the
case IL call foI trial IN the superior
court the defense alleges that the paper Is
described in the information as ''ths Seat
tis Daily Telegraph" whereas IL should
have been described 40 ''the Seattle Tile
crapA" Upon this weak technieality the
case 10 dismissed.
To the average American citizen. who
believes that fair play Is jewel, the aiti-
tuds of tho telegraph must appear inex-
cnsable. Any criminal has, of course. the
right TO take advantages Of a legal techni-
cality 30 secure his release. fmagiue,
however, the editor OF o newspaper. who
morality, and who has grossly abused and
viiined public official. seeking 10 avoid
the responsibility Of his acts upon 30
aimsy pretext
Either the charges made against the
chief Of police were trne or they were
cruelty and eowardly false. The chief of
police did ail that he could do In the
premises 10 satisfy the public that they
were false. lie had the editor of the
paper making the charges arrested for
criminal libel. and gave him an oppor-
tunity 60 demonstrate In court Of law
that tho charges "a MADE were true.
All that Mr.. .Lngrin had to do TO secure
his triumphant seauitsai Was to prove TO
the satisfaction Of iary Of his fellow
citizens that the charges as made were
true. and were made With justsnable mo-
tiyss. The opportunity WAS given 80 him
a. eonfound and confuse the chief by
demonstrating to a jury and to the public
that tho Telegraph. In its attacks upon
him. VAS simply seeking 20 subsesve the
interests Of good governmsnt
Instead. however. OF taking this manly
snd dignihed position Mr.. Lurriu avoids
the responsibility of g fall aud fair trial.
even after publicly boastins ia the
columns Of hi, psper as 10 what he PRO
posed 10 prove in the superior ecnrt.
The public viii believe. and they will
have right 20 believe. tia, Mr.. Laxrsn
has not acted In gcod faith and that he
aid not dare 10 have . trial Of tie case be-
cause be knew thai his attacks had been
false and malicious Had he sesn con-
scicus that the attacks we're based on
truth, and had be been acting in good
falth, he weald never have eoHsentsa 90
pace himself aud hls paper in the eon-
ssmpsisss position that is nov ocsapAes.