The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-12-14
LAST EDITION
LIBEL CHARGED.
r. |. GammeII Sued for
$4,000.
Wrote a Letter Rejecting on a News
naper Woman.
It Looks as If IL Were inspired by a
Third Party.

This morning the firm OF G. j. and A. T..
West, attorneys, served notice on mr. X.
i. Gammell, the millionaire OF this city, in
libel suit for $4,000 damages,
based on letter written the editor of the
Boston Herald and rejecting on Miss
Annie Il. Campbell, the well known Provi-
dence society correspondent of The Her
aid.
The letter is published below. Mr..
Gammell's signature Is attached to IL and
IL is dated November 8, last. A reading
OF the letter best explains its evident
object, namely: to break down Miss Cam
belPs reputation In the Office OF The
Herald.
Miss Campbell has long been the re-
porter OF Providence society news
Tor The Herald, and her work
in., has ,sN,, evidently given her employer,
the columns she needs for her gossip
are usually at her disposal in the Sunday
edition Of The Herald, and there is every
evidence to believe that The Herald pub
lishers have placed full confidence in her
work.
The editor OF The Herald forwarded the
letter to his correspondent, as editors
usually do when attacks are made on their
employees, to give her an opportunity
TO state her case. Miss Campbell was.
naturally, upset by the accusations and
reflections contained in the lett, : I'd was
finally prevailed upon by friends 20 whom
she turned for sympathy to place the inter-
esting bit OF correspondence in the hands
OF an attorney. The Messrs. West promptly
called Mr.. Gammells attention TO the
matter and after waiting for response.
and getting no acknowledgment, took
the first step TO bring a suit for libel In
the sum Of 10000.
The Letter.
To the Editors of Boston Sunday Herald
GENTLEMEN: MANY people in Provi-
dence, including myself, are tired of read
ing the inaccuracies and lies which are
printed Ia your sunday issue under the
head OF Providence Social Gossip. The
woman, Mrs. Campbell, whom you hire TO
write this letter, knows nothing OF her
subject, but relies upon the information
which she procures from "Tommy Ly-
man." the caterer, or some waiter whom
she cun bribe to tell her of the entertain
ment which he serves. Her statements
about Miss Goddard's and Miss Mason's
weddings In recent issues were absolutely
incorrect, and no letter has been pub
lished from her, In the last six months,
which has not contained some falsehood.
Now lei me emmerate some of the lies
which are in this same letter:
Lie No, I-Mr. Granville correct name
Grenville) Brown will also wed Miss
Rhodes some time during this month.
Lie No. 1.-THE opening of Mr.. William
Goddard's town house. Mr.. Goddard's
house has not been opened and is not
likely TO be opened for a month.
Lie III-Mr. and Mrs. James Coats are
expected to arrive in New York tomorrow
Mr.. and Mrs. Coats will not arrive till
early December.
Lie No. IV-Mrs. Eliz. Gammell's town
house is being made ready for her occu-
pancy, etc.-(Mrs. and Miss Gammetl
sailed for Europe Nov. Sd. and have no
thought OF opening their town house).
Lie No. V-The Robert Gammells have
been In town some time.
Lie No. Wilt Is thought that Miss
Helen Pearce may come out in metropoli-
tan society before she is introduced to
that of Providence.
Now, Mr.. Editor, respectfully submit
that people buy and read your paper for
the news, not for the sake of reading the
tictions from the brains of "penny-a-
liner"
Your regular correspondent, Mr.. Lin
coin, has for some years done good ser
vice, and has shown considerable pains to
give accurate information in the Provi-
dcnce letter, but this society correspon-
dent OF yours does not deserve the name
huu 10 tnc otoSh VI SNCiy OhS.
She rarely has any personal knowledge OF
her su beet, but depends for her informa-
tion upon servants and such people, and,
when she fails of that, she obviously
draws upon the Imagination.
wish to say that i rarely, II ever, ad-
Gress the editor OF q newspaper, but in
this instance, l feel that a representation
OF facts may do a service to the reading
public as well as to the journal you edit.
Yours truly,
r.. 1. GAMMELL.
Providence, November s, 1884
Who Wrote the Letter?
1t is interesting to observe that while
Mr.. Gammell has evidently signed this
edifying document, he did not write it.
THE News has Photographic copy OF
the letter in its possession. IL Is writ
ten in commercial hand-not
trained business hand, appar-
emily, but that OF some student
of business handwriting. Ii is boyish in
It's lines and the signature is added in
Mr.. Gammell's autograph.
Whether Mr. Gammell was the actual, "a
he was the putative, author of the letter,
or its sentiments, and had some one else
write IL, which he naturally might
have done; or whether the letter
was both inspired and written by n third
party and presented TO Mr.. Gammcl for
his signature aud approval OF its express