The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-09-06


ing Express-A Sequel to the Durant
House Episode.
Late yesterday afternoon writ was
served on the Portland Evening Express
Publishing Company on behalf of ex-
Deputy Sheriff Charles A. Plummer,
alleging that that company had by publ
cations in its paper, damaged the COM
plainant both pecuniarily and in his good
name; and setting the damages at ten
Thousand dollars.
The attorneys for ex-Sheriff Plummer
are Noble and Crockett of Lewiston. The
senior member of this firm Is Mayor F.
L. Noble of that city
This libelgsuit is sequel to the trouble
over the Durant house, where Deputy
Plummer made two seizures of liquor.
of which house Colonel Fred N. Dow was
an owner.
aSoon after the seizures Editor GeorgeW.
Norton of the Express was indicted for
libel by the grand jury, on account OF
certain editorial comments made against
Deputy Plummer. The case never came
to trial, Editor Norton going to the Law
court on demurrer, his position being
that the Indictment was not sufficient.
AT the last session of the Law court the
case was argued, and the judges are yet
considering the matter.
That case, which is criminal case, is
entirely Independent of the present case
which is a civil suit for damages.
The.important portions of the writ,
which was served yesterday by Deputy
Sheriff Buchanan, are as. follows:
In plea of the case, for that, where
as the plaintiff now is, and ever has been
q good, honest and faithful citizen of this
state, and was Of good fame and reputa-
ton among his neighbors, as well as
among all other good people, and up to
the time of the writing, printing and
publishing the several false, scandalous
and defamatory words, was, and for
long time prior thereto, had been, a duly
appointed and duly qualified deputy
sheriff within and for said County of
Cumberland, specially designated to
enforce the laws Of this state, prohibiting
the sale of in toxicating liquors; yet the
said defendant company, well knowing
the premises, but contriving maliciously
and wickedly to injure, degrade, Cypress
and defame the plaintiff in his good
name and reputation and to bring him
into disgrace and infamy with his neigh
bors, and with the citizens of said Port
land, as well as of the whole state, and to
iv,;, IN h Sc low
ment, and further to cause the plaintiff
to be brought under the pains and
penalties of the law against perjury and
subornation of perjury, and attempted
subornation of perjury and receiving
brides for neglect Of official duty and
other corruption in office, did, on the
third day of July, in 1894, at said Port
land, print and publish in certain daily
newspaper, owned and published by the
said defendant company, to wit. the
Portland Evening Express of that day,
certain false, scandalous, malicious and
defamatory libel of and concerning the
plaintiff, and of and concerning his said
Office and employment, containing there
in, this false, scandalous, malicious and
defamatory matter following:
against what man is Deputy Sheriff
Charles A. Plummer (meaning the
plaintiff) now plotting by the employ
ment of a needy man who shall act as
spotter' that someone who has incurred
the liquor deputy's (meaning the plain
tiff's) displeasure may be punished?
Who will be the next young man to lay
himself liable to state prison for term
of years by taking a false oath by the
direction of this guardian of our laws
(meaning the plaintiff) .(meaning that
some person or persons had committed
the crime of perjury by direction of the
plaintiff)? Will there be another spite
case, tried out with tool who is anxious
to earn 50 and drink? How many OF the
prosecutions that have been made in court
and which are urged as evidence of the
faithful discharge of duty, have been
prompted by desire for revenge? Rum
sellers who have not accepted the invita-,
ton to come down to the office and do
business, perhaps can have some idea,
but the public will not know until that
investigating committee comes down here
from the state legislature. Then develop
ments will be made public, thick
and fast.''
Meaning and intending by the forego
ing false, scandalous, malicious and
defamatory matter to cause the citizens
of said Portland, and the whole state. to
believe that the plaintiff was, during the
time Of his holding his said office of
deputy sheriff, and especially during
that part of 1894 prior to the publishing
of said libel, as aforesaid, guilty of the
crimes of subornation of perjury, at
tempted subornation of perjury, receiving
brides for neglect of official duty and
corr upton in his said office.
By reason of whichs false, ETC., matter,
so published, the plaintiff has become
greatly injured in his good name and
reputation and in said office and employ
ment in many other ways, and especially
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