The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-26
MAssEY's SUIT FOR LIBEL.
His Leading Counsel Opens His Bat
teries on the Pilot.

Norfolk, Va. June 25.-The city circuit
court convened at 1:SO o'clock to-day in
the second days trial of the Pilot-Mas-
sey suit, an action to recover $50. 600 dam
ages for defamation of character.
The slow and tedious part of the trial
is over and before the closing of to-mor-
rows session there will be a clash of
arms.
As soon as it was announced that the
jury had been selected, the lawyers be-
gan to open up vast piles of papers, scrap
books, etc. containing hundreds of pages
of typewriter matter. A. p. Thorn. the
leading counsel for the plaintiff. arose to
present his side of the case. Mr.. Thorn
spoke with great elaboration and not till
he had been speaking for nearly an hour
did he raise his voice above the CONVEX
sational tone. At times his language was
severe, his irony as sharp as a Damas-
Gus blade and his challenge to the oppo-
sition the most defiant.
He said that on Dec. % the Pilot pub
lished the article complained of in this
suit He then named the date of the
charter and read the list of directors uu-
der whose control the paper is conduo L
ed. He said these men, were ambitious
gentlemen who desired to control the city,
the state and the nation. They selected
as their watchword: Thou shalt not
bear false witness against thy neighbor."
1t was to be truthful and fearless.
They needed an editor. No ordinary
man would be selected He must be d
man of ability and of distinguished an
tecedents, and so they selected Rev. Sam
w. Small, a preacher of the gospel OF
love and peace.
At first they confined their efforts to a
narrow limit-the limits of the city-but
this did not satisfy this coterie of world
abusers and world savers.
Continuing Mr.. Thorn said: "Twenty-one
days before they published the libel, they
announced they would turn the search
lights on the schools of the state and see.
This newspaper had its birth in sensation
and after exhaustlng its local field, 1t was
compelled to branch out into wider fields.
IF you prove that the plaintiff is guilty,
he will have to disappear and will go down
ruined in reputation, and God knows he
ought to go.
"But this old man. knowing his limo
cence, challenges an investigation. If he
is innocent, it means the same downfall to
the defendants.
I'VE shall prove to you that r. E. Byrd
of Winchester, Va, is the agent of CHM
& Co., of Boston and is the author of the
article in question, and that a deliberate
effort was made by disappointed bidder
for business to destroy Mr.. Massey, and
that CHM & Co., promised to stand be-
tween the Pilot in costs which would re-
suit for trials growing out of the very case
you are now trying.
I'VE shall show you that not one cent of
money, honest or dishonest, ever passed
from the American Book Company to this
plaintiff at any time or under any circum-
stances.
I'VE will show to you that this is a DELHI
crate and malicious publication to break
down the character of this state official by
a disappointed bidder"
The court then adjourned till tomorrow
when Judge Hauth, the leading counsel
for the defendants, will present the other
side of the case, after which the taking OF
testimony will begin.