The record-union., 1896-05-01
MORRISON OUT FOR BLOOD.
He Enters Suit Against Foreman We'll for
Criminal Libel.
The Only Way He Can Bring the
Matter Into Court and Rebut the
Grand Jury's Innuendos.

Foreman John We'll of the late Grand
Jury was arrested yesterday afternoon
about 3 o'clock by Sheriff Johnson on a
charge Of criminal libel sworn to by Su-
pervisor James M. Morrison.
The day after the Grand Jurys report
was published last week Supervisor
Morrison denounced it as an outrageous
attack by innuendo on the members of
the Board Of Supervisors, and said that
he did not propose to tamely submit to
have his character beSmirched by insin-
uations any longer, and as the Grand
Jury did not indict him and give
him chance to defend himself and dis
prove their allegations in open court, he
should institute suits against the mem
bers for criminal libel and bring the
matter into court in that way. He did
so yesterday.
His attorneys are G. T. Jones and R.
T. Devlin, and the complaint runs as
follows:
State of California, County Of sacra-
mento.
In the Justices Court of the Town
ship of Sacramento, in said county, be-
fore Hon. w. A. Henry, Justice of the
Peace
The People Of the State of California
VS.. John We'll, defendant.
The People of the State of California;
upon oath of J. M. Morrison, complain
against the defendant, John We'll, for
the crime Of libel committed as follows:
That on the - day of April, 1896,
and within the limits of the city of Sac
ramento, in the county of Sacramento,
In the State of California, the said de-
fendant, John We'll, did then and there
IL said county of Sacramento, before
the filing of this complaint, willfully,
unlawfully, maliciously and with mali
ciouS intent to injure one John T. Dre-
man, ]. W. Todd, J. M. Morrison, Will
lam Curtis and Thomas Jenkins, and
with intent then and there and thereby
to impeach the honesty, integrity and
reputation of the said John F. brennan,
J. w. Todd, ]. M. Morrison, William
Curtis and Thomas Jenkins, publish in
certain paper writing commonly
called the report Of the Grand Jury of
Sacramento County, certain false,
scandalouS and defamatory libel in the
words and figures following, to wit:
We meaning thereby the Grand
Jury of Sacramento County, thorough
ly investigated the matter and manner
of appointments by the Supervisors
(meaning thereby such appointments of
county officials and agents of Sacra-
mento County as were directed and au-
thorized by law to be made by the
Board of Supervisors of Sacramento
County, composed of said John F. Dre-
man, J. w. Todd, J. NJ. Morrison, Will
lam Curtis and Thomas Jenkins) and
found that they have been for several
years corruptly selling appointments
(n1eaning thereby these appointments
last hereinabove referred to). The deal
(meaning thereby the alleged corrupt
selling of the aforesaid appointments
by the Board of Supervisors of Sacra-
mento County, is always a cash trans
action and when an applicant for an
appointment (meaning thereby an ap-
pointment to county Office or position
by said Board of Supervisors of Sac
ramento County, is in doubt about be-
ing able to pay their price and make the
office pay they (meaning thereby said
John F. Dreman, j. w. Todd, j. NJ.
Morrison, William Curtis and Thomas
Jenkins) have advised him how to man
age that part of it and such advice is
never in the interest of the county
(meaning thereby Sacramento County,.
It was in evidence before the jury
(meaning thereby the Grand Jury of
Sacramento County, that they (mean-
ing thereby said John F. brennan, J.
w. Todd, J. M. Morrison, William Cur
tis and Thomas Jenkins) held the office
of License Collector (meaning thereby
License Collector of Sacramento Coun-
ty) to be worth to the Supervisor ring
$1,000 for a two-years' appointment
This corruption was found to apply to
several of the more important appoint
i've offices under the control of the Su-
pervisors (meaning thereby the Super
visors of Sacramento County,, he the
said John Well, then and there and at
all times well knowing the said defam-
atory libel to be false and the same was
and Is false.
That at all the times mentioned in the