davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-10-19
Cures After
Others Fail.

cstarrh, Bronchitis, Rheumatism.
Diseases Of Stomach and Liver,
Heart and Lung Diseases,
Nervous Diseases,
Kidney and Urinary Troubles,
Diseases of Women,
Diseases Of Men,
Skin and Blood Diseases.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-10-19
The Downing Physicians Have

the most scientific, painless and effect
i've methods of treatment for long
standing, obstinate diseases that are
known to the profession today. A per-
sonal visit to the Downing offices will
satisfy anyone of this fact. Doubters
must now cease to doubt Sick people
wanting so be restored to health have
no choice now but to go to the Down
ing physicians. 1t must be clear to
everyone that grand, new medical
force has come to DEBORAH. refuge for
all the i'll and ailing, and that when all
other doctors fail there is assurance of
relief and cure at the hands of the
Downing physicians.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-10-19

In the District
Court, State ofIowa
In and for Win
neshiek County,
November Term,
A. ID. 1897.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04
Three Instructive Examples

TIE Lancaster New Era cites three
recent trials for libel under the present
law wherein, with similar facts, dis
similar conclusions We're reached.
The first case was a suit brought
against the Reading Herald, and tried
before Judge Endlich, in March, 1895.
The Herald had published an item stat
ing that one Zuber was arrested the
night before, having been caught in the
act of adultery at the home of Deborah
Shelly No, 954 Muhlenburg street, the
caption of the item being, ARRESTED in
a Bawdy House." The article was privi-
legged and the statement true, except
that mistake was made in the location
of the house and the name of the pro-
prietress, Mrs. Shelly being a woman
of irreproachable character. The mis-
take, arising out of a misunderstanding
between the police and the reporter and
editor, was discovered and a correction
printed the next day. But Mrs. Shelly,
not satisfied, brought suit, and the Jury
gave her verdict of $3.50, the court
reserVing for further consideration the
question whether as a matter of law
under the facts proven and admitted
there could be any recovery This re-
served point having been argued, Judge
Endlich, in a lengthy opinion, in which
he cited numerous authorities, reached
the conclusion that IAN honest mistake
both in the location and the name, in
duced by probable cause, could not
make the erroneous statement believed
in at the time, and made without
malice, lawful ground of recovery
and, therefore, set the verdict of the
jury. aside.
The second was a Lancaster county
case, that of Collins VS.. the Morning
News. In this case a mistake was
made by the reporter in giving the
wrong name as a defendant in a Grim.
inal charge. He was misled in doing SC
by the statement Of the attorney for the
plaintiff in the case, to whom he hat
been referred from the police office fol
details. The mistake was corrected a!
soon as brought to the EDITORS at
tention, but the jury awarded $3.50 dam
ages. In charging the jury Judge Liv,
ingston held that the publication be
ing untrue it was not privileged, bu
libellous per Sc, therefore actionabl,
and presumed to be malicious.
The third case was that of Becke
against the Philadelphia Public Ledger
than which there is not a more careful
conscientious or cautious paper printed
Last November an item appeared II
the Ledger stating that Mr.. Becker haS
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

been held in $500 on a charge of en-
bezzlement. This alleged libel also had
It's origin in a confusion of names. The
magistrate gave the reporter the name
of Mr.. Becker instead of that of Segal,
the real defendant. Becker sued for
S25, 900, Notwithstanding that full and
adequate retraction was published in
the Ledger as soon as the error was
brought to the attention of the city edi-
tor. The jury returned a verdict of $75
damages. Judge Gordon in a lengthy
charge to the jury said "the verdict
in this case must be for the plaintiff,
it is a question of amount only though
he also charged that as the matter was
a publication touching facts of ju-
dcial proceeding, it was a privileged
subject, and there being no malice the
plaintiff was entitled to recover only
compensation for actual injury sus-
tained.
Here we have three different interpre-
tations of the libel laws under practic-
ally identical circumstances. Judge
Endlich, holding that anything which
is of public interest to the community
is privileged" also says that a promptly
corrected mistake inficts no injury.
Judge Livingston, on the other hand,
says that every mistake in print is nee
essarly malicious; and Judge Gordon
takes middle position between the
two. Is it any wonder that when law
is so obscure in its language that eX-
ifsn
should wish, in their own protection,
to have that laW amended with view
to making it's meaning clear?
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04
Manufactured Damage Suits.

A recent dispatch from Harrisburg
to one of the Philadelphia papers con-
tained the assertion that Senator Ma
gee, of Allegheny, proposed to intro
duce a bill to check the multiplication
of speculative damage suits against
Traction companies by requiring plain
tiffs to give advance bond for the costs.
We learn from Senator Magee that this
is not true while believe" he says
in letter under date of February l,
that something should be done to pre-
vent the growing evil of manufactured
damage cases, I have no bill to pre-
sent upon the subject"
That this is "a growing evil' is
shown, among other ways, by a search
which Mr. f. Parmalee Prentice, of
the Chicago bar, recently made of the
records of Cook county, Ill. During
the first six months of 1890, 3i6 damage
suits We're brought, claiming a total
sum of $2,Sl4, $50. During the first six
months of 1896 the number of this
class of suits was S93, and the total
damages claimed was $13,51O,OO0. Mr..
Prentice says that it is not unreason-
able to assume that there are now
pending in the courts of Cook county
cases of this kind to the number of
5000, claiming damages of over $50,
100000.
a like increase in the size of the ver
diets rendered and the number of judg
ments obtained is also shown, as we
learn from the Times Herald, from
which journal these instructive sta
tistics are taken. In the first six
months of 1890 three verdicts We're rem
dered in the Cook county courts of $10,
600 each or over, the three amounting
to $751; In the first six months of
1896 twenty-six verdicts We're rendered
in the same courts, each for an amount
exceeding $4,000, the total of the
twenty-six being $425,O0O. other fig
ures are given showing the vast pre-
ponderance of verdicts that are rem
dered for the plaintiff, the proportion
being about six to one, indicating that
damage suits against corporations are
practically indefensible because of the
prejudice of juries.
Mr.. Prentice asserts that the prose-
cution of these suits has grown into
a regular business; that bureaus and
brokers and runners are employed to
hunt up such cases, and that more or
less fraud is used in promoting, fos-
tering and trying them; that damage
claims, being assignable, are trans
ferred like stock in the market and nu-
merous persons thus become interested
in them and in their successful prose-
cution. Thus" says the Times Her
aid, "a vast and often unseen power
is brought to bear upon courts and
juries which is altogether unlawful"
This is a picture which presents
many points of local familiarity. 1t is
to be regretted that way is not clear
by Legislation to reach this evil with
out denying justice to those who have
real injuries to be redressed.
1t begins to look as if Clifton Knorr
of Bloomsbury, We're about to establish
new record for the wanton abuse of
the truth
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04
The Man Who Dared.

No other political event of the year
has excited greater stir among
newspapers and politicians than the
selection by Governor Black of Louis
F. Payn to De insurance superintendent
of the state of New York Mr.. Payn is
one of the most skilful politicians in
the Empire state; by many he is rated
as second only to II. G. Plat. He has
held important offices with credit, nota-
bly, the United States marshalship for
the Southern district of New York un-
der Grant, and has shown executive
ability of a high order. But he has
also been conspicuous in the factional
strife which has SO long and so bitterly
prevailed during the present political
generation in that commonwealth; he
has thumped many heads, rasped many
ambitions and is by a certain element
furiously disiked. This element in
cludes those who like to make targets
of men active in politics, who accept
evil report at face value and consider
that the only wickedness is the wicked
ness of the opposition.
Concerning the clamor which has
sought to defeat Payn we have only to
say that it has exceeded in din any
within our personal recollection. Most
of the specific charges included in it
have been refuted in detail and shown
to be false, but of course this has had
as yet no peTceptble effect. Man
hunting, while the craze is on, is seldom
conducive to impartial justice; the itch
of the populace periodically to cruelty
some one is seemingly an inheritance
from humanity's early days The point
which commands our admiration i'll this
whole episode is the steadiness and
| coolness with which the main victim of
this furore, Governor BlIck, stands by
his personal conviction, remains true to
his word and has for the storm about
him apparently the quietest contempt.
Whether you agree with Black or not
as to the propriety of naming Payn,
| you cannot get away from admiring the
| flint-lile determination with which he
| follows out his personal judgment
| Here, you are sure, is no ordinary man
Predictions are superabundant that
| Black has committed political suicide
| Time alone can tell. But for our part
| we don't believe it. Newspaper abuse
| particularly in a case like this where
| it seems to be founded almost wholly
on artificial grounds, is often a due bill
of character which the future will hon
| or. We don't think Black would have
| gone back on Payn, to whom he says
| he owed his nomination, even if the al
| tentative We're the utter destruction OF
his personal prospects; but we enter
tain very little fear that governor
| who can face such a storm as Black
is facing without wavering from the
line he has marked out viii be elimin-
ated from future politics by popgur
newspaper criticism.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

The fact that it is possible in this
country for a bright man like Frank
Thompson to work his way up from the
very foot of the railway ladder to the
presidency of the largest and best man
aged transportation company in the
world within less than forty years is a
tribute to American institutions off
setting q great deal of academic or
dyspeptic criticism. Such instances
are not the exception but the rule
among Americans who prove them
selves worthy of advancement.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04
SCRANTON, FEBRUARY A, 1897.

Mrs. Franc T. Vail, who has been
mentioned as a proper successor to Mrs
Swan on the poor board is among the
brightest and most progressive OF
Scranton's bright women and has had
experience in philanthropic work that
would be of material aid on the poor
board. Mrs. Vail has always taken
great interest in public affairs. Sew
eral years ago she was a candidate for
school controller from the Seventeenth
ward and received q large vote.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

protective lines, besides 10 votes marked
doubtful. on the financial question,
there the reported to be 4G silver votes,
43 gold votes and / vote in doubt. This
alignment is quite sufficient to insure
conservative action ON the two vital is
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

a g ssP; ssP;
A child born on this day will notice that
the suggestion that Mrs. Franc Vail would
make an excellent poor director to succeed
Mrs. Swan has caused several promising
booms to droop like the proverbial moist
dish-Cloth.
1t will be proper for Mayor Bailey to
carry a handful of stage snow in his
pocket to throw over himself when he
signs that South Side sewer ordinance.
If fire could be successfully controlled
with wind, there is no doubt that the
Harrisburg blaze would have been a very
small affair.
Billy Bryan's jokes at this stage of the
game remind one of the efforts of a man
to be funny when suffering from the tooth
ache.
Authorities differ as to whether it is ad-
visabe for the ground hog to keep on his
winter flannels another month.
Aiacchus' Advice.
Take no stock in an enterprise that
promises to pay Star line dividends upon il
canal boat investment.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04
B A II G A D M S

Odds and Ends, we find
while taking stock, are being
sold at greatly reduced prices
to make room for new spring
goods.
Have some good Dinner
Sets we are closing out very
low. $500 Sets, with few
pieces short, now $1,000.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

Word is received from Canton, in a
manner which courts credence, to the
effect that cabinet portfolio, very like
ly the postmaster generalship, will be
proffered by the president-elect to New
York first, and in the event of a failure
among the factions of that state to
agree upon a suitable man, this port
folio will next be rendered to Pennsyl-
Vania. 1t is a safe guess that the
factions in New York, newly stirred to
strife over the Payn appointment, will
not agree.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

Lyman j. Gage is reported to have
pronounced the greenback 'idiotic and
immoral" But not all that is reported
these days can be believed, We doubt
If he ever said anything of the kind.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04
422 Lackawanna Ave.

That 'sheOl' was paved with good
intentions probably realized the truth
of the assertion. Don't let your good
resolution to buy only the best Blank
Books, Office Supplies, Type
Writing Supplies, etc., at our store
be paving stone. We keep the best
in variety and quality. We also make
speciality of Draughting Supplies.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

A canvass of the next senate shows
A votes certain to favor and SO certain
to oppose a new tariff bill, drawn on
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

The Philadelphia Ledger heartily favors
Representative keator's bill appointing a
"Thinking committee" for the benefit of
the legislature; l. e., a permanent COM
mission for statutory revision. 1t says:
Notwithstanding the fact that many of
the members of the legislature are law
yers, and that the acts of assembly are
examined by the governor and the attor-
ney general, many defective acts appear
upon the statute book. Much of our leg
islation is precipitate. Little time is at
forded for the close scrutiny of bills in the
closing days OF the legislative session
when many important measures are
hastily passed. The creation of a sort OF
third house to examine pending measures
as set forth in the Keator bill would
doubtless save numerous acts of assem-
bly, from annulment by the courts for con-
stitutional imperfections, The State Ban
association of New York, a few years
ago made this matter a subject of inquiry
and the recommendation was made, which
was substantially adopted by the legisla-
ture of that state, providing that COM
missioners of statutory revision should
act as advisers to the members of the leg,
islature in the drawing of bills. An Eng
lish official and his assistants, known as
parliamentary counsel, receives q salary OF
nearly $4,000 in our money and each OF
his assistants $4,000. A properly consti.
tuted commission of this nature would be
highly advantageous. 1t would not elmi-
nate all the uncertainties and imperfec-
tions which creep into our laws by mad
vertence or ineXperience, but the drafting
of the statutes would be improved, and
less would be left to be construed by thS
courts. The proposition casts no refec,
tion upon the ability of the legislature. II
would, doubtless, find such an advisory
third house exceedingly convenient al
| times"
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

Appearances indicate the defeat in
the senate of the arbitration treaty,
chiefly because of the personal antagOn-
ism in that body to Messrs. Cleveland
and Olney. on the other hand, appear
ances are proverbially deceptive, and
especially so in politics. We predict
that the senate will simply not have
the nerve to hold out against the accu-
mulating public sentiment which is pre-
pairing to demand the ratification by it
of the essential principles of that treaty.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04
= g -lANGE
SCRANTON BUSINESS FIRM

The shoe store known the Banister store
Lackawanna and Wyoming will hereafter be known
The Banster Shoe Co., of Newark N. j. Are going
make extensive improvements in the and the building and
will close the entire stock of the prices below
offered to the people of this city, The improvements
decided upon make empty the store of all goods
there and will be considered accomplish this
result Among the many improvements will be the doing
away with all stands the Wyoming side and putting
and attractive shoe windows in their place. In short
city.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

The Altoona Tribune wants the leSls-
lature to provide for the submission of a
constitutional amendment abolishing ting
board of pardons, and the incorporation OF
section forbidding the granting of par
dons, save only under certain exceptional
circumstances. "Ahd then" 1t adds, "let
the governor shoulder the entire RESPONSE
bilty our present system has been III
operation long enough to convince those
who believe in the enforcement of Law
that it is a failure"
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

If Attorney General Harmon We're
half as anxious to punish violations of
the Sherman antitrust law as he is to
make legal case against the steamer
Three Friends" which is charged with
conveying ammunition and supplies to
Cuba. he would present a much better
appearance before the people.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

can be read. This, we realize is a stereo-
typed complaint; but 1t is also just one.
The money now spent on this disreputablo
and uncertain spasmodical is simply vast
ed. 1t might much better be donated to
the Harrisburg fire department, which APP
parently needs help. An accurate record
Of legislative proceedings printed in loSi-
bic type on substantial white paper aud
Issued not later than twenty-tour honts $
after the adjournment of the sitting to
be reported would be worth SOMETHING,
but the present leisurely and vagrant Issue
Is not worth u counterfeit picayune
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

1t is an interesting fact, as bearing upon
the charge that Quay influences have
sought to throttle the proposed investiga-
ton of the state treasury, that before the
vote on this matter was taken on Monday
night avery member of the house friendly
to Quay received a written request from
Senator Penrose to be present and to vote
for a thorough investigation, without
prejudice TO any measures which may, in
the meantime. be introduced relative 10
the better safeguarding of state funds.
Further than this, it is known that word
has come from Senator Quay himself
suggesting the enactment of a law to Sc
cure inte! est on state balances, his only
wish bcinr that If such a law shall lie
passed IT shall relieve the state treasure"
81 responsibility for balances PLACED an
der its direction and shall afford him a
living salary after the cost of executing
his hnnd shnll be mat
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

1t begins to look as if Clifton Knorr,
of Bloomsbury, We're about to establish
a new record for the wanton abuse of
the trut h
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04

1t is to be hoped that the present ses-
sion of the legislature will not adjourn be-
fore 1t shall have either abolished the Leg
sative Record or taken some action which
will insure the prompt appearance of that
publication so printed and edited that II
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-04
TOLD BY THE STARS.
Daily Horoscope Drawn by Ajacchu'
The Tribune Astrologer.

Astrolabe cast: 3.1S a. m, for Thursday
Feb. 4, 1897.
The times., 1897-06-07
Matrimonial Affairs Of State.

Some weeks ago The Times suggested
established. To meet crying needs in this
nation The necessity of such a depart
ment is once more demonstrated sy this
Conde Stone affair. Why, in the name Of
oil the gods at once, especially Cupid, should
it be considered the business of the Secre-
tary Of the Navy to regulate the love af-
fairs of naval officers? Two OF the peo-
pie who would like this riddle unriddled
are Miss Conde and Ensign Stone; and If
Papa conde has any explanation to offer
he should give to some leading magazine
at once It would make good story, this
psychoio gical study Of a love affair from
the fathers point of view.
The inside heart of the matter probably
is that neither Mr. Conde nor any of his
family has succeeded in keeping these two
the majesty of the naval service must be
invoked Mt Conde requests that the
Secretary OF the Navy send young Stone
and his friend, Ensign Osborne, to the South
Sea Islands or somewhere else. where the
young lady viii not be within their reach
The Secretary Of the Navy might have told
Mr. Condo to remove his family to some
distant place, instead of asking him TO
move the youthful lover, but he didn't He
invests gated the case The Official nature
OF the investigation was to findout whether
Ensign Stone was a gentleman or not 1t
is not yet known what the investigating
board thought aboutit, butit viii be known
bIfore many days, and then Secretary Long
will decide what shall be done to this
The times., 1897-06-07

There may be Il heated debate and some
manifestation of bad blood when the Sem
ate reaches the sugar schedule; but Ii is
more likely that the fight will he had and
over before the formal consideration pf
that matter. The Sugar Trust is making
a desperate struggle to retain the ad va
loren cuty on raw sugar, through which
it woulf te able TO control the prices in the
United States, rs well as prices of raw
sugar in all producing countries. This giant
monopoly is splendidiy and ably repre-
sented On the Republican side of the Senate;
but even with this advantage, 1t has been
unatle to secure enough votes TO force
its program upon the country. Opposition
TO its paipable designs against the ma sse S
is so strong that there is little doubt that
the ad yaloTem rates viii be abandoned
and a specific duty imposed.