The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-03
NEWSPAPER LIBEL
INDICTMENT AND SUIT THERE
FsDR BY A SENATOR

The Publisher OF the baltimore American
Ina,cs~d aud seed by senator yelling
ton, Of Maryland, for Charging shat s<ua
tor Wnh I.tog Patronage 10 net
the Election Sf u senator so Succeed >ec.
ator Gorman-A Statement Prom the
Newspaper
Baltimore. November 3a.-Uni,ed
States Senator George l.. Wellington.
Of this state. today appeared before the
grand jury and charged that he a
been criminally Hbeled by The Balti-
more American. in giving color to the
charges that he was using patronage
TO influence votes in the election Of a
United States senator TO succeed Ar
thur p. German.
The grand jury presented General
Felix Agnus. the publisher and editor
OF The American. for Indictment. Later
in the day Senator Wellington filed
suit against General Agnus personally
for 500, 600 damages.
The American tomorrow will say:
LAS usual, The American will meet
the issue that is raised. In the long
career Of the paper it has had its share
OK these things n 1t has always ac-
cepted them and fought them TO a An
States ~senatorship in the legislature of
Maryland the absolute need ans the
inestimable value OF a free press must
be evident to the humblest person. In
~ Tho An,arioou u-il no fraa ar1 Sor-
less. 1t will continue to work for h
people and the people only and will call
attention to the words or actions of
Mr.. Wellington OIL those OF any one
else in public life when ii deems this
to the public welfare. And its expert
ence has always been that courts and
juries have upheld the freedom of the
press in work CT this kind. Most OF the
reputable journals Of the country have
criticised Mr.. Wellington severely. QUO
tations from them would show how ad-
verse is the general judgment of the
national press on his type OF states
manship and how thoroughly this type
has been ~repudiated and discredited in
public opinion. The American always
strives to present the truth and do
harm to no one; il il inadvertently
does any injury, its columns are al
ways open for explanation and 1T is
prepared to make explanations and
amends. 1t does not deal in scandal
and has always s~tudiously declined to
discuss the private affairs Of men elect
ed to office, including, rye may say.
those OF Mr.. Wellington himself. But
while extremely careful to avoid all
controversy and give no reasonable
ground for complaint, it propose to do
its duty to the public. at whatever cost
may be involved. 1t will treat all pub
lie men, indeed all men of every class
and calling, justly and fairly, but it
will be intimidated by no one"
The Americans counsel will be Chas.
j. Bonaparte, the civil service reform
err; Colonel Charles Marshall, who was
Lees chief of staff; Edgar H. Cans,
and William s. Thomas. The trial,
which VIII be pushed. and which will
probably come off just when the leg
islature meets, is expected to be an un-
usually interesting one.
The article upon which Senator We'll
lington's actions are based was pub
lished in The American on Friday, No
vember 26th, together with an editorial
from The Post, of Washington, Of the
previous day. In the latter Senator
Wellington was severely criticised for
his general conduct as a senator of the
United States and charged with "open-
ly offering to purchase votes for a sem
atorial aspirant through the dispense
ton of patronage"
Senator Wellington recently espous-
ed the cause OF Governor Lloyd
Lowndes, who is seeking election to
the seat in the United States ena
now occupied by Senator German,
whose successor will be chosen by the
legislature which meets on January
5, 1898 at Annapolis.