The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-08
IT'S DEEPER IN THE SWIM
Another Libel Suit Instituted
Against the Butte Miner"
NOW FORS10,000 DAMAGES
The Plaintiff in This Action Alleges
That His Reputation Has Been In
jured and Wants Judgment
Against the Paper.

The Butte Miner is in the swim. The
paper, or rather the Miner Publishing
company, has been made defendant in
suit for $4,000 damages, the COM
plant in which was prepared in Ana
conda and will probably be filed in the
district court to-day. The plaintiff in
the suit is James III. Cochran of Ana
conda.
The complaint in the case alleges that
on the goth Of last December the Miner
published the following words OF and
concerning Cochran. the plaintiff:
THE bankrupt stock of goods was
brought here during the summer by
James II. Cochran. who claimed to be
the owner. and insured by him for
$1,000. Last week Cochran skipped
town, having blown in most of the
money received from the sales"
Continuing the complaint says the
defendant meant thereby and was so
understood, that plaintiff was dishon-
est: that he had fraudulently repre-
scented himself to be the owner of said
stock of goods when the same belonged
to some other person: that plaintiff had
feloniousiy expended and appropriated
the money obtained from the sale of
the said stock Of goods and had fled
from justice TO escape punishment Tor
such dishonesty and wrong doing: that
said publication. and each and every
part thereof. was wholly and malicious
ly untrue. false and defamatory and
was intended to injure and degrade the
plaintiff and to bring him into public
ridicule and disgrace; that by means
Of said false and defamatory publica-
| ton, so published by defendant, the
| plaintiff was injured in his reputation,
| to his damage in the sum of 10000.
| j. r.. Boarman is attorney for Coch-
| ran
The alleged libel complained of was
| contained in a Billings special dispatch,
which read as follows:
! Billings, Mont. Dec. 19.-At 4:45
o'clock this morning fire was discov-
cred in the store on Twenty seventh
! street run by John F. Fine. The ire
/ department responded promptly and
| found the interior in blaze. Water
| was Immediately turned on and the fire
men worked necessarily until after 3
| o'clock before the fire was entirely sub
| dued. Tt was found that the fire started
! at or near the stove. burning away
| portion of the floor. The goods bank
rupt stock. were almost a total loss
| Water ran through from the burning
| building to the Times Office in the base
| ment of the Radmake building. flood
| ing the office to depth of about three
| feet causing much damage TO the
| stock and material; fully insured. The
I
| the stove.
The bankrupt stock of goods was
| brought here during the summer by
| James II. Cochran. who claimed TO be
| the owner, and insured by him for
| $4,000 Last week Cochran skipped
town. having blown in most of the
! money received from the sales. John +.
! Fine, a travelling man for Tootle,
/ Wheeler & Motter, st. Joseph, Mo-,
came on and took charge Of the stock,
! claiming to own or have an interest In
! them The insurance policy was cam
Celed yesterday evening by Fine, who
promised to pay the amount due as
premium on Monday. Fine has not
/ been seen by anyone here to-day and
is supposed to have gone TO Big Tim
her. The goods are being looked after
ny City Marshal Hubbard. The build
ing, which is owned by Samuel Gar
vim of this city. was damaged to the
extent of 5000 or $780, fully covered by
| insurance
The Miner has considerably the best
| of the other newspaper defendants In
| damage suits because il is judgment
proof and for that reason no attorney
! in Butte would take a case against tina;
paper. There are several Judgments
hanging over the paper and amount
to more than the plant. good Will and
even the papers circulation is worth
| The judgments are held by w. a. Clark
who has them renewed in the court from
time to time to keep them alive.
All the Butteis three daily papers are
now defendants in damage suits, pend
ing in the district court here. The Inter
Mountain has three and the STANDARD
| and Miner one each.
|