The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-09-29
JURY SAID TWAS LIBEL.
Sheriff Scougale GIVEN a Judgment of
$1,000, Against Rev DR.. John Sweet.

Sheriff Scougale GIVEN a Judgment of
$1,000, Against Rev, DR.. John Sweet.
The much talked of libel suit brought
by Sheriff NJ l.. Scougale against Rev.
John Sweet ID. ID. has been decided so
far as the circuit court is concerned and
the jury after having taken two hours
to reach an agreement has decided that
the sheriff was libeled by the Doctor Of
Divinity to the extent of one thousand
dollars. The decision was reached
Wednesday afternoon The case was
tried before Judge Daboll of St. Johns.
The attorneys were John L. McCurdy,
of Corunna, and E. H. Lyon, of st.
Johns, for the plaintiff, and Fitzpatrick
Il and Pierpont for the defendant.
The trouble, it will be remembered,
arose in connection with the game of
base ball which was played at the tenn
porary ball park on the Corunna road
on the first Sunday in July. Mr.. Sweet
had seen the announcements of the
game and had called the sheriff's atten.
ton to the matter Afterwards on be-
ing told that K. N. Parshall was manag-
or of the Owosso team which was to
play, he called up the sheriff again by
phone and told him what he had learned.
Then when the game took place as had
been announced, Mr.. Sweet looking at
the affair as case of wilful neglect of
his sworn duty on.the part of the sheriff,
published an open letter containing a
most stinging rebuke to the sheriff and
couched in no gentle language. 1t
was this letter which caused the suit and
which jury has just decided was
libelous.
As might naturally be inferred from
the outcome of the case, there were
reasons shown during the trial which to
say the least, made the action of the
sheriff at the time much more excusabIe
than probably seemed possible to Mr..
Sweet when he wrote the letter in ques-
ton. 1t was proved during the trial
that after Sheriff Scougale had been
told that Mr.. Parshall was manager of
the Owosso team, he called him up and
asked If there was to be a game. Par
shall, it was shown, had replied that no
game of ball had been advertised and
none would be played that he knew of.
The jury seemed to regard this and
other developments as sufficient reason
for the sheriff's thinking that no further
action would be necessary on his part.
In charging the jury Judge Daboll
took up the matter at some length but
held that unless DR.. Sweets charges
could be proved correct the letter was
libelous, while if they were proved cor
rect then the sheriff was guilty of NAL.
feasance of Office and had no cause for
action.
Agreat deal of feeling has been stirred
up in the matter on both sides. The
friends of Sheriff Scougale have resented
the course taken by DR.. Sweet as was
natural and yet while they are natural
ly elated over the verdict in so far as it
clears the sheriff of the charges made
against him, it is to be doubted perhaps
that even they would all rejoice at see-
ing DR.. Sweet so severely punished as
he would be if the judgment stands as
at present. To the friends of Dr. Sweet
the matter seems like terrible blow to
a person for endeavoring to do his duty
as citizen and to arouse public officials
to more vigorous action, tho they on the
other hand may be inclined-some of
them at least-to admit that he was a
little rough shod in his method Which
ever way the case might be decided it
has its unfortunate side. 1t will be ap-
pealed to the supreme court.