Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-08-17
is THE MODEST sUMwHICH
PROF. A. Z aUERKE WANTS
FROM ]. W. MILLION.
FOR DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER,
The Plaintiff Accuses the Defendant Of
Having Used Many Means to De-
fame His Character and
Reputation Through,
out Missouri.

Prof. A. +. Guerne, who, fort yearss
has been an Instructors Of Instrumental
music At Hardin College, and VINO
severed HE connection with that insti-
tuition last spring, has brought suit for
damages agEregating ~, ooo.
In the petition the plaintiff declares
that he has been constantly engaged
in teaching Instrumental musicfp for the
past % years in Europe ard America.
He states that he was especially edu-
Gated to teach music
He further states that he haz been
employed as professor Of music, at
Hardin College, from September, 1888,
to June, 1899. For this he has been
.ecAsying 81. 500 a year and has had 80
pupils under him, AID that he held
their high esteem.
He AYERS that the pupils were pay
ing the department $40 a year for the
musicalinstruction given by the plant
il. He states that he devoted d
hours a week to such instruction.
Mr.. Guerne says that be was re-
quirei to be and was q man of good
habits and not addicted to the excess
i've use of intoxicating liquors.
The plaintiff states thRt on May .,
1899, the defendant wickedly, ma
Iiciously and intending the injury to
plaintiff, wrote q letter to J.R. Mason,
Of Salisbury, and enclosed 'eReasons
for not retaining Prof. E. A. Guerne."
In these "reasons," said to have
been signed by President J. W. Mil
lion, the defendant states that Prof.
Guerne appeared on the streets Of
Mexico in an intoxicated condition on
Tuesday, December 81, 1898; that he
would seldom play In public; that he
acted harshly with pupils, and that be
demanded more salary than be was
worth in services.
The pIaintiff also AYERS that the de-
PENDANT and O. NJ. Williams, Of the
Liberty Ladies' College, entered theil
names upon q written contract, agree
ing not to employ the plaintiff for the
term Of 1897 1900.
Prof. Guerne says, in his petition
that the allegations against him were
false and that in May, 1899, he asked
president Million TO retract his state
ments. The f~straction was not made
For this the plaintiff asks for $500
damages, $4,000 actual and $500
punitive.
In the petition the plaintiff state
that for further cause OF action thl
defendant sent q copy Of 1.-THE Reason
For Not Retaining Prof. Guerne'' I
the parents of the atty pupils unde
him (Guerne).
: Further allegation is made to th
effect that the defendant PERSONAL
. and by agents circulated and delivere
= copies Of tho letter throughout th
y az pfh1ntm sS=s~s raSs BY this b
has suffered great Injury to his goo
name to the extent OF $4,000 aetus
and 5000 punitive damages.
, Az q further cause for action th
plaintiff states that President Millio
: did, on May s, 1893, ct the Coate
House, In Kansas City, speak wilfull
and maliciously OF the plaintiff.
In this letter defendant accuse
Guerne OF being q drunkard and sait
90 the plaintiff AYERS, ''If any colleg
: employs him, / will notify the colIeg
not to do so; II they do, / will publis
what kind OF q fellow he Ia and / wi
$ make 1t pretty hot for the college ths
does" For this he asks for $1,000
actual damages and 5000 punitiv
damages.