Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-07-26
SUED FOR
$4,000 LIBEL
T. ]. Johns Called to Account
by DR.. WATSON.
The Great Falls Divine Proposes to
Make the Editor Of the Demo-
crat Prove His Charges

In the district court of this county
yesterday Rev. DR.. Z. A. WATSON in
stituted suit against T. j. Johns,
editor and proprietor of the Lewis
town Democrat, to recover damages
Of $50, 900 for alleged libel.
The complaint in substance is as
follows:
For his complaint herein plaintiff
alleges:
That he is, and during all OF the
times referred to herein has been, a
married man, residing in the city of
Great Falls, Cascade county, Mon
tana, and Is. and during such time
has been, a minister of the gospel and
rector OF the Protestant Episcopal
church In said city.
THAT defendant Ia, and during all
OF the times herein referred 70 has
been, the owner, editor and publisher
of a certain weekly newspaper, print
ed at LewistOwn, In Fergus county,
Montana, and named the Lewistown
Democrat.
THAT in the month of July, 1899,
and in the issue Of said newspaper
bearing date July Is, 1899, the defend
ant caused to be inst rted, printed
and published, Of and concerning the
plaintiff, the following false and de-
famatory statement, to-wi.:
"'Rev. WATSON (meaning this plain
tiff, a sensational preacher of Great
Falls, IN something of a hot number.
He (meaning this plaintif) IL a very
gay old boy and was recently caught
in a very compromising position with
the wife of a prominent gentleman,
well known in Fergus county, (mean-
ing thereby that plaintiff had been
unchaste and immoral with the wife
of another mani. WATSON Is the chap
who took such high moral grounds
over last winters senatorial election
and sent out a circular letter fright.
fully abusing Hon. W. A. Clark. 1t
is sad to think that a minister would
be guilty OF what Ia charged against
the Rev. WATSON, and we trust he
NAV forthwith reform
"That copies of the newspaper
aforesaid. containing the aforesaid
false and defamatOry matter. were
sent by defendant into the county OF
Cascade and city of Great Falls, to
divers persons residing therein, and
the statement aforesaid, therein con
tanned, Of and concerning plaintiff,
was read and intended by the de-
PENDANT TO be read by such persons
and by many members of the church
of which plaintiff was and is rector,
AS aforesaid, and by personal ac-
quaintances Of plaintiff and by the
citizens of said city generally, and
copies Of said paper were likewise by
defendant sent to and circulated
among persons residing in other
cities and counties of said state. with
the intent that said defamatory
statement should be read and be-
lieved by said persons. and the same
was by the defendant thereby pub
lished throughout the State Of Mon
tana.
"'rhat the persons who read the
article. published AS aforesaid, under
stood the same to charge and as be-
ing intended TO charge plaintiff with
unchastity and immoral relations
with u woman not the wife OF plain
tiff, but the wife Of some man un-
named and who Is referred to i'm said
article as "A prominent gentleman,
well known in Fergus county.
"Plaiutiff alleges that he has here
tofore borne n good reputation for
chastity and has been generally re-
puted to be a man Of good moral
character and that the words pub
lished by the defendant, as aforesaid,
Of and concerning the plaintiff, and
tn charge and charges made are
false and wholly untrue. and that the