The Butte inter mountain., 1903-01-10
FREE PRESS RIGHT
INVOLVED IN CASE
CLAIMS LAWYER WHO IS ARGUING
FOR THE DEFENDANT IN THE
TlNolEY-TlMES SUIT.
~ ASSOCIATED PRESS

| Nv ASSOC lated PRESS
| Sandcgo. Jan. to.-With the courtroom
packed to the very limit of It's standing
room capacity, Samuel NJ Shor,ridge Of
San Francisco began the closing address
TO the jury in behalf of the defendant in
the 1ingley-Times libel suit this morn
| ing.
At the opening Of court Judge Torrance
announced that it would be impossible 10
submit the case to the jury today.
Mr.. Shortridge said You have given
oath that YOU will determine this case on
| the evidence as it is given by witnesses
| and be guided by the law as il shall fall
| from the lips Of the court This was not
an ordinary oath to yourselves, but AN
oath to the everything God that you
would determine this case. stripping your
hearts Of all prejudice. We came here,
some Of Us. as strangers. but we sit in
California court, and We ask for Cali
fornia justice. and We are certain that we
shall receive it. IN a word, I trust we
understood each other. You are sworn
ministers OF justic. and We OF course.
are sworn officers privileged to minister
at this court. We ask you for Justice
plain American justice We are not
hSre OF choice. but because we are ac-
cused We have defended with zeal be
cause We believe We have inflicted no
wrong.
Who Is She, Anyway
who is the plaintiff in this case
whence did she come, is her past not
shrouded in mystery, She stands on the
record as Katherine Iin9ley. suing the
Los Angeles Times. he legal personality
OF the defendant is known 1t has no de-
sire to hide its personality. its corporate
existence, It's influence, its wealth. Who
is this plaintiff OF unknown past"
Here Mr.. Andrews OF plaintiffs counsel
objected to the inference that Mrs. ling
ley had an unknown past
Mr.. Shortridge was alowcy To proceed
and he insisted that Mrs. linReys past
was unknown. because it was not allowed
10 be shown 10 the Jury.
Continuing he said: The plaintiH
comes upon the stage and asks that the
white light of publicity be turned upon her
claiming that what was said OF the uni
Nersal brotherhood wns said of her. claim
ing 10 be the blood and bone OF this insti-
tuition.
The right TO print is as God-gIvon as
the right to think and speak. The consti-
tuition does not give us this right. but they
guarantee this right that came to us from
heaven. The right to print is the right to
speak. The right to speak is the right to
publish. newspaper does not have TO go
on the bended knee and beg the right to
publish. We have no censored press. II
will be a sad day for California when
jurors shall punish those who speak OF
public matters so long as their hearts are
free from rancor. This liberty for which
our fathers gave their blood. is worthless
II the right OF the free press is to be de
MED.
This institution al Point Iona was a
public institution, appealing to the people
OF the country for support-Airs. Iingley
was public character.
Freedom OF the Press.
Mr.. Shortridge reviewed the history OF
the constitutional provisions establishing
the freedom Of the press. and said The
press is the clarion voice arousng the
people to the aid Of liberty--to follow the
fag-aye, to die for the flag. The de-
iendant stands here representing this press
the modern press. We can see who is
the plaintiff ii we can see through a glass
darkly--ihroueh the msts and the fog. We
can see what she is for. conceal il as She
may put It into the background as she
may-her object is money. money. money
Nindieation' Why did she not ask it of
the publisher Why does she not arise
and ask for it now? Gentlemen. | say to
you again that the object of this suit is
money-money and not vindcation. She
asks for damages for what. For name,
fame and reputation!
Let all the newspapers in Christendom
turn loose their vials OF wrath, Of detrac-
tion, OF sarcasm. " hat does the man
whose life is free from blame care for the
words Of newspapers DO we hear men like
Washington, Grant Lincoln and Mckin-
ley appealing TO the courts fer damages for
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