Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-10-21
WiIIi0ms is Guilty ON Eight Counts,

From Mcpherson, Kan, Daily Re-
publican, Sept. 20, 1905.
The following is taken from the
Parson Sun and is Of especial interest
to Mcpherson county people:
1.-THE jury in the case. of the Farm
ers' Alliance Insurance company
against A. B. Williams, the local rep
resentative of the Connecticut Insur-
ance company, reached a verdict early
this morning after nearly fifty hours
of secret elaboration. Mr., Williams
is guilty as charged in the informa-
ton. He was arrested and tried on
eight counts and the jury brought in
a verdict for conviction on each allie
CATION. The case was one of the
hardest fought of any ever tried in
this county. Mr.. Williams will prob
ably appeal the case and ask for an
other trial.
ssThe crime Of criminal libel, such
as Mr.. Williams has just been con-
victed of, is punishable by payments
the county Jail. Should a new trial
result or an appeal result in the deci-
sion reached today being sustained,
Mr.. Williams would have an immense
fine to pay as well as a long term in
prison. However, Mr.. Williams is
still hopeful for reversal Of matters
in another trial or an appeal. His
| counsel. have taken the steps prece-
dent to asking for a new trial.
T. - HID fhot no iuru n q M
criminal action ever tried in this
county was in the jury room for such
long period as the twelve men who
| tried this case. The final arguments
of the attorneys ended Wednesday
forenoon, after which the case was
Submitted to the jury. Mastery ar
guments were made on both sides
and the case was watched with keen
interest by hundreds.
"Mr. Williams printed and extern
sively circulated hundreds of circulars
branding the Fan mers' Alliance Irsur
ance company as false to its patrons
The company resented the action a.
being criminal libel and the suit and
conviction resulted"
There are about nine hundred policy
holders in Labette county. 1t was but
natural that they should be disturbed
by these charges. If they were true il
was time to drop the company, il they
were false Mr.. Williams should be
held to account A complaint wa:
made charging Mr.. Williams with
criminal libel. He was arrested ano
on the eleventh day of September
1905, he was brought to trial in the
district court of Labette county, Kas
The burden of proof lay upon the
members of the company The pre-
sumtion.of law was that Mr.. Will
Jams was innocent until he was pro
ven guilty. So 1t fell upon the Farm
ers' Alliance Insurance Company II
prove that Mr.. Williams circular wa.
false, that there own business meth
DDS were correct, and that Mr.. Will
Jams attack was malicious. This thel
had to do at the home of the prisone
and among his friends, Officers of tn.
company were present and their book
were brought into court. every oppor
tunity to cross-examine, but so utter
ly did Mr.. Williams fail to discover
b. pTOOI VI lfduu VI ACKNOWLEDGMENT
that the jury returned a verdict o
lguilty on everyone of the eigh'
counts. That is twelve men, his owl
neighbors, have said that Mr.. Will
tfams' circular was false in toto, ant
lcriminally malicious as WE'LL.
For years the Mutuals of Kansa
and especially the Farmers Alliano'
have been the objects of disreputa
BILE and INSCRIPTIONS warfare. De
famatory circulars, unsigned, undated
without imprint, pestmarked some
times in the state. sometimes else
where, and occasionally distributes
on the streets, have been scatteret
throughout among the people by tn
! tens of thousands.
This company has not been boast
full but as servant of the public i
has felt it duty to prevent false i'm