The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1907-09-13
LIBEL SUIT
Brought Against Officials
Of the State Anti
Saloon League
BY AN ARMY OFFICER

Columbus, o., Sept. 11.-False and
malicious libel are the grounds on
which Ernest NJ Reeve fled suit for
$4,000 damages against the officials
of ,the Anti-Saloon league, named
Wayne B. Wheeler, Lemuel d. LIily,
Richard e. Ackland, Lemuel b. Cher
rington, Clayton l.. Dickey, Allen II.
Norcross, Edward ]. Moore, James A.
White, John G. Jackson and Rev.
James A. Patterson.
Reeve is first Lieutenant OF the
fifteenth infantry, U. S. A., detailed
as recruiting officer for central Ohio,
with Offices in Columbus and Wash.
ington, G. II.
The petition says that defendants
caused the libelous article in its paper
TO be marked with blue pencil marks,
which copies were sent to the officials
Of the war department at Washing
ton and TO the army promotion board
in session at Fort Leavenworth, Kas,
and to plaintiffs wife for the purpose
Of injuring plaintiff and his useful
ness in the army and his progress and
promotion therein and rendering him
liable 10 court-martial.
The suit was filed by Attorney w.
Sharp.
The article published In The Amer
lean Issue, on which the suit for dam
ages was instituted, reads as follows:
"oBSTREPERoUS ARMY OFFICER.
During the day Of the local option
election at Washington, @. H, Lieu.
tenant Il. T. Reece (meaning Z. M.
Reeve), the officer in the charge Of
the washington, c. H., United States
army recruiting ONCE, made himself
extensively prominent by working on
the side Of the vets.
During the day, II is stated in the
papers and without contradiction as
yet, that he attempted 10 influence
men 10 vote wet, frequently Offering
20 bet $500 that the town would go
wet, saying that he belonged TO the
United States army and had inside in
formation. He seems to have made
himself the various varieties OF Ounce
that are now down in the catalogue
and to have added one or two sorts
not before known. He afforded a
who keep up the incessant howl for
the establishment OF an army saloon,
and who furnish the repeated in |
stances OF officers court-martialed for |
drunkenness and conduct unbecoming |
gentlemen.
"In contest that was purely local,
and in which he had no call whats
ever 10 engage, he showed his smy-
pathies with the non.taXpaying mob |
element OF Washington, G. H., on ac-
count Of whose outbreak some years
ago the state militia had 10 be sent TO
that place, and whose efforts since
20 make prohibition OF saloons In the
place ineffective by constant violation
OF the law has made them unworthy
OF the sympathy or support Of any
good citizen. And yet this army Of
fceT, educated by the taxes OF the
people, paid by the money OF all,
sworn 10 uphold law and standing as
the symbol OF authority-connects
himself with all the elements OF dis
order. ASislTl~
'Is Il any wonder that because of
the influence OF such officers decent
and respectable young men more and
more shun enlistment in the United
states army, and the character OF the
service is go seriously affected by de-
sertion7 A man who has no more
eense OF propriety than this Lieu
tenant Reece (meaning Lieutenant
Reeve is not fit 10 conduct dog
pound, let alone being posed as the
Of good order and OF {
The national police force of the United
States.
III there is any way OF disciplining /
This military upstart and butter into
affairs which were none OF his bust r
ness, II ought 10 be used, In order that
he might be remanded 10 his proper (
place and taught lesson OF ordinary /
STATEMENT OF PLAINTIFF. I,
Lieutenant Reeve enlisted in the
aTmy as private and was promoted I
10 first sergeant He took examina- {
lions for further promotions. He is I
not drinking man and does not fire. /