The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-17
AN INTERESTING CASE.
Governor Comer's Suit Against The
 Advertiser on Trial.

Governor Comer,s Suit Against The Advertiser on Trial.
 Birmingham Age Herald 18th.
 The courtroom of the first division or the City Court was crowded to it's ut most capacity yesterday at both morn- ing and afternoon sessions while the case of B. B. Conner vs. Montgomery Advertiser Publishing COripany, suit for alleged libel, proceeded. Judge Chafles A. Senn is presiding during the trial.
 It required the entire morning ses- sion of the court for the attorneys to settle the pleadings in the case, al- though the pleadings were begun early Thursday morning. Immediately after the luncheon hour, however, the testi- mony in the case was taken up and the trial is now on in earnest.
 l The case of the Governor against | The Montgomery Advertiser is proving very interesting one and promises to be one of the sharpest legal Patties of the present term of the City Court
 Governor Conner was the first and only witness introduced by the plaintlf. and his examination and cross-eXamln- ation were interesting, and caused some amusement in the courtroom. l In answer to Judge Weakley, Gov | ernor Conner testified that he was at present Governor of the State of Ala | bama, and resided in Birmingham. lie identified a copy of The Montgomery Advertiser as one he had bought at newsstand in Birmingham and which contained the alleged libel. He stated that the paper came out the day be- l fore the election and was circulated all over the State of Alabama, and that 1t had the effect of depriving him Of many votes and also of making nm | feel humiliated In the estimation or l his friends and family, and the cltl- zens generally, and that he further suffered financially as consequence of the publication. Governor Conner also 1 said that he was not regarded in so- ciety as he had been previously and | that he felt the effect in more ways than he could well express.
 The cross examination was conducted | by w l. Grubb. who commenced by inquiring about the wltness's previous commercial life from the time he con- | ducted a country store until he took up politics, "I came to Birmingham, said the Governor, "in 1890 and went into the milling business. atterwaro into the banking business.
 MT. Grubb-What is your business now, Governor?
 My business now," said Governor Conner, as he sat up to his full heigh, in the witness seat anu iOShCA SNA-7 ' at the jury, lis to help my fellow man and protect him against high railroad rates and all other sorts of oppressloni and injustice by the railroads.
 MT Grubb-I mean. what IS youi common, ordinary business outside oi politics?
 Governor Corser--I am President ei the Avondale Cotton Mill.
 Mir. Grubb-You told MT Weakley bat had lfIere0 Tn tnt estimation of society and financially Just let us know how much you have suffered? Do you not move in the sam' social circle as formerly? Governor Conner: T don't know wha yon mean hy society, MT. Gruhb' TT
 not a society man in the sense tha you understand It."
 MT. Grubb: "Oh. want to know nov
 you understand society. You saia yo
 felt yourself somewhat embarrassed
 society since this affidavit was pun lishad,"