The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-07-29
PRES. OF PRINTERS
ASKS $4,000
INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS
IN SUIT OF PRESIDENT LYNCH
OF TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION FOR
$4,000 DAMAGES AGAINST a.
MICHIGAN TRADE PAPER.

Grand Rapids, Mich, July 2s.-
It is said there win be interesting
developments in a suit for SOS ooo
damages begun in the circuit court
here by James M. Lynch, president
OF the International Typograbhical
union, against The Michigan Trades
man, weekly paper bitterly on
posed to labor unions published IN
this city by e. A. Stowe. There NAV
also be local echo of the civil and
criminal litigation growing out cf
The Los Angeles Times blow-up Of
last October.
1t was intended to begin the suit
several months ago, but just about
that time Stowe was taken ill with
typhoid fever and the matter was
postponed.
Damages for Libel.
The suit is begun to recover dam
ages for an alleged libelous editorial
printed In Stoves paper In which the
assertion is made that the perpetra-
tors of the horror will be found to
have received their inspiration from
the office Of President Lynch at IN
dianapolis.
The article which is made the
basis for the suit was printed in the
issue of The Tradesman of Oct
1910, soon after the explosion oc-
Cured. While it contained other
alleged libelous statements concern
ing Lynch and other union officials
the principal objection is based On
the reference to The Los Angeles
Times horror. 80
Another Suit Threatened.
attorney sybrant Wesselius has
peeh retained by Mr.. Lynch in this
sun. lie filed the summons in the
circuit court and the declaration win
Loilow. In his civil action Attorney
WesseLus reserves the right to begin
criminal proceedings for his clienf
and ne asserts that when Lynch comes
70 Grand Rapids he will supplement-
the civil suit with an application for !
criminal warrant
Los Angeles Case Involved.
This promises to be quite an echo
or the litigation following The los
angeles Times explosion" said Mr.
Wesseiius. Under the rules of pro-
cedure in Michigan courts the burden
OF the proof will be upon Mr. Stowe
IN other words he will be forced "a
prove the charges he has made against
Mr. Lynch In connection with the en-
plosion In the southern California
newspaper office. If he does this. or
seeks TO, It looks as though the whole
case VIII be opened up right here in
Grand Rapids, and all the principals
In that celebrated case will have ~
come here as witnesses"
The LibeIous Article.
The article in The Tradesman which
is made the ground for the anit
with The Los Angeles Times exnIo-
sion and was headed .sThe Fruits ~
unionism. Following are some ex-
tracts:
When the men who conceived and
carried into execution the despicahlA
crime in Los Angeles are finally an
pretended IL will be found that thew
received their inspiration from the
ONCE OF James NJ Lynch, president Of
the international Typographical union
at indianapolis.
When Mr. Lynch was In Grand
Rapids few years ago he called at
the Office of The Tradesman, which
mas been an open shop for over
twenty years. and uttered sinister
threats against the editor and his as
sociates. During the conversation the
adamantine attitude of The Los An
geles Times in standing up for in
dustriai freedom was incidentally men
toned, when Lynch remarked that
before he vacated his present position
he proposed to show the non-union
printers Of this country that The
Times office was not safe place for
any printer to work in. In the light
OF last weeks experience this remark |
has peculiar significance.
Mr.. Lynch would probably now de-
ny having uttered this threat, but al
denials and protestations Of union
leaders have always been taken with
9 degree OF allowance, the remark
may be permitted to go down into |
history as the forerunner OF one of the
most brutal assassinations ever ind
ertaken In this country,