Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1912-06-07
WANTS $4,000 DAMAGES FOR AL.
LEGGED SLANDER.
EVERT0N VS.. FRANK LEET
Public Apology Last Night Was Balm
on Wounded Feel
ings.
(From Wednesdays Daily.

O'NN ~ NHN'''s - bN'Als =
Ten thousand dollars is the amount
of money that W. Ernest Everton,
councilman from the Fourth ward of
the city of Grants Pass, thinks will
be required to assuage his injured
feelings and the damage done his
private character, by having been
held up to "obloquy, ridicule and
public shame" by one Frank Leet,
likewise citizen of this city.
And the old city hall, "Fayles'
monument" that caused strife and
dissension in its getting and dis
sension and strife in its passing, is
responsible for this new ripple upon
the local political sea.
Frank Leet has been served with
summons and complaint in an action
brought by Councilman Everton,
whereby $4,000 is demanded as
damages as aforesaid. The COM
plant sets forth that the plaintiff,
w. Ernest Everton, is a citizen Of
the state of Oregon, of good fame
and reputation, and member Of the
common council of the city of
Grants Pass. That recently the
council sold the city hall to Frank
Mashburn for the sum OF $4,000,
after having advertised for bids in
the usual manner he being the high
est bidder. That the defendant,
Leet, during the months of March,
April and May last past, knowing the
premises, maliciously contrived to
injure the plaintiff, Everton, and to
deprive him of the confidence and
good repute of the people of the
community, and with Intent, pur-
pose and design of injuring the
>laintiff's private reputation, wrong
fully. willfully and maliciously ut
tered and published false and SLAM
derous words"
The complaint then recites tincs
and places where the alleged SLAM
derous remarks were made. In
March it is charged that Leet, in
speaking of the sale of the city hall,
said to Everton there was Doodle in
it and the council got the Doodle. D."
Again in April, it is complained,
Leet made remarks damaging to the
plaintiff. On this occasion the state
ment that Everton finds objection
able. according to the complaint,
was you and the rest of the council
stole money and accepted Doodle
from Frank Mashburn in selling him
the city hall for 10000. You are
set of grafters; | know that you
accepted a bribe." Mr.. Everton says
that witnesses to this remark were
c. D. Smith and R. L. Byrd.
AS late as May 23, the complaint
alleges, Leet continued his SANDER
GUS statements, repeating that the
council was a set of grafters, that
it had accepted Doodle" and going
more into detail by saying that the
first bid put in by Mashburn was
$19,500, and that the council got
that sum for the city hall, but stole
all but 10000" Mr.. Everton also
says that Leet further remarked al
this time that "the council was
gang of thieves and robbers and
ought to be tarred and featherec
! and ridden out of town on a rail-
Witnesses, who, it is claimed, hearC
these statements are John Summers
s Tom Scott and Fred Moose.
The complaint then sums up TN
action saying that by reason oil 'h'
false and slanderous words so spoR
en- by the defendant of and concern
ing the plaintiff, he has been damag
ed in his private character, and ma
been held up to obloquy, ridicule am
public shame, to his damage and in
jury in the sum of 10000"
Councilman Everton, the plaintin
was elected member OF the CIT