Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-03-11
Federal Court COnveneS This
Morning at Chambers
+. in Bismarck
Issue Against Local Publish
els May be the First One
TO be Tried

One OF the most interesting cases
ever brought to trial in the northwest
is that Of the United States VS.. Sam
r. Clark and C. H. Crockard, pub
fishers of Jim Jam Jems, which case
will probably be called in the federal
court this morning.
Hon. Chas. F. Amidon of Fargo, the
judge who will preside over the Bis
marck term, arrived in the city last
night. Hon. Chas. A. Willard of St.
Paul, who will preside during the jim
Jam Jems case, also arrived last night
and in view of the fact that Judge Will
lard will preside only in the Clark 4
Crockard case, it is likely that this
will be the first case brought to trial,
so as to allow Judge Willard to return
to st. Paul as soon as the case can
be determined.
Judge Willard comes to Bismarck
as a resul: of the filing of an affida-
Wit of prejudice against Judge Ami
don by Clark. & Crockard. This Is
the first time that Judge Willard has
been called to Bismarck, although he
has been on the federal bench OF the
Eighth district for number of years.
Judges Page Morris Of Duluth and
James Elliot of South Dakota have
held terms of the federal court In
Bismarck, Judge Willard being the
only judge in the Eighth division of
the federal court who has not hereto
fore presided during Il term of the
southwestern division OF the federal
court in North Dakota.
Although only little more than a
year old, Jim Jam .Jcms has become a
national publication. 1t is known
| from coast to coast and has ready
sale in every city of the United States.
Sam Clark, the editor, is Il most versa
tile writer and his fearlessness in the
exposure Of prominent people, and
his vitriolic criticisms of all matters
Of public moment have arrested the
attention of the reading public until
Jim Jam Jems is as we'll known
throughout the country as many of
! the larger magazines that have been
on the market for years. The indct-
ment OF the publishers by a federal
fgrand jury last November created a
greater interest than ever in the mag
azine, and the outcome of the trial
which starts today will be eagerly
watched, not only throughout the
northwest, where Editor Clark is per-
sonally we'll known, but throughout
the entire country, as the issue in
volved is one on which there is a
wide diversity of opinion, not only in
| the courts, but in the minds OF the
people. The question involved is,
whether or not Jim Jam Jems is an
obscene publication; just what con-
stitutes Obscenity has ever been a
much mooted question; there is no
definite or set rule to 90 by, and what
may be considered obscene by one
person may be considered perfectly
clean and legitimate by another. 1t
is purely a question of fact for jury
determination.
So far as Jim Jam Jcms is concern
| ed, there is wide diversity of Opin-
ion. While it Is generally conceded
that the book has accomplished much
good through it's exposures, there are
those who condemn the publication
because of the plain language used
in setting forth facts, and there is a
clamor for it's suppression on this
ground. But those who approve OF
the publication appear to be in the
vast majority and the immense circu-
lation and popularity of Jim Jam
Jems is indicative of the fact that it
has struck a responsive chord with
the reading public.
The trial of Sam Clark and C. H.
Crockard has aroused intense interest
throughout the northwest and visitors
from all sections Of the, state as well
as from adjoining states, are coming
to the city to attend the trial. The