American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-11-23
SECRETARY BARKER SUES
FOR BIG DAMAGES
Alleged Libel0us Articles During
Campaign Basis of the Suit.

Claiming $4,000 damages on ac-
count of alleged libelous and defama-
tory matter concerning him published
in the Evening Capital News. George
X. Barker, secretary of state of the
state OF Idaho and recently candidate
on the Republican ticket to succeed
himself, Monday brought suit in the
district court against the Capital
News publishing company, limited, r.
D. Sheridan, c. o. Broxon and E. II.
Dewey.
The suit is based upon editorials
and news articles that appeared in
the evening paper relating to the
Broxon-Snook episode at the state
house which occurred October 27. 1t
is alleged in the complaint that Z. II.
Dewey controlled the political >policy
of the paper and the attitude it as
sumed toward the candidacy of Mr..
Barker; that R. S. Sheridan was edi-
tor and business manager of the pa
per, charged with the duty of super
vising all editorials and news articles,
published, and that c. o. Broxon was
an editor of the paper and in the dis
charge of his duties wrote editorials
for the paper and, on October 2S.
wrote the editorial, will the Crooks
Commit Murder?" appearing on that
date.
Says 1t Was Politics.
Upon information and belief it is
charged that it was the policy of the
defendants acting through the instru-
mentality of the Evening Capital News
to oppose the candidacy of Mr.. Barker
and they wrongfully and unlawfully
combined and conspired with each
other to publish the alleged libelous
matter ito more certainly accomplish
the defeat of this plaintiff for re-
election to the office of secretary of
state"
There are Is counts in the COM
plant The editorial, will the Crooks
Commit Murder?" is set out as fol-
lows:
The cowardly attack on C. o.
Broxon made by Secretary of
State Barker and his hired man
Snook yesterday. with brass
knuckles and probably guns, shows
conclusively that these fellows
will commit MURDER if neces-
sary to prevent an honest and
thorough investigation of their
offices.
will the decent, honest law
abiding people of the state of
Idaho indorse MURDER?
will they vote to retain these
THUGS in office?
I'VE don't think they will.
THE supreme court of Idaho
sent us to Jail for criticising their
partisan decisions, and now the
crooks of the statehouse would
MURDER us if that would pre-
vent an exposure of the rotten
ness of their Offices"
Defines Word "Thug."
The complaint AYERS that thug" is
word with a we'll defined meaning
as "ope who commits murder nv
means of stealthy approach" also
"one of an association OF robbers or
murderers" and that the paper pub
lished these words in that sense. in
tending to convey the meaning that
the plaintiff was a murderer, and
would commit murder to prevent an
honest investigation of the affairs of
his office and attacked c. o. Broxon
with brass knuckles, all of which was
false, libelous. malicious and defama-
lie hatred, contempt and ridicule. to
his great damage.
The complaint recites that at the
time of the publication nor at any
other time has any person in authority
or otherwise ever sought to examine
INTO the affairs of his office and been
denied that privilege, nor has any
OF said defendants or anyone whomso-
ever sought to examine into the af-
fairs Of his office"
Charges Conspiracy.
Complaint is made that in further
ance OF the alleged conspiracy the
paper maliciously published an edi
torial October 20, 1916. in which il
was charged that plaintiff aided and
abetted Warden Shook in thing
methods and that the editorial called
upon the Republican committee TO re-
pudiate the plaintiff and that the