Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-07-23
LIABLE IS CLAIMED IN
TWO MAMMOTH
DEMANDS
PRAIRIE FARMER
is NAMED OEFENDANT-SEEK X
OUT NAME or OTTAWA MtSlN-
EORMANT TO INCLUDE HIS
NAME AMONG THOSE ACCUSED
1Y LOCAL INDUSTRY.

For alleged libel of It's officers and
company suit for s5DU,O00 damages
has been filed by the Illinois Coop,
erative Packing Company. OF Ottawa,
against the Prairie Farmer, weekly
journal printed In Chicago The ap
pearance OF the suits in the state
and federal courts % Chicago occas
Toned no surprise in Ottawa, where
some such action was long known
to be under adyisement. Proceedings
were instituted Saturday and are the
outgrowth Of reportss given to the
farmer paper and then conveyed t.
its readers that there We're many II
regularities IN the organization ana
intended operation OF the Ottawa
packing concern.
Some OF the publications. stun g.
announced 10 have bordered upon the
scurrilous. The attacks not being
confined to the corporation are al
legged to have been extended to Ollie
jals ~ individuals. Efforts here tc
trace the authorship OF some of the
news material TO an Ottawa source
may result In at least one local man
being included as defendant in the
suit II Is charged that much Of the
mlslnfOfmation was supplied from
Ottawa partial yindlcation OF
County Soil Advisor |. s Brooks is
found In the list OF defendants where
his name does not appear. ONE ers
OF the Cooperative plant have tried 70
connect Brooks with the stories, but
announced today that SO far they have
been unable 10 trace any OF the al
tatks to him While ii was at tirsl
pert as party defendant nothing tan
eible could be found to warrant his
prosecution along with officials of the
Prairie Farmer publication.
Members OF the Chamber of Com
merce saw in he attacks deeper
motive than an attempt To save the
farmer The assaults, 1t is claimed
did not materiali2e until after the
packing industry was entirely tinanc
ed and was completing the erection
of its buildings lnasmuch as the AT
tacks did not arrive only as a be
lated plea to rescue the farmer after
all financing was completed, they ar,
looked upon as having much more sin
lister motives Charges are made that
subsidizaton has set in and that pow
the operations of the Ottawa industry
II the complaints have an Ottaw,
source, it is maintained the article
had only one end. That is complete
loss OF what funds are now investe,
in the plant, with the accompanying
loss to farmers and business men .
what money they have already invest
ed in the concern As practicaii
all the stock has been brought am
paid for, there could be no other de
dUction
A resume OF the proceedings nov
pending l.. Chicago Is given in tn
following statement to the Free Tra(
er.Journal:
July %. 1918
There was begun in Chicago last
Saturday against the Prairie Far
mer Publishing Company. aAd Bur
ridge D. Butler, its owner, and Cliff
ford V. Gregory and Herman Steen
its editors. two suits, each Tor $3.50,
600 damages for libel. The one suit
was brought in the United States
court in behalf OF the Illinois Co
Operative Packing Company anc
,the second suit was brought by E
n. Doud as individual in the Illinois
state court.
The attorneys for the plantif II
these suits are Messrs. Matthias ant
Sullivan, well known attorneys IL
Chicago and who have had specia
experience in this class OF suits
Since the libelous article CON
planned of was published in tn