The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-31

ticle upon which the Decker suit was
based. He said he first heard about
the article in the De Luxe barber shop
and that he later heard of it from
other sources.
Wolfe was asked if he had a con-
versation with Newell Abrahams and
others at the Chamber of Commerce
about the article. He said that he
probably did. Asked if he used pro-
fame language in referring to Decker.
the witness said he did not think so.
He said he might have used profanity
in talking of persons in general who
had not aided in the loan drive.
Wolfe was asked if he knew who
the barber was at the time he wrote
the article. He said he did not.
Asked when he first learned that
the article was construed to apply to
Decker, Wolfe said that it was after
the publication of the article, but that
he could not remember the day.
First Heard 1t From Barber
Wolfe told the jury that he heard
of this barber from number OF
sources and that he believed it to be
true. He said baroer al the De Luxe
barber shop told him that the barber
had $1,000 in building end loan
association and that he was told the
barber had a daughter in a oeaf and
dumb school He said he did not
know Decker had a daughter in such
a school
The examination of Wolfe was sus-
pended to allow Claude L. Dougherty,
who was an advertising solicitor for
| the State Journal in October. 1918, to
testify. Dougherty said that he re-
/ fused to allow the Capital to have the
/ barber advertisement mat that was
used in the Capital in connection with
the liberty loan drive because he was
trying to sell the same advertisement
and could not do it If the Capital had
this mat. Dougherty said THAI the To-
peka State Journal was using the anne
mat in connection with an advertise
ment for the printers of Topeka that
was being gotten up at that time.
Didn't Know 1t Was Decker.
| When Wolfe resumed the stand he testi-
! fled that he did not know the article re-
! ferred to Decker; that he had nothing
against Decker. and that the article I e,.sIs Was
| the liberty loan drive and without malice
Of any kind.
why he put into the article the statement
| that the barber had daughter in deaf
and dumb school He said because he @ feIt
! that a man who was receiving benefits
from the state should lend money TO help
| defend the state.
was called. and testified that he examined
! Decker during his illness and found he had
1 r leaky heart resulting from an attack OF
| Influenza
| Hundreds of Columns to Drive.
Arthur ]. Carruth. jr-. managing editor
! of the State Journal, took the stand af
| II 20. He stated that in October 1913, the
State Journal assigned reporter to the
, fourth liberty loan and that the State Jour
| nal gave hundreds Of columns Of space 10
| the loan drives absolutely free
| Mr.. Carruth stated that he wrote the
! headlines on the article published October
IL 1918. He told the jury that be did
| not know the article referred to Decker
| that he did not know Decker at the time
| and does not know him now.
| Carruth said that the liberty loan rom
| mittee told the State Journal several times
| quota. He told the jury that little Of tbs
| matter published in connection with the
| liberty loan drive had any news value and
WAS published solely for the purpose oi
| aiding the government in the war. lie
told the jury No malice was intended
towards any one in the publication OF the
| article
/ Telegram From NcAdoo.
A telegram from W. 6. AcAdoo. secretary
| Of the treasury. received by the publisher
Of the Topeka State Journal. and a letter
| receired by the witness from J. X. Burrow
director Of the Shawnee county fourth lib
erty loan drive. were offered in evidence
these and the court sustained the obtec
lions The McAdoO telegram to Ar. Mae
| Lehman asked him to give further sssfs-
tance in the loan campaign IL was re
ceIved after the publication Of the srtieif
published on October II. referring to .
barber.
one editorial after another from the Tof,sks
state Journal some Of which were pub
Iished under the beading ef Current Com
ment" and some under the heading Cur
rent History"