The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-06-14
EDITOR AND
WIFE ARRESTED;
LIBEL CHARGE
Mrs. A. M. Herndon Refuses Ball
Is Jailed, swoons After
Release.

RuSSellVllle, NY, june " HS
greatest sensation in the history of
Logan county was caused here this
morning by the arrest of A. M.
Herndon and his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth
Chandler Herndon, on a warrant
charging criminal libel.
The Herndons are editor and asso-
ciate editor, respectively, of the Rus
sellville Messenger, weekly news
paper published in this city, and
were indicted at the instance of Cir
cult Judge John S. Rhea by the grand
jury recently adjourned.
Capt. Frank Logan, also one of the
editors of this paper, was indicted
jointly with the Herndons, but is in
Lexington attending a meeting of
the Grand Lodge, Knights of Pythias.
The Herndons refused to give bond
and were taken to Jail and soon at
forwards admitted to bail.
On being released from jail Mrs.
Herndon tainted and was taken to a
room in a hotel which she was passing
at the time. A physician was called
and in a short while she had recover
ed sufficiently to be at her desk in
the Messenger Office.
Paper Opposed Rhea.
The indictments were based on an
editorial which appeared in the Mes
senger of May 1, in which the paper
announced its purpose to oppose I
s. Rhea as a candidate for Governor,
giving as one of the reasons for such
opposition that Rhea had been in al
party of fraudulent elections in this
county, and in commenting upon the
situation said:
eve may be asked that, if it be
true that the law has been violated,
why don't we go into court and ask
that those guilty of the violation OF
the law be punished.
"Our answer is that under the con-
ditions heretofore stated, we consid-
er the fact that the court which tries
the case and the Sheriff who selects
the jury, both have been elected to-
Office by the same machine, and there
fore we do not think there would be
much change of conviction. In fact
about the same chance as worsted
dog would have chasing an asbestos
cat through hell"
Rhea Demands Indictment.
Circuit Judge John S. Rhea is al
brother of T. S. Rhea, who withdrew
from the race for Governor, it is
said, on account Of the newspaper
attack above mentioned, and other
opposition in his home county.
Judge Rhea called the grand jury
together and charged them especially
with reference to the publication
mentioned, stating that they must
indict either the officers of the court
or the editors of the paper.
It is said also that when the indict-
ment was not Immediately forthcom-
ing he went before the grand jury
in person and insisted upon the re-
turn of the indictment.
The failing of Mrs. Herndon es-
pecially has aroused public sentiment
here as nothing has evPf done. She
is universally popular, is daughter
of the late Rev. Jarles S. Chandler
and a sister of the Rev. ]. A. Chand-
Ter, pastor of the Lander Memorial
Church, Louisville.
She is prominent in club circles
and is an officer of the Grand Chap
ter, Order of the Eastern Star.
She was locked in the dirty Jail
and was compelled to stand during
the time she was there, as there was
no chair or other furniture upon
which she might sit down. 1t was
exhaustion that caused her to faint
when she left the jail.
What may develop in the next day
or two is uncertain. The atmosphere
is surcharged with excitement.