The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-11
CURRENT HISTORY.


suits-it is probably just as well to
change the heading over this depart
ment from Current Comment to
Current History" and deal in this
column strictly with a statement of
facts, without comment.
This was the day set a. holiday for
the labor unions the date they were
urged to declare a holiday and appear
en- massS at the court house to listen
to the testimony in the Decker, or
fourth liberty loan, case, against
Frank p. MacI lehman. But, alas.
When the day arrived, bright and
sunny this morning, the Crawford
case was still on the boards and this
could not accordingly be holiday for
the labor unions. The judge dis
missed the witnesses who had been
summoned in the second case until
Thursday morning.
Meanwhile. Mr.. MacLennan has
asked several of the directors of the
Chamber of Commerce if they are
not willing to. pay the attorneys fees
in this second case, inasmuch is it was
at the instance of the workers under
the committees meeting at the
Chamber of Commerce that the State
Journal printed an article denouncing
alleged slackers in the fourth liberty
loan, that got this paper into this sec
ond 100000 libel suit. The State
Journal awaits action of directors. 1t
is paying its attorney in the Crawford
case. The Cha of Commerce was
in no wise responsible fot rhat suit but
it pushed the Fourth Liberty Loan
Drive.
One of the directors of the Chamber
of Commerce, Mr.. Mcintyre. one of
our best and most influential citizens,
takes this position: that he would
like to get rid of some undesirables
in the Chamber of Commerce, and at
least one on the board of directors;
but he said the constitution and by
laws of the Chamber of Commerce do
of undesirable timber.
How do you know this?" was
asked.
II have consulted Robert Stone, an
attorney, and he tells me there is
nothing in the constitution and by
| laws of the Chamber of Commerce un-
, der which we can act"
| Mr. Stone is the attorney for this
second ten-story hotel. the first ten
story hotel proposed being the one
| that the director of the Chamber of
State Journal says it will be built ana
at once. when spring has come.
It looks as tho the Chamber of
! Commerce ought to hold a constitu-
tional convention and submit new
document, or at least get one or two
amendments submitted at the next
general meeting.
Mr. Joseph Waters, the veteran at
torney for the Amusement Syndicate,
which the Crawfords control, made
the large crowd in the court room this
morning smile, and laugh. and grin.
Several of the witnesses waiting there
to testify could scarcely contain
themselves with a sober demeanor,
COMFORTING with the dignity of the
place. One man said to another;
II just thought I would bust
Everybody smiled at Mr.. Waters's
eloquent reading of the editorials
from this paper. Even Roy Crawford
grinned and looked pleasant.
Mr.. Waters read to the court and
jury from the recent five-column edi-
torial in the State journal, entitled
What's the Matter With Topeka?"
and he read numerous extracts from
an editorial page feature, entitled
Current Comment" including what
are said to be well-seIected quotations
from the Bible. and from an article
entitled "A Busy Week"
Here is a part of what our old
friend Waters read from these arti-
cles. including the statement he also
read that the Crawfords had agreed
with Mr.. MacLennan to dismiss the
$4,000 damage suit on payment of
$4,000:
Next week will be busy week for the
state Journal. Aside from large amount
OF regular routine duty that is involved in
the conduct of n daily newspaper. Frank
7. MACEDONIAN. editor and proprietor of the
paper. is defendant in two libel suits in
the district court of this county set for
trial next week. one is called for Tuesday
the eleventh.
The first case is one brought by L. VI
and Roy Crawford for S25.00O damages
growing OUT of an article printed in the
State Journal about three years ago charg-
ing that the electrical wiring in the build
ing and the balconies and stairs at the
exits of the Grand Opera house had been
officially condemned by state and city au-
thorities. The article also charged q
dangerous wooden film box had been pro-
vided for an afternoon performance.
| FOLLOWING the exposure by the Sta tie
Journal a metal film box was installed
and the performance delayed while this
wooden box was taken out and the other
substituted. The defective wiring was re-
placed by better wiring; the balconies and
stairs were repaired.
The CraWfords. however claimed they
, had been damaged $4,000. altho they have
since offered to dismiss the case for $1,000.
Here the court stopped the attor-
ney. charging him the reading of such
statement to the jury was improper