The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-15
FORD WINS SIX
CENTS VERDICT
In LIBEL ACTION
Michigan Jury Takes Ten
Hours in Case Against
Chicago "Tribune.'
CRITICISM JUSTIFIED
Judge in Charge Held That
Motor Man Was q Pub
lie Citizen.
MALICE NOT APPARENT
Paper Not Affected by Pro-
German Influence in Mat /.
ter Of Mexico.
NOT APPARENT
Special Despatch TO THE sux.

| MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich, Aug. IA
| Six cents was the verdict rendered
Henry Ford in his million dollar libel
suit against the Chicago Tribune.
| The verdict was returned at 8:15
o'clock tonight by Orvey Hulett of
Amanda. foreman of the jury, after
ten hours and twenty minutes of de-
| liberation.
! Under direction of the court, ver-
dict of no cause Of action was found
against the Solomon Brothers. They
will claim costs from Mr.. Ford. Alfred
J.-Murphy of counsel for Mr.. Ford gave
out this statement:
"The important issue has beer deter
mined. Mr.. Ford has been entirely vim
d!cated. Money damages were entirely
subordinate and were not sought by Mr..
Ford. He stands not only vindicated, but
his attitude as an American citizen has
been justified after trial which raised
I every issue against him which ingenuity
and research could invent"
Weymouth Kirkland of Chicago. at
torney of the Tribune, said:
I'VE have fought to vindicate clean
American Journalism in it's fight for
Americanism.
/ ''The Tribune is vindicated in that the
plaintiffs attorneys charged us with be-
( ing pro-German and dollar patriotic.
These charges have been refuted. }
fnr In In
''The verdict is a practical defeat for
! the plaintiff for his attorneys said he
would not be satisfied with a nominal
verdict.
: ''If they would have been satisfied with
a 9 cent verdict we should neyer have
taken the time of the court for three
nIonths.'
Z, The whole proceedings were over with
astonishing brevity. The whole scene
did not require more than five minutes
! The jurors brushed past reporters and
down the stairs, where they were soon
/ followed by the lawyers. Judge Tucker,
fthe handful OF spectators who had re-
mained and the court attaches.
/ One juror later stated that for six
hours the ballots stood S to4 TO give
the plaintiff an award. Then two of the
four Joined the majority The remain
ing two held out until nearly s o'clock,
when they surrendered and the knocks
sounded on the door.
( Mr.. Ford was not In court The Trib-
itne was represented by Capt Joseph
Medill Patterson. one Of the publishers.
! The jurors were heard from four times
! during the day, twice for their meals,
/ once for an additional instruction from
Judge Tucker and once when they asked
for the alleged libellous editorial, headed
Ford Is an Anarchist" on which the
suit was based
! Judge fuckers Charge.
/ In his charge to the jury Judge
Tucker directed the jury to ignore the
I allegations of the plaintiff introduced
| to show malice. that the Tribune was
! actuated by financial or pro- German mo-
tives in seeking Intervention in Mexico
at the time when the editorial was pub
lshed criticising Mr.. Ford for his re-
ported attitude toward employees en-
: listed as guardsmen.
! He held that the heading Ford is an
! anarchist" and the editorial asserting
/ that he would not provide for enlisted
! men or their families and referring to
( him as so deluded an individuar' and
IAN ignorant idealist," and recommend
ing his Punishment to a country with
! out law and order were libellous per Sc
/ and threw the burden of proof upon
I the defendant.
Judge Tucker, however, upheld the
I right of a newspaper or individual to
! fair comment on the acts or utterances
: of any public citizen. and held that Mr..
/ Ford. because of the large number of
! his employees, could be considered a
/ public character and his acts and ex-
! pressions subject for the public criti.
cism # their criticism was just and in
/ good faith.
( tie held that the Tribune editorial
writer's exercised good faith II they had
! reason to believe that Frank l.. Kiln
gensmith actually made the statements
( in the attitude Of the Ford Motor Conf
| pany which we're reported by p. W.
! WILLIAMS, local correspondent to the
| Tribune.
/ At the time the troops were called
! TO the Mexican border for service Mr.
/ Fords attitude toward his men was
naturally a matter Of great public inter
| est. and the Chicago Tribune or any
| other newspaper had right to comment
| in any reasonable and fair way thereon