The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1919-06-13
EDITOR and Wife
AREESENT TO JAIL
Charged With Libeling The
Ray Politicians q.
a Of Logan.

Russellville, Ky, June 10-Logan
County got the thrill of its life this
morning when A. NJ. Herndon, editor
OF the Russellville Messenger, his
wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Chandler Hern-
don, associate editor, were arrested
on warrant charging them with
criminal libel. They were both plac-
ed in Jail.
Capt Frank NJ. Logan, also an ed
itor of the Messenger. was indicted
jointly with the Herndons, but was
not arrested for the reason he is now
in Lexington attending a meeting Of
the knights of Pythias.
The arrest caused a real sensation
and the incident was still the talk of
the town tonight. Important devel-
opments are expected in the next few
days as excitement is intense, due to
the prominence of the principals to
the controversy
The arrest of the Herndons is ex-
pected to further complicate matters
in the Third Congressional District.
where Democratic politics is in the
most muddled condition ever known
to that section.
Mrs. Herndon Faints.
The Herndons refused to give
bond. were taken to Jail. but soon
afterwards were admitted TO bail.
On being released from Jail Mrs.
Herndon tainted and was taken to
room in hotel which she was pass
Jag at the time. A physician was
called and in a short time she had re-
covered sufficiently to be at her desk
in the Messenger office. The indict-
ment was based on an editorial which
appeared in the Messenger May l, in
which the paper announced its purpose
TO oppose T. 5. Rhea as a candidate
for governor
The Messenger recently printed
number OF editorials in which it an
nounced its intention of Kidding Lo-
gan County of political domination
1t chargd certain influences in the
county with winking at fraudulent
election practices. In the same
breath the Messenger had the auda-
city to mention the name of I. S.
Rhea, then a candidate for governor,
leading banker of Russellville, and
formerly one of the state Democracy's
staunchest wheel horses.
The offending ditorial, which
brought about the indictment, said,
in part:
1--WE may be asked that If it be true
that the law has been violated why
we don't go to court and ask that
those guilty of violation of the law
be punished. Our answer is that I'M
der the conditions heretofore stated
we consider the fact that the court
which tries the case and the sheriff
who selects the jury have been elected
to office by the same machine and
therefore we do not think there
would be much chance of conviction
in fact, about the same chance as
worsted dog would have chasing an
asbestos cat through hell"
Circuit Judge John S. Rhea is a
brother of Tom S. Rhea. Judge Rhea I
called the grand jury together and
charged it's members especially with
10 fba
ed, stating that the jury must indict !
either the officers of the court or the
editors of the paper 1t is said also
that when the indictment was not i'm
forthcoming he went before .
the grand jury in person and insisted |
upon the return of an indictment.
The falling of Mrs. Herndon, espe-
cially aroused public sentiment ,
here as nothing before had ever done.
She is universally popular, is a ,
daughter of the late Rev. James S.
Chandler and a sister of Rev. j. A.
Chandler. pastor of Lander Memorial
church, in Louisville. She is promi-
nent in club circles and is an officer
of the Grand Chapter, Order OF the
Eastern Star. She charges that she
was taken to jail and was compelled
to stand during the entire time she
was there as there was no chair or
other furniture upon which she might
sit down. 1t was the exhaustion that
caused her to faint when she left the
Jail. she said.