The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-06
CURRENT COMMENT.
Important and Otherwiae.

to the writer at $50 o'clevk this
morning. in the suit of q party by
'the name of Decker against Frank
P. MacLennan, wherein party by the
name of Addington is attorney, COM
handing him, the editor and proprie-
tor of this paper, to appear lin mine
own proper person before the judge
of the district court, at O'Clock on
March H." which is next Tuesday.
commanding the writer to not only
appear in person. but bring with him
the files of the Topeka State Journal
for the years 1917, 1918 and 1919, and
this" says the command of the court,
which we respect, do you not in any
wise omit under penalty of the law"
This is the damage case fostered by
the official organ of the labor unions
of the city of Topeka. known as the
kansas Trade Unionist, and printed.
published or conducted by James o.
Stevic, c. H. Trap and Frank B.
Brown, or by one or more of
them, all members of the Chamber
of Commerce of Topeka, and one of
the three a director of that body or
! by another paper printed. published
or edited by one or more of the same
three. Stevic is the representative
here of Townleyism, otherwise known
as the Non-Partisan League.
| Senator Capper attacked ToWniey-
| ism in an eastern interview reprinted
| in this paper Monday.
| This is a suit against Mr. MacLen-
IL. 90
| have been sustained by Decker, a bar
Der, receiving probably the highest
| wages of any barber in the city of
! Topeka. based on an article printed
| in the Topeka State Journal in Octo-
/ Der last, at the request of the Fourth
Liberty Loan workers of Topeka, un-
der the leadership of j. r. Burrow,
county chairman.
To be explicit with date and exact
words to sustain the position taken in
this editorial this morning, the Off
cial organ of the trade unions pub
! lished on November 20, 1918, had this
statement in regard to the case:
| members of organized labor should get
busy right now and appoint committees
! no will be prepared when this damage
| case comes before the courts to see that it
| is not sidetEacked and other means re-
sorted to so it may never nave nearing.
The same paper had also printed. follow
| ing the suit statement as follows: The
! barber will be able to secure the neces-
! s;Ey funds TO fight this case to standstill.
| Every union man in the city of Topeka
! stands ready to subscribe to such fund.
The union men Of Topeka should; that is,
! as many MS possible, make holiday when
| the trial comes before the court and show
that they are interested. Several business
could be depended upon to stand some OF
the expense Of fighting this case"
Decker's name was not mentioned
in the article and Mr.. MacLennan did
not know that Decker was the party
referred to, as it recited bar
Der in one of the shops on Kansas
avenue between Sixth and Eighth
avenues. In that territory there are
at least three barber shops. Decker
seems to have thought he was re-
ferred to, as he brings the suit. OF
course, $4,000 seems to be a rather
excessive claim for damages that
could impend within two or three
days from the time the article was
printed to the bringing of the suit
Decker is a good barber. We use the
word good in the sense of a skilled
craftsman. Decker used to shave the
writer repeatedly and we always got a
good shave from him. When barber
shop was established near the State
Journal building, Of course we with
drew our patronage from Decker, OF
the man who employs him, Mr.. Hypes
We always thought Decker was a
first-class barber but we didn't real
ize that he was making so much
money that he could Immediately see
$40. 900 injury in an article that did
not name him.
Now, about these files These files
are very cumbersome and bulky. II
would be physical impossibility
strong as the writer is, to carry those
; files down to the court house. II
would take dray or an express wag-
on. There are twelve volumes and
each one is about inches thick, about
a1s feet long and feet wide. We
suggesed to Mr.. Miller, when he served
the notice this morning. that it NIGH
/ be just as well for him to bring t.
US the necessary money to haye These
files hauled from the State Journa
office to the court house and bach
: again. and to cover reasonable fee
to insure these valuable volumes while
they are away from the fireprooi
State Journal building and in this
court house, which is net absolutely
fireproof.
; BY the way, this is the second sui
: for next week against the writer, and
5 it is set for only the second working
day in the week. On the day before
} March 10th, the court has set VIVA
is known as the Crawford Crane
Opera House suit. Is it expected thu
Crawford case to be disposed OF II
one day? Happy thought. This Craw
ford suit was started for trial, afte1
three years delay, a couple of week