Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-22
FORD LIBEL SUIT
CHARGES FAULTY
Sapiro Meets Obstacle When
Court UphoIds Errors
in Declaration.

The declaration as it stands Is in
sufficient in many of it's allegations,1
said the judge.
Il suggest to counsel that before the
case can go to the jury, 1t needs to be
amended in several particulars to clar-
ify the issues so that the trial can
bring about an equitable result
The declaration consists of 81 counts !
including 141 points and makes 5b9
paragraphs.
The first count was being taken
up when Ford's counsel made its
allegation of insufficiency.
Urges Early Action.
After Judge Raymond's pronounce |
ment, William Henry Gallagher of Sa-
PROS counsel protested that 1t was
late day for the defense to bring up
the matter.
do | understand counsel to intend
to say that he thinks the declarations
should stand without amendment
asked the court
oh, no, no, no." replied Gallagher.
1t Will be amended
'Of course that is up to the discre- |
ton of counsel and certainly not of the
court, replied the Judge.
He added that the amendments could
they be made as soon as possible.
Has 20 Allegations.
The first count contains 20 allega- |
lions of libel and it was one of the 20
under discussion.
Sapiro's counsel said they probably |
would file the amended declaration to- |
morrow morning.
The paragraph to which the Judge |
inv nd oinl tod n
his criticism of the declaration reads; |
"Cattlemen of the West last year
reorganiZed their association partially |
on the Sapiro plan with Jewish agents |
lowering around the new project seek |
ing to get control of it. The Sapiro !
plan will get 'em If they don't watch |
out"
Cameron Takes Onus.
W. ]. Cameron, editor of the Dear |
born Independent, assumed full re- |
sponsibility for everything published |
in the weekly and denied it devolved !
upon the motor car manufacturer.
Sapiro, Chicago attorney, who be- |
came widely known for organizing |
farmers cooperative agencies, alleged !
that he was damaged by anti-Jewish |
articles printed in the Independent.
You're the editor; ne sure you are
right" became a formula for Mr. |
Ford's remarks to him, Cameron testi. |
ned, when he sought to go into mat !
ters Of the editorial policy of the pub
llcatlon, OF which, as president, Mr.. |
Ford was titular head.
Even after the Independent re- |
ceived a demand for retraction after |
1t had printed articles naming Sapiro |
In connection with an international |
band of Jews seeking to dominate |
American agriculture Cameron said |
that Mr.. Ford's formula still was an
piled
Did he ask how far you had gomez" |
asked William Henry Gallagher, chief |
or Sapiros counsel.
II never discussed details with Mr. |
Ford" was the reply.
Arguments Disperse Crowd.
The long, technical legal arguments |
Of the suit had "A visible effect today
on the crowd of visitors. For the
first time since the trial started the
corridors were clear as court opened. |
Cameron took the stand at the start. |
He was testifying when court ad. !
journed yesterday
Cameron was asked for the letter /
assigning Harry Dunn to writing up
the story of the California fruit deal |
ers. He said he thought 1t was ex-
hibit II. but what the exhibit was
was not made clear.
Cameron said he did not know
whether he had talked with r., w.
Roland of the Dearborn Independent |
staff regarding Sapiro. Roland car
ried on the correspondence with Dunn |
on the Coast. He did not remember |
discussing Sapiro until the facts be- |
came pretty prominent"
The witness said he did not discuss |
the policies of the paper regarding |
Sapiro's activities, because he was |
editor in chief of the paper
when / am running a paper, I |
don't wish to accept any one else's |
Judgment on a matter like this"
How long prior to that did you con-
template such a series of articles?"
Il do not know that we contem-
plated them at all until the facts be- |
came pretty important" replied the |
editor.
Cameron was positive in his asser- |
tons that he had not discussed the |
series with any of the other heads Of |
the Ford organization. /
Why are you so certain?" asked |
Gallagher.
Because ! am the editor and these |
matters are in my judgment" he re-
piled, and moment later reiterated, |
II am going to run paper / run |
1t. ] am not going to be responsible |
for anybody's judgment in a case like |
that"
Cameron Parties Queries.
Cameron parted skillfuliy a dozen |
eHorts by Gallagher to pin him down !
TO the details of conversations with |
Mr.. Ford, and others were blocked nv |
objections of the defense sustained nv
Judge Raymond.
After quoting Mr.. Ford's formula"
of you're the editor be sure YOU are
right, the nearest Cameron came Tn
repeating phrases from the old CONVEX
sations was to admit that there were
at least two,
II can't separate the first from the
second, he replied when a demand
for the words of the first" converse.
| ton was made.
He admitted that his last converse.
ton with the motor manufacturer was
| within recent months bur no detaiI
of that meeting got into the record.
! Gallagher and Ford's attorneys had
| an alteration over the presence In
| court of the records and correspond
ence of the company. There seemed
| TO be misunderstanding over what
was wanted.
Articles in Independent.
An article that appeared I'm the In
| dependent April II. 1924, was intro
duced by the plaintiff, which said the
| cooperative orga ntZations on the
| Coast were prospecting until the lew.
| ish activities began to be felt.
| Another said: "A costly, cumber-
some, usually inefficient and always
extravagant orga nization is function.
ing for the benefit of the promoters
OF said alleged conspiracy for the
lesser lights of Jewry who surround
| @hay, apd for tho Gaufilae who f0r