Evening star., 1927-03-20
FORD CASE CROWDS
HAVE DAILY BATTLE
Sapiro, Plaintiff, in Regular
Attendance--Defendant
Shuns Proceedings.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
DETROIT, March 1s.--Crowds that
daily have tried to crash the gates
at the trial Of the 81 1000, 900 libel suit
against Henry Ford present serious
problem to court attaches, as the time
for Ford's appearance on the witness
stand draws near.
Although the proceedings thus far
have not been of a sensational nature.
there has been a spirited fight each
session for seats. No injuries have
been reported in jams In each door.
but clothes have suffered.
The beautiful little courtroom ac-
commodities but handful When the
Federal building was built, there was
$50 900 yet unspent, 40 the story goes.
and 1t was decided TO put IL into the
two courtrooms. The walls are lined
with rose-colcred marble from Italy.
of intricate design. and the ceilings
are elaborately frescoed.
Mistaken for Ford.
Aaron Sapiro, who claims his repu-
tation as an organizer OF cooperative
farmers organizations, was injured by
articles in the Dearborn Independent,
regularly In court. Although Ford
was reported to have been In the Fed
eral building the opening day OF the
trial, il later developed a tall, slender
court attache had been mistaken for
him.
Sitting quietly behind his attorney,
the black haired plaintiff has had little
to saw other than to advise from time
to time with his lawyer. w: j. Cam
eron, editor of the Independent. and
F.. d. Black, its business manager,
have attended more or less regularly,
Cameron being the first on the witness
stand.
Senator James A. Reed of Missouri
brought the first bit of action to the
trial in his opening statement !or
Ford. Glancing over his glasses with
indignation as he charged failures
and consequent loss Of millions OF
dollars through Sapiro-organized asso'
Citations, smiling sardonically as ne
told of promises made by the Chicago
attorney, and resorting to mockery
in quoting from speeches OF Sapiro,
the veteran Senator held the un-
divided attention Of the jury ana
packed room.
Reed iabbed back savasely at times.
following repeated interruptions Dy
william Henry Gallagher. Sapiro 8
counsel. Stopped by the attorney. as
he was referring to the Tri-State
Tobacco Association, Senator Reed
shot out:
"I'm certain / did not cover this
ground before, and I'm going to do
It in half the time you take up with
objections"
Cameron rs Witness.
Cameron, who was on the stand
but a few minutes yesterday before
court adjourned, was able to answer
only a few of Attorney Gallagher's
questions. The battery OF Ford coun-
sci were on their feet at every ques-
ton as to what Ford and his editors
had discussed in conferences over the
policy of the paper.
The editor did say, however, that
Ford did not impose his views on the
staff. giving as an instance that Ford
regards Russia leniently, while the
independent opposes Bolshevism.
did Mr.. Ford ever discuss an in
ternational banking ring" asked the
plaintiff counsel. Cameron's reply
was shut off by Ford's attorneys.
Phrased in different ways, the ques-
ton always brought the same result.
But it's the gist of fsthe trial." in
sisted Attorney Gallagher, as Judge
Fred NJ. Raymond continued to rule
against him.
Mr.. Gallagher said today ne ex.
pected to call Black to the stand next,
and then either Sapiro or Ford. In
answer to the charge made in his
opening statement by Senator Reed,
that Sapiro had netted 81 ,000, 900 from
co.operatives. Sapiro said today that
over a 12.year period he and his staff
of sometimes as many as IL men had
crossed much less than that amount.
This, he said, would amount to less
than $1,000 q year for each, IL divided
equally.
Describes Organizations.
Senator Reed told of many failures
of cooperative organizations formed
by Sapiro, in an effort to show that
the Chicago attorneys statements re-
garding success of his associations
were inaccurate. The Senator went
from one end of the country to the
other in listing his examples OF losses
and faiiures--from the fruit growers
of California and Oregon to the po.
tato growers of Maine and the rea-
nut raisers of the Carolinas.
He said organization and counsel
fees OF Sapiro's firm In less than q
dozen States totaled over $400 900,
and this in the face OF statements by
Sapiro that money was not his main
objective.
Senator Reed said the defense
would try to show the articles in the1
Independent were printed In good |
from exploitation by Mr.. Sapiro.