Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1910 — LIBEL SUITS FILED BY F. E. BABCOCK. [ARTICLE]

LIBEL SUITS FILED BY F. E. BABCOCK.

Familiar Hame to Court as Both Plaintiff and Defendant Asks Damages From Republican Publishers. F. E. Babcock, editor of the Jasper County Democrat, Monday filed four damage suits against the editors and publishers of the Rensselaer Republican, naming I. M. Washburn, Geo. H. Healey, Leslie Clark and Mrs. Kate R. Watson. Damages in the sum of $5,000 is asked in each case, and articles published last year in defense of S. R. Nichols, and during December in regard to the effort of Babcock to secure a franchise for the Home Telephone Company, are the basis of the suits. S' i Babcock’s name is a familiar one as both plaintiff and defendant Jn libel suits and a record of the aransactions suits and a record of the transactions connected will shot* that he has been the loser. Babcock has secured as his attorney a lawyer named Davis, qf Brook. « V Alfred Moore, .of Milford, 111., was here to attend the W. R. Shesler sale. Mrs. S. S. Barnes, who was here frpm Fowler yesterday, subscribed $1 for herself and another dollar for her sister, Mrs. Vanatta, also of Fowler, toward the Milroy and Soldiers’ monument. A If you are married, go and see “Just a Woman’s Way,” it will do you and your wife good. If you are not married, go and see “Just a Way,” it will do you best girl good. The successful melodrama is the next offering at Fills’ Theatre on Friday, February 4th. Jerry Garland returned a few days ago from his trip to Mitchell, S. Dak. He had a fine time and saw about all of the former Jasper county people and reports them all doing splendidly. Bruce Porter has raised a crop of winter whiskers, not because he found it necessary to counteract the severe winter weather nor as a matter of personal adprnmefnt but because he is so busy Afiat he don’t have time to shave.

J. J. Montgomery went to Monticello today to confer with the fire chief and members of the cotmcil about their new fire fighting equipment. He hopes not to meet the same kind of a reception that was accorded the Monticello gentlemen here Monday. Jack attributes the breaking of the fire wagon wheel to the great weight of official responsibility resting on the shoulders of the Monticello officers, which in addition to their own weight was more than the wagon could stand for. '

February Ist started out very fine and beautiful, a little cool but bright. The thin layer of snow that fell Sqfrurday night has melted but little and last night concluded the eighth week of real winter since the snow of Dec. 6th. Recent days* in fact, the latter half of January, was not very cold but there was some freezing almost every day and in shaded places quite a little snow and ice from the original snow of eight weeks ago still remains on the ground. The groundhog will make his appearance tomorrow and if he strikes a day like this he will make a quick getaway and we can plan for a continuance of winter until the ides of March.

J. H. Hellengren and Thos. G. Brown, of Barkley township, were in town yesterday getting a set of sale bills printed for a joint will hold at the farm occupied by the former, being the old S. R. Nichols’ farm, on February 15th. They are planning to move to Larimore, N. Dak., where Mr. Hellengren has purchased a farm. Mr. Brown also negotiated for a farm while on a prospecting trip out there last fall, but the deal could hot be consummated owing to the fact that the man he was buying from could not furnish a deed. Both of therfe gentlemen are excellent farmers and citizens and their removal will meet general regret, but all will hope for their success in that new country. They will have a good lot of stuff at their combined sale, including 5 head of horses, 11 head of cattle, 38 hogs and 40 Shropshire ewes.