Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1899 — WE'VE MET THE ENEMY [ARTICLE]

WE'VE MET THE ENEMY

And They Are Our’s—For Particulars Enquire of “Honest Abe” OR OTHER RINGSTERS, Defeated on Every Point in a Case Which Had No Foundation to Rest Upon. The case of tne State of Indiana vs The Democrat editor for alleged criminally libeling Henry B. Murray, was taken up in the court Monday morning and the indictment quashed in about five minutes, W. E. Uhl, of Monticello, and James W. Douthit of this city appeared for the defendant. Not satisfied with what they had done, but evidently wishing to cause us a little more trouble and expense, a case was filed on affidavit and information, Mr. Murray making the affidavit, on the same charge, and the papers carefully prepared for again “getting at us.” The case came up for a hearing Wednesday afternoon, at which time J. W. Douthit, and R. S. Dwiggins representing the defendant, filed a motion to quash both the affidavit and information. The matter was argued at some length and the motion sustained on all points, the case thrown out of court and the defendant discharged. The Judge plainly gavei the prosecutor to understand after rteading the alleged libelous article over carefully and also the article of the week previous, to which it referred, that he could see nothing libelous in either. The result was apparently a great disappointment to “Honest Abe,” the statistician (80 years in office) and a few others who would gladly send the editor of The Democrat to Hades had they any lawful grounds or knew of any means by which it could be done. We were but little concerned over the matter and had no fears of the result had it gone to trial. Even had the statement made by us been untrue, there was nothing libelous in the article at all. Had it gone to trial the gang would have been beaten sky high, but they would have had the satisfaction of knowing they had caused us considerable vexation and expense. It being a State case they would have been out nothing but their time, but state cases have to be defended as well as civil cases, and the expense to us would have been considerable, even though there was nothing at all in the case. The alleged libelous article was in our issue of Dec. 31, and read as follows:

"The various bills mentioned by us last week as not having been acted upon by the commissioners, although the record book showed them as allowed and warrants had been drawn for them, were allowed for the sums as given by us last week. This appears a rather unusual proceeding, to draw warrants for claims before same have been acted upon by the commissioners, and would naturally lead one to ask who is allowing the bills in Jasper county.” What will be the next move by these over-zealous, mad and maliscious enemies of The Democrat remains to be seen, but our readers may rest assured that we shall be prepared to check-mate them at every turn they may • make. The low-down, mean, contemptible—if not in some instances criminal —efforts that have been made by certain ringsters to cripple ns financially, muzzle, freezeout and kill off The Denocbat are beneath the contempt of any honorable, self-respecting man, regardless of politics, but we sup-

pose we must put up with it until they realise that their effort* are meeting with just the opposite* effect intended, aW they become accustomed to tolerating a county™ paper that will tell the truth. The editor of The Democrat vc »* wishes to thank the democrats otr Rensselaer and of Jasper county™ generally for standing so nobly by him in this apparently maliscioua, prosecution, and assures them that he will endeavor to merit their* confidence and support in the fut—ure—and, incidentally, continue to - tell the facts about county affairs..