Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1905 — BESSIE CRONIN ON THE WAR PATH. [ARTICLE]

BESSIE CRONIN ON THE WAR PATH.

If Miss Bessie Cronin of Valparaiso does not die of overwork she will soon have the whole country covered as thick with libel suits as the McCoy Hanging Grove laud is covered with mortgages. She counts that day lost, whose ■slow ascending sun, sees not, e’er noon, three libel suits begun. Her rounding up of all the editors ot Logansport, in.oue fell swoop, on charge of criminal libel, was a mere by-play and diversion on her part, compared with the serious business of starting civil suits for big money she now has on hands. Against Art F. Zimmerman, of the Valparaiso Messenger, she has started suits to the aggregate of 11200,000. Half of this -is for publications in the Messenger, and the other half for press dispatches Bros. Zimmerman is alleged to have sent to Fort Wayne and Indianapolis papers. We suggest.' that Arthur had better see Miss Cronin and tell her that if she will throw off half of this $200,000, he will throw off the other half, and thus settle it without any further tronble. The Logansport parties, above referred to, though the criminal charges against them have been a kicked out of court have been sued in the civil courts for some $200,000 in the aggregate.

One of her latest suits hits a party well known in Jasper coun ty, namely Dr. H. G. Jones, of Medaryville. It seems that about two years ago Dr. Jones, presum ably during a period of temporary mental abberation, embarked in the newspaper business at Valpa raiso, in partnership with his brother in-law, A. E. Atchison, formerly of the Winamac Republican. It seems that the Doctor’s only active connection with the business was to dig up for the ex nense bills as they became due. He has been out of it for about, two vears. but is now one of three defendants in one of Bessie’s libel suits, the amount demanded being 850,000. This is comparatively a very small sum, and probably the defendants will pay it rather than go to the trouble of making a defense?

How many other suits Miss Cronin has instituted probably no one on earth knows with any certainty, exeept herself, and she may not be able to keep track of Them all. In Hammond she has started one of her latest, also for 850,000. in the Lake superior court, against the Chicago American and Wm. R. Hearst, which we hope she may get on general principles. A. F. Knotts, of Hammond is her at tor ney in tliisßiiit. She has also sned two Fort Wayne papers, for 850.000 each, while further east her lil»el suits are said to be more epidemic than yellow fever at New Orleans.

The publication that most or perhaps all of the suits are l>ased on. was a press dispatch sent out from Valparaiso in August 1903, to the effect that Miss Cronin, then a law «tudent there, had put on ma’e clothing and T a mask, and held up a young man student at the point < f a revolver, and adding that she afterwards explained the affair as a joke. R Terence was also made in this alleged libelous press despatch to a telegram Miss Cron ri was alleged to have sent to Mayor King, of Lorain. 0.. in May. 19<>3, when Father Walser, a Called c priest, was being held on suspiei- n oflieing the murderer of Aeatla Reichlin. The telegram to Mayor King was said to have been as follows: "If you continue to proseeu e tie Rev. Walser and persist in nr efforts to shed his innocent and h >ly blood, I l)eg you to allow ae t) c one to Lorain and offer mys* If as a sacrilice in his place.” Bessie wasn’t sacrificed that trip, but no doubt a innas convent on of her libel suit defendants would vote regrets that sue hauu’t been.