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| Founded in 1853. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, March
31, 1893.
NEWSPAPER
LIBELS.
EDITORS
APPEAL FOR A CHANCE TO RETRACT.
Hearing
Given by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Saxton's Amendment.
Many of
New York State's Prominent Newspapers Represented.—Convincing Arguments Made in
Favor of the Proposed Measure.
ALBANY, March 31.—The senate judiciary
committee gave a hearing yesterday on Saxton's amendments to the libel laws.
Thomas E. Rochfort, representing the New York Recorder and New York Tribune,
and speaking for other New York city papers, told two stories illustrating how
easily charges are trumped up against newspapers and how prone judges are to
charge that malice existed in a publication when no malice actually did exist.
All the papers wanted was an opportunity to rebut the presumption of malice
where malice was wrongly alleged.
George E. Matthews of the Buffalo Express
said that the newspapers were not seeking a license to assail people or to
retreat after having assailed anybody. They merely wanted an opportunity to correct
mistakes which had been honestly made. Suits did not arise from anything said
editorially or editorially inspired, but from news statements which were
sincerely believed to be true from all the information at hand at the time the
statement was published. The newspapers felt that in being subjected to the
liability to pay punitive damages they were made a class by themselves.
NO LIBELS KNOWINGLY PUBLISHED.
It has been suggested that under the proposed
amendment newspapers might hound a man for years, taking advantage of the law
to retract if they happened to step over the line of libel. He had talked with
a number of newspaper men on this point and they had agreed that such a thing
would be impossible, for the retraction would be the most decided vindication
of the man pursued and the most discreditable thing for the paper.
Mr. A. C. Kessinger of the Rome Sentinel, president
of the state association, said that no reputable paper would intentionally libel
any man. All the papers wanted was a chance to correct their mistakes.
Mr. W. H. Clark of the Cortland Standard
said that in 17 years experience he had been sued for libel but once and that
was for the publication of a news item which he had believed to be true. No
newspaper, which would knowingly publish a libel, deserves any consideration,
but the newspapers wanted an opportunity to disprove the presumption of malice.
MANY GROUNDLESS SUITS.
J. B. Alexander of the Oswego Times gave an
instance of the troublesome and groundless suits which are brought under the
present law, and pointed out the need of allowing retraction.
Horace Knapp of the Auburn Advertiser related
a case in which a paper was obliged to pay $1,200 for making a mistake in a
figure in publishing an address.
William Barnes, Jr. of the Albany Journal
gave an instance of a suit brought on grounds similarly trivial, and said that much
annoyance and expense would be avoided if newspapers were allowed to rectify
unavoidable mistakes.
Besides these who spoke there were present
Norman K. Mack of the Buffalo Times,
John H. Cunningham of the Utica Herald, E. Prentiss Bailey of the Utica Observer,
L. L. Sherman of the Oswego Palladium, J. B. Brockway of the Watertown Times,
J. B. Platt of the Poughkeepsie Eagle, and J. H. Farrell of the Albany
Times-Union.
The hearing was adjourned to Tuesday next at
2:30 p. m.
Death of
Mrs. Samson.
Mrs. Jane R. Samson died at 9 o'clock this
morning as the result of a paralytic shock sustained March 19. The deceased was
born in Montrose, Pa., and married Mr. John Samson in 1853 when they came to
Cortland. Mr. Samson died Feb. 1, 1890. She was a deaconess of the
Congregational church of Cortland. She leaves two sisters, Mrs. Caroline
Fairchild and Miss Almira C. Palmer. The funeral will be held from her late
residence at 17 Charles-st. Sunday at 1:30 P. M. and at the Congregational
church at 2 P. M.
Easter
Wedding.
A quiet home wedding took place at the
pleasant residence of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Brownell on Greenbush-st. last evening
when their niece Miss Cynthia Brownell of McGrawville and Mr. Carleton Belden
of the same place were united in the holy bonds of matrimony. The bridal party
entered the parlor at 8 o'clock to a brilliant wedding march played by Mr. and
Mrs. W. T. Bushby. The bride was very becomingly attired in a dove colored lansdowne
and carried a bouquet of pink and never looked more beautiful than on this
occasion. The bridesmaid, Miss Claribel Warren, carried a bouquet of cream
colored roses which matched the rich cream cashmere which she wore. Mr. Harvey
E. Stone of Freetown acted as best man. The house was tastily decorated with
Easter lilies and other cut flowers and presented a very brilliant appearance.
The contracting parties stood in the bow window where the ceremony was
performed by Rev. E. J. Brooker of McGrawville. A bountiful wedding supper was
served immediately after the ceremony. The happy couple left on the late train
for Utica amid a shower of rice, old shoes and the good wishes of their many friends.
After a short honeymoon they will return to McGrawville which they will make
their future home.
Those present were: Mrs. Betsy Brownell of
Marathon, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Belden, Miss Nancy and Mr. Willie Belden, Mr. and
Mrs. C. B. Warren, Mr. and Mrs. H. K. Alexander, Mr. Oliver Perry, Mr. and Mrs,
Arza Chapin, Mr. and Mrs. J. Norcott, Misses Nellie Pierce, Claribel Warren,
Ada Perry and Minnie Brownell and Mr. Louis Bean of McGrawville; Mr. and Mrs.
Belden, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Jaquit, Messrs. Floyd and Carrol Miner of Homer; Mr.
and Mrs. S. Burgess of Little York; Miss Stella Tracy of Rochester, Miss Jessie
Hoxie of Auburn, Miss Ruth Crandall of Buffalo, Mr. Harvey E. Stone of
Freetown, and Mr. and Mrs. Mark Brownell, Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Bushby, Mr. and
Mrs. George L. Warren, Miss Lelia Warren and Messrs. Charles A. Brownell and William
Angel of Cortland.
Scott.
SCOTT, March 28.—Mr. and Mrs. Henry C.
Babcock are spending a few weeks in Truxton with their daughter, Mrs. Myron H.
Crosley.
Mr. Sylvester Hazard has moved into a part
of his father's, L. S. Hazard, house.
Mr. James Unckless has moved into the
Childs' house north of the S. D. B. church.
E. H. P. Potter and son sold four fat steers
to F. T. Newcomb and delivered them at Homer last Monday.
Mr. William N. Babcock expects to monopolize
the blacksmithing business the coming season, as he has hired Clark Fritts, and
Frank Cutler is going to New Hope. Mr. Hiram Babcock is unable to run his shop
by reason of the infirmities of more than eighty years.
Mr. E. W. Childs is doing a thriving business
in running two flax mills, one in the old stone building that was used for a
wagon shop by Thomas and Nelson Coop in 1840 and years later.
The McConnell girls are successfully running
the store, the responsibility of which was so suddenly thrown upon them by the
death of their father less than a year ago.
Merton Whiting is doing a good business in
the line of selling dry goods and groceries.
Clayton C. Clark is working hard at selling
groceries, hardware, drugs, medicines, etc.
Byron L. Barber, being the only cobbler in
the village, is monopolizing the trade by doing the best kind of work at reasonable
prices.
The most profitable business and that which
requires the most help to carry on the trade successfully is the manufacturing
establishments located on the two corners; they have a large force in their employ
of both old and young and they are not required to pass the civil service examination
before they can be admitted, but are taken in on trial, and if a beginner
should happen, by overdoing, to become incompetent for business, he can have a
furlough for a short time, but is not expected to be absent more than twenty-four
hours, when he is to return with renewed energy for the benefit of his
employer, but if he becomes incapacitated by reason of a want of finance, he
has a recommend to a certain charitable institution.
Truxton.
TRUXTON, March 26.—Sugaring is the order of
the day.
The
Woman's Christian Temperance union will meet with Mrs. Hiram J. Bosworth Friday
afternoon. All members are requested to be present.
A maple sugar festival will be held at the
A. O. U. W. hall Thursday evening under the auspices of the I. O. G. T. lodge
of this place. A fine program will be given. Rev. W. H. Robertson of this place
and Mr. W. H. Bradt of Cortland are expected to speak. A cordial invitation is
extended to everyone to go. Let there be a large attendance. A fine time is assured.
Remember the date, Thursday evening, March 30.
Mr. Arthur Meldrim of Cortland spent Sunday
in town.
Mr. Charles F. Bennett closes his store here
to-day. Mr. Bennett, during his stay here, has had a large trade. His many
friends are sorry he is to give up his store here. He moves his goods to his
store at East Homer.
Mr. Cummings of Tully is the new clerk at
Wescott & Stanton's.
School commences in the village tomorrow.
Mr. E. D. Clark of Cortland has charge of the senior department and Miss Mattie
Van Hoesen of the primary.
Mr. T. F. Herlihy, station agent at Etna,
visited at his home here yesterday.
Mr. Wm. Bell was in Cortland Saturday afternoon.
Mr. D. J. Pinder, who has been very sick, is
better.
Faster services will be held at the Methodist
church next Sunday evening by the M. E. Sunday-school. A fine program
consisting of solos, duets, recitations, etc., will be given. A cordial invitation
is extended to all.
All members of the Methodist Sunday school are
requested to meet at the church Wednesday evening to rehearse the Easter
program to be given at the church Sunday evening.
Truxton is to have a ball team this year.
Several of the players who played last year will play this year. Among them are
A. R. Muller, J. L. Twentyman, C. W. Beattie, Albert Curtis, C. F. Beattie and
E. M. Stanton. Mr. T. F. Herlihy, who caught last year, is now in Etna and P.
J. Peckham, who played 1st base, is in Cortland so there will be several new
players in the team this year. The team last year lost but one out of nine
games, and we trust the team this year will have as good a record. They will
play their first game here May 30.
Several members of the I. O. G. T. lodge met
with the Meldrim brothers Saturday evening to arrange for the festival to be held
Thursday evening.
Teachers' examinations for 2nd and 3d grade
certificates will be held here by Commissioner Coon Saturday, April 1.
The grangers had an oyster supper at Dodd's
hall last Friday evening. They report a pleasant time.
Prof. L. B. McKean. a blind man, gave a
concert at Woodward hall Thursday evening.
Mr. E. A. Stafford bought a large number of
calves yesterday. Mr. R. R. Stewart also bought several loads.
Maple sugar is bringing 8 1/2 cents per
pound.
Mr. Henry D. Thompson is in Syracuse repairing
a barn on his farm there.
The Last factory is soon to meet a large
building in which to store lasts.
School commenced in the Kenney district
Monday.
Mr. C. R. Freeman, who has been attending
school at Cazenovia, has returned home.
CRAZY PAT. [pen name of local correspondent.]
CRAZY PAT. [pen name of local correspondent.]
Preble.
PREBLE, March 31.—Mrs. Charles Fox of New
Woodstock is visiting her sister, Mrs. Eugene Maycumber.
The Ladies' Aid society of the Presbyterian
church will give a maple sugar festival at Mrs. R. Van Hoesen's this evening.
G. A. Crofoot has purchased the Orton farm
for $3,800 and Mrs. Warn has bought Andrew Gray's place in the village for
$2,700.
Mr. and Mrs. John Klock of Homer visited
friends in town this week.
Rev. M. S. Leete was obliged to postpone his
lecture Thursday evening on account of sickness.
Dr. H. T. Dana of Cortland was called to
counsel with Dr. Hunt in the case of A. Fransisco, Thursday. Mr. Fransisco is
in a very critical condition.
About
Those Brownies.
The Brownies are coming. The dude, the
Chinaman, the Indian, the Irishman, the Yankee, the Dutchman, the policeman,
the clown—all will appear at the Opera House April 11 and 12.
A Good
Plan.
At the regular meeting of the protective
police last evening a committee was appointed to wait on the board of trustees
and request them to have the mode of giving an alarm of fire changed. As it is
now, when the lever to a box is pulled down it rings the number of a box three
times. It is proposed that after this alarm has been sounded to have the
janitor ring the bell by hand, giving a general alarm in order that there will
be no mistake of there being a fire. The number of the box will then be
repeated and the regular and general alarms alternated according to the location
and fierceness of the fire. This seems to be a good plan as the alarms sent out
by broken wires have fooled the firemen many times, so that when there is a
fire they can hardly be blamed for not wanting to leave their cosy homes.
BREVITIES.
—There is no stock report to-day, as it is
Good Friday.
—Dr. H P. Johnson is to-day moving from 18
Tompkins-st. to 29 Clayton-ave.
—The Jewish feast of the Passover begins
to-night and will continue for one week.
—At a special meeting of Orris Hose Co. last
night it was voted to attend the carnival at the armory next Thursday night in
full uniform.
—Wescott is moving his photograph gallery to
the new Miller building. He will fit up a gallery that will stand second to
none of those in this section of the state.
—Mr. H. M. Barrett had two telephones
connected with the exchange today. One at his office on Groton-ave. and the
other at his factory near the brick schoolhouse on Groton-ave.
—These are the days in which bicycle agents
make hay. Every one who has not a wheel wants one. The front of the store of G.
F. Beaudry was this morning surrounded by a great crowd of men inspecting his
line of wheels that stood out before the door.
— It appears upon investigation that the
cards that have appeared all over town bearing the inscription "B. G. M.
B. C." have reference to the Brown Glee, Mandolin and Banjo clubs which give
an entertainment at the Opera House next Tuesday night.
—During the last three weeks Mr. E. B. Richardson
has sold twenty-two high grade bicycles, all to parties in Cortland. They
include eleven Hickory, four Liberty, three Eclipse, two Central, one Juno and
one Falcon. Mr. Richardson received five new wheels this morning.
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