Mr. G. L. Shaw Against " Far Eastern Review": Claim for $100,000
The beginning of a lawsuit which promises to be of an important nature, not only locally but international ly, was heard the United States Court for China last Friday, when Mr. Sterling Fessenden, of Messrs. Fessenden Holcomb, filed on behalf of Mr. George L. Shaw, a petition against George Bronson Rea and_ Patrick Gallagher, publisher and editor respectively of a monthly magazine known as the "Far Eastern Re-
Plaintiff, who is a British subject and a resident of Antung, was arrested and imprisoned last summer by the Japanese authorities in Korea on a charge of having no passport. Mr. Shaw was kept imprisoned until last November when he was released on bail. The matter is now in the hands of the British Foreign Office.
Both defendants, who are American citizens, are alleged to have "wrongfully and maliciously, with the intent to injure plaintiff and bring him into public disgrace and scandal, in and during the month of September, 1920, written and published in the said 'Far Eastern Review' an article concerning plaintiff entitled, 'Asiatic Sinn Fein'." In this article plaintiff is described as "one of the active leaders of Asiatic Sinn Fein"; as an "Asiatic Sinn Feiner in particularly good standing"; as having "made no attempt to hide his interest in the cause of Korean rebellion—the first Principle of Asiatic Sinn Fein"; and as "doing in Korea work along the lines followed in Ireland by Mr. Frank P. Walsh, ex-Governor Dunne, and Mr. Michael P. Ryan, ete.
The petition alleges that "by the writing and publishing of the aforesaid words and article, defendants meant and intended it to be understood by all persons who read such words and article that plaintiff is a Sinn Feiner, an Asiatic Sinn Feiner, an enemy of human _progress, and an enemy of Great Britain and other countries, the Allies and the friends of Great Britain. That all the aforesaid article and words are false and defamatory, and the publication thereof as aforesaid has injured the plaintiff in his reputation in the sum of $50,000."
The plaintiff therefore asks for judgement against each of the defendants in the sum of $50,000, costs and other relief.
Mr. P. M. Linebarger is appearing to defend Mr. Gallagher.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.