Deseret Evening News | 1909-12-31 | Page 7 | Hearst's Publishers Must Pay Fine

PUBLISHERS MUST PAY FINE New York Dec CO The argument that a corporation having no soul could not commit a crime was vas sot aside today by the appellate division of or the tho court which upheld uphold tho the action of or the lower court In Imposing a n 2000 fine fino against the Star company publishers of ot tho Now York American for libeling John D P Rockefeller Jr In defending tho the suit Clarence R Shearn has argued that a corporation having neither soul conscience mind of at entertain entertaining nor feeling Is incapable ing a n mischievous and malicious in intent tont tent which 1 Is Ia an essential e element In criminal libel The court held that It was once onca thought that a corporation could c uld not commit a crime but by slow degrees and und following upon tho the extension of or ortho tho the practise of or organizing corporations for tor tho purpose of avoiding the penal penalties tics ties of ot alleged acts the tho courts have reached a IL different conclusion Tho The libel reaffirmed today was wan pub published published in December 1908 and stated that Mr Rockefeller had originateS el ela a a system of ot peonage in a a stockade at atthe tho the plant of ot the Corn Products Refining RefinIng ing log company at Summit Ill III