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Show A LAWYER AND HIS CLIENTS. Ib it most difficult to libel a law yer? Here is a decision just ren dered by the Missouri supreme court which seems to be an answer in the affirmative. A St. Louis paper said of a candidate candi-date for office: "The mere candidacy of such a person as Walsh for such an office should fill the city with alarm. He has no qualifications for the place. His sponsors and his associates are survivors of the most degraded regime re-gime that St. Louis ever knew. He-can He-can have no proper motive in aspi; ing to the place." Walab, It is related, was seeking candidacy to the office of circuit at torney, when the foregoing was pub lished concerning him. He sueil (pr $26,000. The court decided that In as fnr as tho words were not of them Selves actionable without the statement state-ment of extrinsic allegations, which were not given, plaintiff has no causs ot action The court in pari said 'The plaintiff n a lawyer, as ts I vulr.u from his candidacy, and hi? reputation, even by the laity, is not rated or his character measured by the standing of his sponsors and a8 sociates, which we take to mean his clients. The doctrine of noscltur a sociis, which liberally Englished, Is not with seriousness applied to a lawyer who, If engaged In the criminal crimi-nal practice, may have a questionable class of clients, and yet suffer no discredit therefrom in the estimation of the nubile YVIiilo a -.-iniHrlntt- for B public office is not to be subjected to a discussion In the public press of his reputation or character at the ex I pehae Of truth for a lie Is never privileged, privi-leged, it is the right and duty of a newspaper to discuss his fitness for the place he seeks in such a manner ns to present the full facts to the electors elect-ors either by contrast or comparison with other candidates, or by an analysis analy-sis of his individual qualifications." |