W. L. Jones v. The State (Texas): November 24, 1897

A publication by W. L. Jones and W. H. Noble, charging Irish conductors on the Galveston City Railroad with being, among other things, "descendants of Oscar Wilde (meaning that they commit the crime of sodomy)", is the basis of a libel suit.

Excerpt from the appeals court decision in a libel case decided November 24, 1897, appealed from the Criminal District Court of Galveston, and tried there before Hon. E. D. Cavin. Attorney Wilford H. Smith, for appellant W. L. Jones.

Omitting the formal parts of the indictment, it charges that "defendant and W. H. Noble, on the 14th of November, 1896, in the county of Galveston, in the State of Texas, with force and arms, then and there, with intent to injure A. S. Spurgeon" and others, setting them out by name, "did unlawfully and maliciously make, write, print, publish, sell, and circulate a malicious statement of and concerning the said A. S. Spurgeon" and others mentioned, "and affecting the reputation of the said A. S. Spurgeon" and others mentioned, "who were then and there conductors employed by the Galveston City Railroad Company, on the various lines in the city of Galveston, Texas, which malicious statement was of the tenor following, to wit:

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"'Irish Snides. It is really disgusting, to say the least, for one to take notice and see how the Irish snidesemployed by the street car company (meaning the Galveston City Railroad Company) as conductors on the various lines of this city (meaning the city of Galveston) discriminate.

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With a few exceptions, these cowboys, escaped lunatics, and imported lords have a way of their own, and discriminate with a vim.

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These whelps seem to forget that they are public servants, and treat our best colored ladies with a contempt that could only be found in a Yale chump.

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Some few nights ago a colored lady, while dismounting from an East L car, was thrown to the ground by the mangy ape that poses as conductor ringing the bell before she was off the step.

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And the lousy litttle puppy, that scarcely speaks English, said to a white gentleman, that spoke of the danger of such proceedings, that she was a 'she coon.'

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Has it come to this? Such pimps (meaning one who provides the means and opportunities for libidinous gratification; that is to say, a procurer for the lusts of others) as this, men so low that they would willingly sell the virtue of their sister for a drink, the descendants of Oscar Wilde (meaning that they commit the crime of sodomy), greasy curs, foulsmelling scavengers, are imported to this country to insult and humiliate the people that help to make these enterprises—that build up and support these public affairs.

We coons! Some of the best families of America have raised coons. I expect that foreign whelp is a coon, but the woman in question is a colored lady. Perhaps I am a coon, but I would not give one drop of my 'cooney' blood for a barrel of the 'blud' of such 'bludy' Irish snides.

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It's time that the car company should right these wrongs, and employ only respectable, intelligent men, that will do justice to all alike. We pay a nickel, and we demand a nickel's worth. There is too many intelligent men in this country to import such beastly bastards to insult the people here."

The entire report follows:

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