Viewing "The Frank Day vs. Humphrey Blaisdell Libel Suit" (1891).

"The Frank Day vs. Humphrey Blaisdell Libel Suit" (1891).

Over three days in November 1891 an unusual libel suit between the editors of the two Fairmont newspapers was tried in Martin County District Court. The plaintiff was Frank A. Day, the publisher of the Martin County Sentinel; the defendant was Humphrey M. Blaisdell, the publisher of the rival Fairmont News.

A year earlier Humphrey printed in many issues of the News scathing denunciations of Day, who was running for re-election to the Minnesota Senate. One onslaught on October 14, 1890, provoked the Senator to demand a retraction required by the "Act to Regulate Actions for Libel" (1887), which Blaisdell refused. Day then brought an action for libel. A year passed before the case was tried. The result: Day was magnanimous in victory, Blaisdell bitter in defeat.

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