Chapter Ten
One day a young man came before him issuing a complaint for damages
against the newspapers of his city. A young girl had been murdered
after she had been brutally known. He had mistakenly been arrested for
the crime because he bore a resemblance to the actual murderer who
people had seen running away, and, he was found holding a yellow ribbon
that he had picked up in the street.
2 Now, before he had even been tried, the newspapers daily printed
his name, and called him the murderer of children. His Judges, reading
the papers, decided he was guilty before they even heard the evidence.
He was sentenced to death, and only a few hours before the execution
was to take place, the real murderer was caught! He was a madman, who
kept a diary of each of his crimes, and, a souvenir. In these souvenirs
was the actual yellow ribbon he had taken from the girl the man had
been accused of murdering.
3 The man was released, but he said because of the newspaper stories
many of his neighbors would not associate with him, still believing him
a murderer, and he had lost his employment because his employer was
afraid for the safety of his young daughter! The young man demanded
restitution from the newspapers. They had ruined his life, now they had
to support him. The newspapers answered that they were only reporting
the news, and that they weren't responsible for the mistakes that
others made.
4 "I disagree!" announced Bold Fox. "You ARE responsible! You tried
this man before his Judges. You said he was guilty even before the
evidence was heard. You are responsible for what happened. Each of you
will pay the sum he demands, and from now on, I make it a Law- no
newspaper may claim that any person is guilty of