The Washington Tribune

Suit Grew Out of Article Claiming Atlanta Man Caused Death of Scott

BALTIMORE, Md.—Two suits of $50,000 each were filed here last week against a local Negro weekly paper by two prominent professional men of Atlanta, Ga.

Austin T. Walden, a well known lawyer of Atlanta, Ga., and Dr. Lorimer D. Milton, head of the Department of Economics and Business Administration, Atlanta University, were allegedly charged in a newspaper article in the Baltimore paper on July 21 with complicity in the murder of W. A. Scott young journalist and founder of the Scott Newspaper Syndicate, publishers of the Atlanta Daily World, and a chain of newspapers in various sections of the country.

Newspaper Man Murdered

It was allegedly recited in the article that Scott was negotiating for the purchase of a building in Atlanta, formerly owned and occupied by the National Benefit Society for $50,000, on which he had paid a deposit of $2,000, and to put a stop to the consummation of this purchase, it was alleged that Attorney Walden and Dr. Milton caused the murder of Scott.

It is alleged in the suits that the newspaper published this false and malicious article without so much as making any investigation of its truth or falsity.

Mr. Walden and Attorney W. Ashbie Hawkins of Baltimore, represent the plaintiffs in the action.

Shooting Mystery

W. A. Scott, well known young newspaper publisher, was murdered last winter while he was attempting to put his car in the garage in the rear of his home.

Although the family of the publisher has posted large rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderers the shooting remains a mystery.