The Legislature Raids

Someone recently suggested that I should be careful to keep using the word "alleged" when referring to criminal activities in which persons may (or may not) be involved.

It reminded me of Bob Edwards who a century ago, launched and edited a newspaper called "The Calgary Eyeopener", which it surely was.

Bob, a Scot with a good education, wrote the truth as he saw it -- usually in unflattering terms -- and the more exalted his subject, the more ruthless was Bob's scrutiny of them -- and his readers loved it. Well, most of his readers loved it.

But after a while, his publisher advised Bob to use the word "alleged" more, explaining his advice "as being safer in case of libel suits."

So on 4 April 1902, in his Calgary Eyeopener, the unrepentant Bob shared this advice with his readers, and then wrote, "We'll use the word right now. J.W. Pringar of Cayley, with his alleged daughter, paid High River a visit last week. After putting his alleged horse in the barn, Mr Pringar filled up on some alleged whiskey which seemed to affect his alleged brains.

"It was alleged by those who saw him capering about the burg that he is under ordinary circumstances an alleged man but few who saw him climb our flagstaff backwards will believe that he is other than a monkey.

"Mr Pringar and his alleged daughter, after making extensive purchases of alleged pork sausages from George Meyer, returned home the same evening, Miss P. driving."

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From "The Best of Bob Edwards" edited by the historian Hugh A. Dempsey. Hurtig Publishers, Edmonton AB, 1975. ISBN 0-88830-096-4.
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