Liberal Publisher Sues Upstart Daily in Kansas

Posted Thursday, December 11, 2008 12:00 am

By: The 121-year-old newspaper in the southwest Kansas town of Liberal is suing its upstart competition -- a daily publication in the same town that's published by its former employees.

The lawsuit against Seward County Publishing was filed Tuesday by Liberal Publishing Co., which operates the Southwest Times. The suit also names six former employees who started the new High Plains Daily Leader in May.

Court papers allege computer fraud and breach of duty by the former employees. It also accuses them of defamation, civil conspiracy and interfering with business relations.

Daily Leader publisher Earl Watt denies the accusations, saying the action is a last-ditch effort to force his new paper out of business.

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Liberal Publisher Sues Upstart Daily in Kansas

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