The Press: Hits & Myths

After pocketing a passel of prizes for its series exposing a Teamster-led conspiracy to take over Portland's rackets (TIME, April 8), the Portland Oregonian (circ. 232,338) sprouted a new Page One slogan: "Grand Slam of American Journalism." The Oregon Journal (181,210), which doggedly argued that there was more sham than slam to its competitor's exclusives, last week found much to savor when a jury acquitted Teamster Organizer Clyde Cardinal Crosby on charges of conspiracy to accept a bribe. Reason: Crosby had been charged with racketeering by Gambler Jim Elkins, who also led Oregonian Reporters William Lambert and Wallace Turner to the story.

Crosby's acquittal tasted particularly sweet to the Journal, since it had broken out 180-point type earlier this month to banner the acquittal on perjury charges of Mayor Terry Schrunk (TIME, July 8), another key figure named by Elkins. "The vaunted truthfulness of Elkins," crowed the Journfal, "was quickly exposed as an unadulterated myth." When the Journal pressed its advantage by urging dismissal of the ten other charges facing Schrunk and Crosby last week, the Oregonian countered with an editorial criticizing the "weakness of the prosecution." Both papery nonetheless gave the trials top news play. And if Oregonians were tiring of this hit-and-myth exchange, there was little prospect of relief. To be tried this fall are 114 indictments against 41 individuals (including Schrunk and Crosby), plus $1,600,000 in libel suits that Crosby has filed against the Oregonian.