Washington v. Lane Cotton Mills Co.

This is an appeal from a judgment rejecting a demand for damages. The cause of action was that an employee— the purchasing agent — of the defendant made affidavit against the plaintiff, accusing her of having stolen five yards of cloth from the company, and caused her to be arrested and imprisoned. She was acquitted of the charge, and avers that it was made maliciously and without probable cause.

The circumstances which caused the plaintiff to be suspected of the theft are not dis*912puted. A colored man named Keppler was caught stealing sacks from one of the defendant’s warehouses. He confessed…