Taylor v. Ziem

Plaintiff, a vessel master, recovered a judgment of $2,000 against defendant for libel. The libelous article was a letter written by defendant to Charles Chamberlain, a vessel owner and broker of Detroit. The defense was that the letter was privileged and its statements were true. It is not necessary to give the contents of this letter. If it was not a privileged communication, its statements were libelous, A motion for a new trial was made upon the ground that the verdict was excessive and not warranted by the evidence; that $1,500 of said verdict *330allowed as injury to feelings was excessive,…