Johnson v. Hager

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Hutchison, J.:

This was an action to recover $5,000 damages for each of four allegations of slander and $10,000 punitive damages, making a total of $30,000. It was brought by a sister-in-law of the defendant.

The first cause of action alleged that defendant charged plaintiff on May 30, 1936, with murdering her own husband and her mother-in-law, who were the brother and mother of the defendant, by saying in the cemetery in the hearing of others, “Right there are your victims, you murdered them.” The second cause of action charged defendant with calling…