Farley v. Ranck
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
ERROR to the Common Pleas of Union county. Jacob Farley against John Ranch. This was an action of slander, in which the words alleged to have been spoken were: “ You are going to swear like you swore a hole in the still-kettle, for old Isaac“ thereby meaning that the said Jacob Farley committed perjury on the trial.of a certain issue,” &c. The defendant pleaded “ not guilty, with leave to justify.”
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ERROR to the Common Pleas of Union county. Jacob Farley against John Ranch. This was an action of slander, in which the words alleged to have been spoken were: “ You are going to swear like you swore a hole in the still-kettle, for old Isaac“ thereby meaning that the said Jacob Farley committed perjury on the trial.of a certain issue,” &c. The defendant pleaded “ not guilty, with leave to justify.” The cause was tried principally upon the plea of justification; and the defendant called several- witnesses to prove that what the plaintiff had sworn on the trial of the issue referred to, was…
1Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
Kennedy, J.
This action was instituted for slanderous words alleged to have been spoken by the defendant, of the plaintiff, charging him, in effect, with having been guilty of perjury. The defendant pleaded not guilty, with leave to justify; upon which the plaintiff took issue. The plaintiff, on the trial, proved the speaking of the words by the defendant; and that they were spoken in a somewhat angry manner, in the course of an altercation which arose between the plaintiff and the defendant, about an appeal which the plaintiff wished to take from a…
2Cited by3 opinions
- Barr v. MooreSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1878
- Briggs v. GarrettSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1886
- In re State StreetSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1848