Gilbert v. Sheldon

By the Court, Shankland, J.

The question raised upon the trial, and decided by the justice who presided, is, whether an impeaching witness may be asked “ if the general character of another witness, is bad,” when the counsel avows his intention to stop there, without asking the further question, whether he, from his knowledge of his general character, would believe him on oath, or whether his character for truth is bad. The court held on the trial at the circuit, that it was not enough, to impeach a witness, to prove his general character bad, but the party must go further, and prove either…