Brown v. Piner

JUDGE ROBERTSON

delivered the opinion op the court.

This action of slander charges the false and malicious utterance of the following words by the appellant against the appellee: “He sheared two of Zack Austin’s sheep, meaning to charge that plaintiff had stolen the wool from two of Zack Austin’s sheep.” “Jesse Piner sheared Zack Austin’s sheep, and kept the loool; thereby meaning to charge plaintiff with the crime of larceny; all of which was slanderous.”

Neither of these charges imports per se a criminal act. The innuendo can not change or enlarge the legal effect of the utterances as alone…