Central of Georgia Railway Co. v. Sheftall
Supreme Court of Georgia
Action for libel. Before Judge Hodges. City court of Macon. June 18, 1903. . The petition alleged, in substance, that on November 9, 1902, the plaintiff was discharged from the service of the defendant as a conductor, because of a mistake as to an order; that his application for reinstatement was pending until January 3, 1903, when it was finally refused; that when discharged he bad in bis possession certain mileage exchange tickets and sleeping-car and parlor-car tickets,…
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Action for libel. Before Judge Hodges. City court of Macon. June 18, 1903. . The petition alleged, in substance, that on November 9, 1902, the plaintiff was discharged from the service of the defendant as a conductor, because of a mistake as to an order; that his application for reinstatement was pending until January 3, 1903, when it was finally refused; that when discharged he bad in bis possession certain mileage exchange tickets and sleeping-car and parlor-car tickets, which were unused and were good for use over the defendant’s line, and which it had given to him as part of a conductor’s…
1Opinion of the Court
Lamar, J.-
1. The defendant insists that the words are not libelous and can not be made such by the construction placed thereon in the plaintiff’s petition. Words which are clearly not defamatory can not have their natural meaning changed by innuendo. Words which are libelous per se do not need an innuendo. But between these two extremes are found many expressions which may be ambiguous, and the real meaning can then be explained by reference to the circumstances. It is for the jury, in such instances, to say whether, in view of all the facts, the writing was libelous. It then becomes a part…
2Cases cited1 opinion
- Woods v. . PangburnNew York Court of Appeals · 1878
3Cited by36 opinions
- Pavesich v. New England Life InsuranceSupreme Court of Georgia · 1904
- Atlanta Journal Co. v. DoyalCourt of Appeals of Georgia · 1950
- David Pope Hood v. Dun & Bradstreet, Inc.Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 1973
- Cook v. . ConnersNew York Court of Appeals · 1915
- Davis v. MacOn Telegraph Publishing Co.Court of Appeals of Georgia · 1956
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