Acre v. Starkweather

This is an action for slander. The declaration alleged that the defendant used the following language of and concerning the plaintiff: “He is a thief, he stole my paint brushes and painting clothes.” Plaintiff gave evidence that the words charged were uttered by defendant while upon the witness stand on a trial of a case of the people against this same plaintiff in which plaintiff was charged with the larceny of some turkeys. The defendant was a witness in that case, called by the prosecution to prove that the reputation of the plaintiff was bad. He so testified. According to the version of…