Eckart v. Wilson
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
This was a writ of error to the Court of Common Pleas of Lancaster county, in an action of slander brought by Jacob Eckart against John Wilson, in which the jury found a verdict for the defendant.
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This was a writ of error to the Court of Common Pleas of Lancaster county, in an action of slander brought by Jacob Eckart against John Wilson, in which the jury found a verdict for the defendant. The declaration charged the defendant with uttering 1he following words to the plaintiff: “you have killed Bob Waters; you have poisoned him and I can prove it. ” The facts of the case were, that at an arbitration, in which a suit between the parties was trying, and which took place in Jiugust, 1816, at the Hat Tavern, in Lancaster county, the defendant in the presence of several persons, told the…
1Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
Duncan, J.
The court have been called on by the defendant in error, to file their opinion, with the reasons, of record. •
I have, therefore, examined the questions of law with more attention than their importance, or any difficulty in their solution required. The action is slander, for these words, “ you have killed Bob Waters, you have poisoned him, and I can prove it.” On the plea of not guilty, on examination of the plaintiff’s witnesses, it appeared, that Bob Waters was alive when the words were spoken, and, therefore, it was contended, that the…
2Cited by3 opinions
- Carroll v. WhiteNew York Supreme Court · 1861
- Perselly v. BaconSupreme Court of Missouri · 1855
- Deford v. MillerSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1831