Graham v. Stone

Johnson, Justice.

The answer contains a full and explicit denial of the speaking of the slanderous words charged in the complaint, or any or either of them. There is no, justification set up in the answer. But the defendant has attempted to interpose certain matters as a defence, or by way of mitigation, in his answer, consisting of scandalous reports,QQncerning the plain*16tiff in the neighborhood, characterized in the answer as “ common, gossip,” and which the defendants confessedly did not believe and admit to be untrue.

To this last portion of the answer the plaintiff demurs and assigns…