King v. Ballard

Rost, J.*

This is an action of slander. It was tried before a jury, who found for the plaintiff $14,000 damages, and the defendant has appealed from the judgment rendered on the verdict.

The parties to this suit are both men of character and intelligence, living on their estates in the vicinity of each other, and having, as country gentlemen usually have, a great deal of spare time upon their hands. They were once intimate friends, and delighted in doing each other friendly offices, but their kindly relations have long since ceased and we are pained to say that they have been too much disposed…