M'Kennon v. Greer
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
ERROR to Juniata county. This was an action on the case for slander by David Greer against Patrick M’Kennon; in which the plaintiff thus laid his charge in his declaration.
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ERROR to Juniata county. This was an action on the case for slander by David Greer against Patrick M’Kennon; in which the plaintiff thus laid his charge in his declaration. “Who gave you” (the said David meaning) “ orders to feed my straw” (the straw of the said Patrick meaning) “ to your cattle” (the cattle of the said David meaning) Í “You” (the said David meaning) “ did take it,” (the straw of the said Patrick meaning) “for it could be seen at the back of the barn” (meaning and intending that the said David was guilty of feloniously taking and carrying away the straw of the said Patrick).…
1Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
Gibson, C. J.
The principle deducible from the decision in Bornman v. Boyer, 3 Binn. 515, was attempted to be ascertained in Thompson v. Lusk, at the last term for the Sunbury district (ante, p. 17); according to which it would seem, that where the words, when considered in connexion with facts and circumstances alleged by the words themselves to be known by the hearers and understood by them, imp ute the existence of guil t w hich can arise but from a specific offence, the charge supposed to result from them may be laid by an innuendo, without recourse…
2Cases cited1 opinion
- Bornman v. BoyerSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1811
3Cited by4 opinions
- Commonwealth v. Keenan & ClarkSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1871
- Lauder v. JonesNorth Dakota Supreme Court · 1904
- Robinson v. KeyserSuperior Court of New Hampshire · 1851
- Stitzell v. ReynoldsSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1868