Skinner v. . White
Supreme Court of North Carolina
This was an action of slander, in which the declaration stated, that the defendant said of the plaintiff, “ that he harboured a runaway negro belonging to Jonathan Reddick, and he could prove it; and he should be prosecuted for it.”
Read the full summary
This was an action of slander, in which the declaration stated, that the defendant said of the plaintiff, “ that he harboured a runaway negro belonging to Jonathan Reddick, and he could prove it; and he should be prosecuted for it.” Upon the trial at Chowan, on the last Circuit, before his Honor Judge Dick, the jury found the defendant guilty of having spoken the words charged in the declaration, and assessed the plaintiff’s damages to three hundred and twenty-five dollars, but subject to the opinion of the Court upon the question'reserved, whether the words were in themselves actionable.…
1Opinion of the Court
Daniel, Judge.
— An act of assembly passed in the year 1821, (Taylor’s Rev. ch. 1120,) declares, that if any person shall harbour or maintain any runaway slave, such person shall be subject to indictment for such offence, and being convicted, shall be fined not exceeding one hundred dollars, and be imprisoned not exceeding six months. The declaration states, that the defendant said of the plaintiff, that “ he harboured a runaway negro belonging to Jonathan Reddick, and he could prove it; and he should be prosecuted for it.” The question is, whether the words spoken are slanderous, and in…
2Cases cited4 opinions
- Chapman v. GilletSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1816
- Shaffer v. KintzerSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1809
- Widrig v. OyerNew York Supreme Court · 1816
- Andres v. KoppenheaferSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1817
3Cited by2 opinions
- Brady v. . WilsonSupreme Court of North Carolina · 1825
- Wall v. . HoskinsSupreme Court of North Carolina · 1844