Stevenson v. Hayden
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
This was an action of the case for words. The declaration contained three counts. The first alleges that the plaintiff is a constable of the town of Boston, and that the defendant, “ contriving and maliciously intending to hurt, injure, and degrade, the plaintiff in his aforesaid good name, character, and reputation, and in his said office, and to cause it to be believed that he had acted unjustly, deceitfully, and dishonorably, in his said office, and to subject him to the…
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This was an action of the case for words. The declaration contained three counts. The first alleges that the plaintiff is a constable of the town of Boston, and that the defendant, “ contriving and maliciously intending to hurt, injure, and degrade, the plaintiff in his aforesaid good name, character, and reputation, and in his said office, and to cause it to be believed that he had acted unjustly, deceitfully, and dishonorably, in his said office, and to subject him to the pains and penalties by the laws of this commonwealtn provided against those who commit any kind of cheating, deceit, or…
1Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
Sedgwick, J.
(After reciting the substance of the declaration, he proceeded.) The words “ swindler, swindling,” &c., have been very lately adopted into the English language, and are as yet of indefinite meaning; and it is sufficient to determine the question before the Court that they do not, with certainty, import an indictable offence. These terms were imported into this country from England, and into that from Germany. In their passage hither, when first used in the English language, and before they became naturalized here, they obtained a meaning,…
2Cited by4 opinions
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