Simpson v. M'Beth
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
WRIT of error to Indiana, county. Slander by James M’Beth against Solomon Simpson. The defendant charged the plaintiff with being a thief, and rested his defence upon leave to justify; and among other things gave in evidence the deposition of a witness taken in Ireland, that he “ had seen the plaintiff going with two horses and a wheel car, early on a certain morning, and stealing shells.”
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WRIT of error to Indiana, county. Slander by James M’Beth against Solomon Simpson. The defendant charged the plaintiff with being a thief, and rested his defence upon leave to justify; and among other things gave in evidence the deposition of a witness taken in Ireland, that he “ had seen the plaintiff going with two horses and a wheel car, early on a certain morning, and stealing shells.” On the subject of this evidence the court below said to the jury, “ the witness is not explicit: he says he saw him stealing shells, without stating the quantity or value, nor does he say that they were…
1Per curiam
—In Sidwell v. Evans, 1 Penns. Rep. 385, it was held lhat a judge may not give a legal interpretation to the words of a witness, and say whether in point of law they sustain the allegation of fact. The witnesses here swore positively to the larceny, but without speaking particularly of an asportation or any of the attendant circumstances, though one of them testified that he caught the plaintiff in the fact. The judge concluded his charge by saying, that the evidence was deficient in all legal precision, and that it would not sustain a conviction of larceny. It is difficult to believe that…
2Cited by1 opinion
- Hughs v. PickeringSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1850