Gerlach v. Gruett
Wisconsin Supreme Court
Appeal from a judgment of the circuit court for Fond du Lac county: Chester A. Fowler, Circuit Judge. Action for libel based upon three letters written by the defendant, a member of the church of which the plaintiff was the minister, and addressed respectively to Rev. A. F. Augus-tin, Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Rev. O. Gammelin, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, and Rev. A. Pilger, Ripon, Wisconsin, which letters were received and read by the respective persons to whom they were addressed.
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Appeal from a judgment of the circuit court for Fond du Lac county: Chester A. Fowler, Circuit Judge. Action for libel based upon three letters written by the defendant, a member of the church of which the plaintiff was the minister, and addressed respectively to Rev. A. F. Augus-tin, Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Rev. O. Gammelin, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, and Rev. A. Pilger, Ripon, Wisconsin, which letters were received and read by the respective persons to whom they were addressed. The letters were written in the German language and were translated as follows: “Rosendale, Wisconsin, Aug. 20,' 1919.…
1Opinion of the CourtVinje, J.
It was suggested upon the oral argument that there was an inconsistency between answers to questions 1 and 2 and 4 and 5 because questions 1 and 4 as answered included a finding that defendant was actuated by good-faith motives and not by malice and hence contradicted the answers to questions 2 and 5 finding malice. In view of the instructions given and the wording of the questions we think the answers to questions 1 and 4 found only that the purpose fon which the letters were written and the persons to whom they were directed were within the field of conditional privilege and that the…
2Cases cited10 opinions
- Arnold v. IngramWisconsin Supreme Court · 1913
- Heimlich v. TaborWisconsin Supreme Court · 1905
- Williams v. Hicks Printing Co.Wisconsin Supreme Court · 1914
- Rude v. NassWisconsin Supreme Court · 1891
- Joseph v. BaarsWisconsin Supreme Court · 1910
5 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by11 opinions
- Woodhouse v. Woodhouse Et Ux.Supreme Court of Vermont · 1925
- Ranous v. HughesWisconsin Supreme Court · 1966
- McCauley v. International Trading Co.Wisconsin Supreme Court · 1954
- Jolitz v. FintchWisconsin Supreme Court · 1938
- Bean v. Central Maine Power Co.Supreme Judicial Court of Maine · 1934
6 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.