Branch v. Publishers: George Knapp & Co.
Supreme Court of Missouri
Appeal from Lafayette Circuit Court. — Mon. Samuel Davis, Judge. (1) The publication was not ambiguous or of doubtful import and evidence of witnesses as to its meaning was therefore improperly received. Newell on Slander and Libel, 290. (2)’ The court held the article to be plain and unambiguous and so was bound to declare its meaning as matter of law and erred in submitting it to the jury as a question of fact. Pleller v. Pulitzer Pub.
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Appeal from Lafayette Circuit Court. — Mon. Samuel Davis, Judge. (1) The publication was not ambiguous or of doubtful import and evidence of witnesses as to its meaning was therefore improperly received. Newell on Slander and Libel, 290. (2)’ The court held the article to be plain and unambiguous and so was bound to declare its meaning as matter of law and erred in submitting it to the jury as a question of fact. Pleller v. Pulitzer Pub. Co., 153 Mo. 205; Ukman v. Daily Record Co., 189 Mo. 378; Vedder v. Fellows, 20 N. Y. 768; Massey v. Tingle, 29 Mo. 437; Harrison v. Hance, 37 Mo. 185. (3)…
1Opinion of the CourtGantt, P. J.
This is a suit for libel.
The petition states that the plaintiff is a citizen of Missouri, and a resident of Lafayette county. The defendant is a corporation of Missouri engaged in publishing a daily newspaper known as “The St. Louis Republic, ’ ’ which has a large daily circulation throughout the State of Missouri and other States of the Union and in foreign countries. That at the regular November election held in November, 1904, plaintiff was elected Representative of Lafayette county to the *584General Assembly of Missouri on the Republican ticket, and that he has since duly qualified and taken…
2Cases cited3 opinions
- Julian v. Kansas City Star Co.Supreme Court of Missouri · 1908
- Heller v. Pulitzer Publishing Co.Supreme Court of Missouri · 1899
- Ukman v. Daily Record Co.Supreme Court of Missouri · 1905
3Cited by10 opinions
- Dyer v. Globe-Democrat Publishing Co.Supreme Court of Missouri · 1964
- Tilles v. Pulitzer Publishing Co.Supreme Court of Missouri · 1912
- Cook v. Pulitzer Publishing Co.Supreme Court of Missouri · 1912
- McClung v. Pulitzer PublishIng Co.Supreme Court of Missouri · 1919
- State Ex Rel. Zorn v. CoxSupreme Court of Missouri · 1927
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