Mengel v. Reading Eagle Co.
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Appeal, No. 211, Jan. T., 1912, by plaintiffs, from judgment of C. P. Berks Co., Aug. T., 1908, No. 74, on verdict for defendant in case of J. Hain Mengel and Ralph H. Mengel, doing business as Mengel & Mengel, v. Reading Eagle Company. Trespass for libel. Before Endlich, P. J. From the record it appeared that one Kornacki brought a suit in trespass against Mengel & Mengel, real estate, loan, and insurance agents.
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Appeal, No. 211, Jan. T., 1912, by plaintiffs, from judgment of C. P. Berks Co., Aug. T., 1908, No. 74, on verdict for defendant in case of J. Hain Mengel and Ralph H. Mengel, doing business as Mengel & Mengel, v. Reading Eagle Company. Trespass for libel. Before Endlich, P. J. From the record it appeared that one Kornacki brought a suit in trespass against Mengel & Mengel, real estate, loan, and insurance agents. After the suit was begun, but before the statement of claim was filed, defendant’s reporter went to the office of Kornacki’s attorney, and secured a copy of the statement of claim…
1Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
Mr. Justice Brown,
The main complaint of the appellants is that the learned trial judge failed to instruct the jury that the publication which led to this action was libelous. If he had so instructed them, he would have erred.
Written or printed words injurious to one in his business, calling, trade or profession are libelous; and if, standing alone, “the common understanding of mankind takes hold of the published words, and at once, *371without difficulty or doubt, applies a libelous meaning to them,” they are to be so construed as a matter of law: Hayes v. Press Company, 127 Pa. 642. If…
2Cases cited8 opinions
- Collins v. Dispatch Publishing Co.Supreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1893
- Hayes v. Press Co.Supreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1889
- Price v. ConwaySupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1890
- Wilkinson v. North East BoroughSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1906
- Pittock & Mills v. O'NiellSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1870
3 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by27 opinions
- Bogash v. ElkinsSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1962
- Washington Times Co. v. BonnerCourt of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit · 1936
- Clark v. AllenSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1964
- Doe v. Kohn Nast & Graf, P.C.District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania · 1994
- Lybrand v. State Co.Supreme Court of South Carolina · 1936
22 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.