M v. J
Wisconsin Supreme Court
Appeal from a judgment of tbe circuit court for Oconto county: W. B. QulnxaN, Circuit Judge. This is an action to recover damages for slander. The plaintiff became the housekeeper for the defendant in October, 1911, and by arrangement brought her twelve-year-old son with her. She remained in this position about two and one-half years, at which time she informed defendant that she had decided to leave on account of the heavy burdens of caring for defendant’s imbecile son.
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Appeal from a judgment of tbe circuit court for Oconto county: W. B. QulnxaN, Circuit Judge. This is an action to recover damages for slander. The plaintiff became the housekeeper for the defendant in October, 1911, and by arrangement brought her twelve-year-old son with her. She remained in this position about two and one-half years, at which time she informed defendant that she had decided to leave on account of the heavy burdens of caring for defendant’s imbecile son. Defendant wished plaintiff to remain in his employ and endeavored to induce her to do so. Plaintiff left defendant and went…
1Opinion of the CourtSiebecKeb, J.
The allegations of the complaint set forth a good cause of action. The alleged defamatory words impute to the plaintiff a want of chastity and in their ordinary meaning charge her with an offense made punishable by law in this state. A false oral charge of this nature has been held actionable per se. Ranger v. Goodrich, 17 Wis. 78; Mayer v. Schleichter, 29 Wis. 646; Hacker v. Heiney, 111 Wis. 313, 87 N. W. 249. To render the alleged oral utterance nonactionable on the ground that the hearers did not understand the colloquium to charge the offense conveyed by the words spoken, it must be shown…
2Cases cited5 opinions
- Hacker v. HeineyWisconsin Supreme Court · 1901
- Ranger v. GoodrichWisconsin Supreme Court · 1863
- Kloths v. HessWisconsin Supreme Court · 1906
- Hamlin v. FantlWisconsin Supreme Court · 1903
- Mayer v. SchleichterWisconsin Supreme Court · 1872
3Cited by1 opinion
- Grant v. YatesWisconsin Supreme Court · 1924