Dempsky v. Double

Opinion by

Mr. Chief Justice Horace Stern,

In this libel action the trial court entered a compulsory nonsuit which was affirmed by the court en banc, and piaintiff_.appeals.

In May, 1950, a so-called “free-work probe” was being conducted in the City of Pittsburgh. It consisted of an investigation into the possible misuse' of public property by local officials, especially the use of county vehicles by county employees for private purposes, and it was much publicized at the time in the newspapers.

On May 9, 1950, one of the defendants, Esther Smith, wrote a letter to the Controller of Allegheny…