Washington Gas Light Co. v. Lansden
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
Hearing on an appeal by defendants from a judgment on verdict in an action for libel. The Court in its opinion stated the case as follows : This is an action for libel brought by Thomas G. Lansden, the appellee, against the Washington Gas Light Company, John E. McLean, its president, Charles B. Bailey, its secretary, William B. Orme, its assistant secretary, and John Leetch, its general superintendent.
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Hearing on an appeal by defendants from a judgment on verdict in an action for libel. The Court in its opinion stated the case as follows : This is an action for libel brought by Thomas G. Lansden, the appellee, against the Washington Gas Light Company, John E. McLean, its president, Charles B. Bailey, its secretary, William B. Orme, its assistant secretary, and John Leetch, its general superintendent. The declaration charges that the defendants did compose and publish, and did cause and procure to be composed and published, a certain libel, set out in the declaration, of and concerning the…
1Opinion of the CourtChief Justice Alvey
It has not been seriously contended that the article itself as published is not libellous; but the question is, who are liable for the publication ? Any and all publications in writing or in print, imputing to another crime, or disgraceful, or fraudulent, or dishonest conduct, or which are injurious to the private character or credit of another, or which tend to render a party ridiculous or contemptible in the relations of private life, are libellous, and an action for damages is maintainable against the writer and publisher, unless the publication is embraced within that class of…
2Cases cited6 opinions
- MINOR v. the Mechanics Bank of AlexandriaSupreme Court of the United States · 1828
- Philadelphia, Wilmington, & Baltimore Railroad v. QuigleySupreme Court of the United States · 1859
- Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Ry. Co. v. JamesTexas Supreme Court · 1889
- Holmes v. . JonesNew York Court of Appeals · 1895
- Fogg v. Boston & Lowell RailroadMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1889
1 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by1 opinion
- Cohen v. Marx Jewelry Co.Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit · 1937