Dudley v. Horn

Jun 15, 1852
Reporters:
Before:
Goldthwaite
GOLDTHWAITE, J.

— Tbe declaration alleges, that Elizabeth Horn, wife of Michael Horn, ‍‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‍falsely and maliciously charged tbe plaintiff in error with beating bis wife, so that be made her miscarry, and contains no innuendo ‍‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‍explanatory of tbe words. Tbe ruling of tbe court below, in sustaining a demurrer to this declaration, is tbe point presented by tbe ‍‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‍assignment of errors.

Tbe words charged in tbe declaration do not, of themselves, and without any innuendo, amount to more than a charge that ‍‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‍tbe plaintiff bad committed an assault and battery on bis wife. Tbe speaking of such words is not actionable. Skinner v. White, ‍‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‍1 Dev. & Bat. 473; Andres v. Koppenheafer, 4 S. & R. 261.

Tbe judgment is affirmed.