Barnes v. Hamon

Citations

• 71 Ill. 609

Syllabus

<p>1. Slander—words spoken to be taken in their common and, reasonable sense. Words spoken, when an action is founded upon them, are to be taken in the sense which men of common and reasonable understanding would ascribe to them.</p> <p>2. Declaration in slander—when sufficient. A declaration, in an action for slander, which alleges that the defendant, in a certain discourse which the defendant had concerning the plaintiff, and of and concerning the burning of a dwelling house, not the property of the plaintiff, but the property of the defendant, which had been wilfully and maliciously burned and destroyed by Are, by some means unknown, and not by the owner, said that the plaintiff burned it, and did thereby charge the plaintiff with the crime of arson, is sufficient.</p> <p>3. Special verdict. It is wholly discretionary with the court to require the jury to find a special verdict upon any fact of the case.</p>