Burkhart v. North American Co.

Citations

• 214 Pa. 39
• 63 A. 410
• 1906 Pa. LEXIS 593

Syllabus

<p>Libel — Evidence—Professional reputation.</p> <p>Where at the trial of an action for libel there is no attack of any kind, open or covert, on plaintiff’s reputation, evidence of the plaintiff’s professional reputation is inadmissible.</p> <p>Where in an action for libel by a bassoon player against a newspaper, 'it appears that the plaintiff was designated in the article not by his name, but by a general reference to the instrument which he played, it is not error to affirm a point of the defendant to the effect that “if the jury believe that the article published does not designate or identify the plaintiff the verdict would be for the defendant.”</p> <p>The truth of the facts published is in general a defense in a civil action for libel, though the benefit of such defense may be lost where the matter described is a private one, with which the defendant or the public has no legitimate concern, or where even if the substance of the matter was proper the manner and style rendered the publication libelous.</p>