Drebin v. Jewish World Publishing Co.

Citations

• 262 Pa. 169
• 105 A. 58
• 1918 Pa. LEXIS 612

Syllabus

<p>Libel and slander — Charge of wife-beating — Words libelous per se — Innuendo—Pleadings—Case for jury.</p> <p>1. A newspaper article charging that plaintiff was guilty o£ beating and ill-treating his wife is calculated to expose the person so charged to disgrace, odium and contempt in the eyes of his friends, and is libelous per se.</p> <p>2. If words are defamatory, the law will presume the damage.</p> <p>3. It is not necessary that all the words laid in a declaration for libel should be actionable. It is sufficient that some of them are.</p> <p>4. The question as to whether or not the innuendo in an action for libel is warranted by the language declared on is for the court.</p> <p>5. Where a declaration in an action for libel averred that defendant had published an article charging plaintiff with beating and illtreating his wife and further that defendant had charged plaintiff by innuendo with conspiring with his brother to place his wife in an insane asylum, it was not material that the allegations as to the innuendo of conspiracy could not be maintained; the charge of wife-beating being libelous per se, and the ease should have been submitted to the jury.</p>