Kedrolivansky v. Niebaum

Citations

• 70 Cal. 216
• 11 P. 641
• 1886 Cal. LEXIS 768

Syllabus

<p>Slander—Words Imputing Want of Chastity. —The action was brought to recover damages for an alleged slander. The complaint averred that the defendant said of and concerning the plaintiff, that “ she was a bad woman, and that you had better have nothing to do with her case, as it is a very bad one; that she had not lived with her husband for two years previous to his death, and that she was the cause of her husband’s death; that she had driven him to drinking, and that her husband fell while drunk, and was killed.” It was further alleged that the words signified, and were understood by the hearer to mean, that the plaintiff had deserted her husband, and had, prior to his death, led an unchaste life, and had become enciente while living apart from him, and that sucht bad conduct on her part drove him to drinking, and caused his death. Held, that the complaint stated a cause of action.</p> <p>Id. —Meaning of Ambiguous Words—Question for Jury.—In such a case, the words used being ambiguous, their meaning is for the jury to determine.</p>