Wells v. Times Printing Co.

Citations

• 77 Wash. 171
• 137 P. 457
• 1913 Wash. LEXIS 1913

Syllabus

<p>Libel and Slander — Words Libelous Per Se — What Constitutes. Newspaper articles plainly intended to bring a person into public hatred, contempt, or ridicule, are libelous per se, although not attacking him in his business or profession, or charging him with an infamous crime.</p> <p>Same — Words Libelous Per Se — Special Damages — Pleading— Complaint — Sufficiency. Newspaper articles are libelous per se without alleging special damages, where they falsely and maliciously charge plaintiff with the violation of a statute defining the public desecration or disrespect of the United States flag, and calls him a “redtinted agitator” voicing “constructive sedition and treason” and wantonly “insulting the symbol of patriotic allegiance,” and declaring that there was a public clamor for his prosecution; and the complaint in such case requires no innuendo to construe the same as intending to bring him into public hatred, contempt and ridicule.</p>