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13 S.C.L. 189

Fisher v. Rotereau

Supreme Court of South Carolina

Decided May 15, 1822

Supreme Court of South Carolina · decided 1822-05-15

THIS was an action of slander, brought against the de-i fendant for calling the wife of the plaintiff, “ a thief,” “ a bloody thief,” words uttered by him with some heat, while an altercation was had between him and the said wife of the plaintiff, relative to some liberties taken with a young woman, whom the defendant attempted to kiss.

Decided 1822-05-15

Mr. Justice Richardson

¶1delivered the opinion of the court:

¶2The words charged were proved. It appeared that they were uttered in a verbal altercation between Mrs. Routereau and the defendant, in which, the defendant being irritated, became indecent in his behaviour, and may possibly have meant no charge of felony. Upon this point the strongest testimony was that of Mrs. Gerard, who said she understood the charge of theft, “ as blackguard expressions,” and not as a charge of felony. Yet she said further, u she believed he meant Mrs. R. had robbed or stolen,” but she did not know of what. And finally said “ she did not understand the word felony.” The charge was repeated three times. The last time, the defendant called Mrs. R. “a bloody thief.” There was, perhaps, room also for concluding that th,e words were uttered in heat and passion. But they do ex vi termini import felony, and are slanderous. And whether spoken in another sense or in mere passion, depending upon intention, was the subject of evidence, and was fairly -sub*191tóitted to the jury, who, having found that the words were spoken slanderously, and this court perceiving no sufficient reason for ordering a new trial, the motion is therefore dismissed.

Hunt £? Bennett, for the motion.Justices Colcock, Nott, Gantt and Johnson, concurred.

¶3--, contra.

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