The citizen., 1910-02-25
Bill Making Verbal Slander a
Criminal Offense.

Delegate Main has received a commu-
nicaton relative to verbal slander and
def mltion OF character, and he proposes
TO prepare bin and strongly advocate
the passage OF same making such action
criminal ohense, Nj Main has received
a communication setting forth the reason
of its drafting, which is as follows:
Whereas, numbers OF prominent and
reputable persons aud families have been
irreparably detained by worthless per-
sons, a remedy should be sought to re-
lieve reputable persons from being made
the tar cts of untrue and slanderOus
remarks. In many cases worthless sOts
have married into good families and in
course of time have left their wives. The
first that the degrading husband does to
quench his ire is to 90 around the COM
munity and deiame his wife's parents and
relatives, in most cases saying that his
wiles mother and his wife and her sisters
are OF questionable character.
"In many cases men standing on cor
nerS pass rem1rks about women who pass
that degrade the Womdn'S character and
reputation in the community. as when the
accusation is uttered it is picked up by
the listeners, who, in turn, tell every one
they meet what they heard.
"Manv business and professional men
have been slandered byuotorious people.
who take delight in committing the out
rage as they know that they cannot be
punished for it, as there is no law against
it only by a civil action and from that
they are exempt because they are penni-
less. If there is redress by civil action,
then why not by criminal action.
"Who commits the degrading act of
slauder in the most cases? Is it the repu
table or conscientious property owner r
the worthless citizens of a community?
Mauv young girls have been branded as
Of i'll repute by both men and women.
and the accusation has taken such a hold
that many girls and women are looked
upon as being of questionable character
Many men are in the community to-day
branded as rogues and degenerates
through the unbound tongue OF deiaming
persons. MANY men have suffered fnan-
cial loss in their business through the
false. slanderous remarks of some indis.
Greet villiicr. When IN accusation IS
made against person it does not reach
his ears until it is in the mouths OF several
hundred persons. Then the pers n de
famed cannot go around denying the
accusation TO each and every person.
He has no redress for the stain that has
been placed upon him as there is no laW
to the effect if the man is without prop
ertv
"The proposed bill is an amendment
to Article 27, Section s97, OF the Public
General Laws, and makes it punishable
for any person to falsely utter au accuse
ton that, if it were true, would impair OF
reflect on the character, reputation o.
morality of any persons. Punishable b,
fine Of not less than 500 or more thai
$500, or not more than Two years in jai
or the House of Correction, or both, il
the discretion Of the court
"The bill will probably pass as severa
States attorneys have voiced their senti
ments on the bill and said that it is a lay
badly needed as they receive nunerou
complaints, but cannot take action agains
the offenders, as at present there is n
/ law to cope with the crime. If the bill
/ adopted it will cause gossiping wome
and defaming men to cease talking q
random and dragging reputable peopl
into degradation and ill-repule The bi
will have wholesome effect on the con
munity as it will make persons weig
their words before they speak them. !"