Case Name: Morris Kleiman and Others, Copartners, Doing Business under the Firm Name and Style of Kleiman & Kaplan, Respondents, v. Beech-Nut Packing Company, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1940-05-31
Citations: 259 A.D. 593
Docket Number: 
Parties: Morris Kleiman and Others, Copartners, Doing Business under the Firm Name and Style of Kleiman & Kaplan, Respondents, v. Beech-Nut Packing Company, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 259
Pages: 593–593

Head Matter:
Morris Kleiman and Others, Copartners, Doing Business under the Firm Name and Style of Kleiman & Kaplan, Respondents, v. Beech-Nut Packing Company, Appellant.
First Department,
May 31, 1940.
Chester Bordean of counsel [White & Case, attorneys], for the appellant.
Philip Prosk, for the respondents.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
The gravamen of a cause of action for slander is the utterance of defamatory matter in the hearing of at least one person. The complaint here charges that the defamatory matter was uttered " in the presence and hearing of divers persons including agents and representatives of firms with whom plaintiffs had been dealing and with whom they had good credit ."
In view of this allegation defendant is entitled to know the names of the persons plaintiffs claim heard the defamatory matter.
The order appealed from should be modified by granting item 1 in full, and as so modified affirmed, without costs.
Present — Martin, P. J., Townley, Dore, Cohn and Callahan, JJ.
Order, so far as appealed from, unanimously modified by granting item 1 in full, and as so modified affirmed, without costs. Verified bill of particulars to be served within ten days after service of order.