Slander

Saturday, December 15, 2012

In the fall of 1900, Sanborn North Dakota farmer Erick Anderson learned that his neighbor, Charles Freiburg, had told other farmers that Anderson was a dishonest man. Not letting the insult go unpunished, Anderson sued Freiburg for slander. After both argued their cases, the jury found in favor of the slandered Anderson. However, on this date, the Bismarck Daily Tribune reported that instead of the sought after amount of $2,000 in damages, the jury decided upon a more reasonable punishment. For his unfounded accusations against Anderson, Freiburg was fined ten cents, and then levied another ten cents for court costs. Anderson left the courtroom a vindicated man, and Frieburg paid twenty cents to learn to think twice before gossiping about his neighbors.

Dakota Datebook written by Derek Dahlsad

Sources:

Local News Section (No Title), The Bismarck Daily Tribune, 12-15-1900