Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Interesting Clippings #14: Threatened with a Knife

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This sounds like an interesting early civil court case of death threats and intentional infliction of emotional distress in 1907. Mrs. Dumee is described as having already been in a "delicate condition" and though it does not specify why, the implication is that she was under distress given the threats Mr. Regal had been making for some time. When his threats escalated to brandishing a knife and claiming he would drink her blood, she broke down and experienced a "nervous fit" or what we would now call an anxiety or panic attack.

The article describes it as "an unique case" suggesting that civil suits based on emotional well being were not common at the time. It's important to note that this is a civil case, not a criminal one.

Ambler Gazette, February 14, 1907, page 4.

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