INDEX

487. “If it had been necessary, I should have been fully prepared to go the whole length of the doctrine laid down by Tindal, C. J., in the case of Coxhead v. Richards,” per Willes, J., in Amann v. Damm, 8 C. B. N. S. 592, 602. Blackburn, J., in Davies v. Snead, L. R. 5 Q. B. 605, 611, and Lindley, J., in Stuart v. Bell, [1891] 2 Q. B. 341, 347, expressed similar approval of the opinion of Tindal, C. J.

Vanspike v. Cleyson, Cro. El. 541; Peacock v. Reynal, 2 Br. & Gold. 151, 15 C. B. N. S. 418, cited; Herver v. Dowson, Bull. N. P. 8; Cleaver v. Sarraude, 1 Camp. 268, cited; Picton v. Jackman, 4 Car. & P. 257; Dixon v. Smith, 29 L. J. Ex. 125, 126; Masters v. Burgess, 3 T. L. R. 96; Stuart v. Bell, [1891] 2 Q. B. 341; Hart v. Reed, 1 B. Mon. 166; Fresh v. Cutter, 73 Md. 87; Noonan v. Orton, 32 Wis. 106 Accord.

Cockayne v. Hodgkisson, 5 Car. & P. 543 (semble); King v. Watts, 8 Car. & P. 614; Brown v. Vannaman, 85 Wis. 451 Contra. But see Hocks v. Sprangers, 113 Wis. 123.

In Bennett v. Deacon, 2 C. B. 628, a creditor of a buyer volunteered a warning to the seller as to the buyer’s credit. The court was evenly divided as to whether the communication was privileged.

Compare Irion v. Knapp, 132 La. 60 (letter to a public board as to a candidate for an appointment).

Indian Penal Code, § 499, exception 9. It is not defamation to make an imputation on the character of another, provided that the imputation be made in good faith for the protection of the interests of the person making it, or of any other person, or for the public good.

488. As to this remarkable litigant, see the article by Irving Browne, “Count Joannes,” 8 Green Bag. 435.

489. Only what relates to this count is given.

490. Krebs v. Oliver, 12 Gray, 239; Byam v. Collins, 111 N. Y. 143 Accord.

Anon., 15 C. B. N. S. 410 (cited); Adcock v. Marsh, 8 Ired. 360 Contra. See Dobbin v. Chicago R. Co., 157 Mo. App. 689.

491. The statement of the case has been condensed.

492. In Simmonds v. Dunne, Ir. R. 5 C. L. 358; Over v. Schiffling, 102 Ind. 191; York v. Johnson, 116 Mass. 482, the communications were not privileged for want of a legitimate interest or duty on the part of the defendant.

See Whiteley v. Newman, 9 Ga. App. 89.

493. Only the opinion of the court is given.

494. Jones v. Thomas, 34 W. R. 104; Pittard v. Oliver, [1891] 1 Q. B. 474; Broughton v. McGrew, 39 Fed. 672; Brow v. Hathaway, 13 All. 239; Billings v. Fairbanks, 136 Mass. 177, 139 Mass. 66; Keane v. Sprague (N. Y. City Court), 30 Alb. L. J. 283 Accord.

Webber v. Vincent, 9 N. Y. Supp. 101 Contra.

Defamatory letter after termination of employment. National Cash Register Co. v. Salling, 173 Fed. 22.

495. In Christopher v. Akin, 214 Mass. 332, the plaintiff was a journeyman painter in the employ of the defendant, and was at work on the house of one Tillinghast. Tillinghast complained to the defendant that some of his men had stolen a putty knife and other property belonging to him. The defendant recompensed Tillinghast for the property and testified that he was told by one of his men that the plaintiff had admitted to him that he took the putty knife. The men were paid off by the defendant at his shop on Saturday night,—their time being made up to Wednesday. Their pay was handed to them in envelopes. When a man was discharged his envelope contained his pay up to Saturday night. The plaintiff’s envelope contained his pay in full, less what the defendant had paid Tillinghast for the property, with a bill for it. There were four or five men in the shop waiting to be paid off when it came the plaintiff’s turn to be paid. The plaintiff opened his envelope and counted the money and found the bill. The plaintiff asked the defendant what that meant, and the defendant said in response, “Do you want to know in front of all these men?” and he said “Yes,” whereupon the defendant said, “That is the stuff you stole from the Tillinghast job.” Morton, J., said: “Whether a communication is or is not privileged does not depend so much on the manner or form in which crime is imputed, where the alleged slander consists as here of a charge of crime, as on the occasion and circumstances under which the charge is made. If made in good faith in reference to a matter in which the person making it is immediately interested, and for the purpose of protecting his interest and in the belief that it is true and without any malicious motive, the communication is what is termed privileged; that is, the occasion and the circumstances under which it is made are held to be such as, if nothing more appears, to excuse or justify the statements that are made.”

See Madill v. Currie, 168 Mich. 546.

Compare Adam v. Ward, [1917] A. C. 309 (statement given to the press by the army board in reply to a speech in Parliament regarding an army officer).

496. The statement of the case is abridged; the arguments of counsel and the concurring opinions of Lord Coleridge, C. J., and Denman, J., are omitted.

497. Robinson v. Jones, L. R. 4 Ir. 391 Accord.

498. Robinson v. Jones, L. R. 4 Ir. 391 Accord. See also Smith v. Crocker, 5 T. L. R. 441; Muetze v. Tuteur, 77 Wis. 236.

Statement in presence of third persons not interested. Fowlie v. Cruse, 52 Mont. 222; Fields v. Bynum, 156 N. C. 413.

Notice of discharge of employee posted on the premises. Ramsdell v. Pennsylvania Co., 79 N. J. Law, 379.

Notice to customers in a local newspaper. Hatch v. Lane, 105 Mass. 394. See Delany v. Jones, 4 Esp. 190 (but see Ley v. Lawson, 4 A. & E. 798); Commonwealth v. Featherston, 9 Phila. 594; Holliday v. Ontario Co., 33 Up. Can. Q. B. 558.

General publicity with respect to candidate for local office. Duncombe v. Daniel, 1 Willmore, W. & H. 101, 8 Car. & P. 222; Jones v. Varnum, 21 Fla. 431; State v. Haskins, 109 Ia. 656; Coleman v. MacLennan, 78 Kan. 711; Bronson v. Bruce, 59 Mich. 467; Wheaton v. Beecher, 66 Mich. 307; Belknap v. Ball, 83 Mich. 583; Aldrich v. Press Co., 9 Minn. 133 (but see, contra, Marks v. Baker, 28 Minn. 162); Bigner v. Hodges, 82 Miss. 215; Lewis v. Few, 5 Johns. 1; Root v. King, 7 Cow. 613; Hunt v. Bennett, 19 N. Y. 173; Seely v. Blair, Wright, (Ohio) 358, 683; Knapp v. Campbell, 14 Tex. Civ. App. 199; Sweeney v. Baker, 13 W. Va. 158. Compare Flynn v. Boglarsky, 164 Mich. 513.

But a communication to the electors alone is privileged, if made in good faith. Wisdom v. Brown, 1 T. L. R. 412; Pankhurst v. Hamilton, 3 T. L. R. 500; Burke v. Mascarich, 81 Cal. 302 (semble); Mott v. Dawson, 46 Ia. 533; Bays v. Hunt, 60 Ia. 251; State v. Balch, 31 Kan. 465; Commonwealth v. Wardwell, 136 Mass. 164; Briggs v. Garrett, 111 Pa. St. 404.

But see, contra, Smith v. Burrus, 106 Mo. 94, where the distinction between fair comment and qualified privilege was overlooked. See also Estelle v. Daily News Pub. Co., 99 Neb. 397; Arnold v. Ingram, 151 Wis. 438; Putnam v. Browne, 162 Wis. 524.

499. The court found that the defendant acted in good faith.

500. Ashford v. Evening Star Co., 41 App. D. C. 395; Addington v. Times Pub. Co., 138 La. 731; Briggs v. Garrett, 111 Pa. St. 404 (semble); Express Co. v. Copeland, 64 Tex. 354 Accord. Compare Bingham v. Gaynor, 141 App. Div. 301; Ivie v. Minton, 75 Or. 483.

Statement at a meeting to oppose a candidate for public office. Baker v. Warner, 231 U. S. 588.

Criticism of minister in a church convention. Dickson v. Lights, (Tex. Civ. App.) 17 S. W. 834.

Criticism of member of association at a meeting to discuss the affairs of the association. Caldwell v. Hayden, 42 App. D. C. 166.

Reply to defamatory statements. Adam v. Ward [1917] A. C. 309; Preston v. Hobbs, 161 App. Div. 363; Smith v. Kemp, 132 La. 943.

501. Only part of the opinion is given.

502. Criticism of member of congregation in a sermon. Hassett v. Carroll, 85 Conn. 23.

Statement by clergyman to congregation as to conduct of a trustee. Everett v. DeLong, 144 Ill. App. 496.

503. The arguments of counsel and the concurring opinions of Lopes and Kay, L.JJ., are omitted.

504. Bohlinger v. Germania Ins. Co., 100 Ark. 477; Gambrill v. Schooley, 93 Md. 48 Accord. See Central R. Co. v. Jones, 18 Ga. App. 414. But the dictation of a defamatory letter by a lawyer to his clerk and the copying of it by another clerk in the regular course of serving his clients, although a publication, is, nevertheless, privileged. Boxsius v. Goblet, [1894] 1 Q. B. 842. And the authority of Pullman v. Hill is greatly weakened by Edmonson v. Birch, [1907] 1 K. B. 371, which treats as privileged the dictation of a defamatory letter by a company through one of its officers to a stenographer, and Roff v. British Chemical Co., [1918] 2 K. B. 277 (letter passed through the hands of two clerks of addressee). See to the same effect Owen v. Ogilvie Co., 32 App. Div. 465.

Exchange of letters by mistake whereby privileged letter goes to wrong person. See Tompson v. Dashwood, 11 Q. B. D. 43; Hebditch v. McIlwaine, [1894] 2 Q. B. 54, 61.

A defamatory statement true of A. but published concerning B., by mistake, will support an action by B. Shepheard v. Whitaker, L. R. 10 C. P. 502; Taylor v. Hearst, 107 Cal. 262; Griebel v. Rochester Co., 60 Hun, 319. But see, contra, Hanson v. Globe Co., supra, 665 (Holmes, Morton, and Barker, JJ., dissenting).

Compare Brett v. Watson, 20 W. R. 723; Fox v. Broderick, 14 Ir. C. L. R. 453, 459; Loibl v. Breidenbach, 78 Wis. 49.

505. The concurring opinions of Bramwell and Brett, L.JJ., and the argument for defendant are omitted.

506. Salmon v. Isaac, 20 L. T. Rep. 885; Lawyers Pub. Co. v. West Pub. Co., 32 App. Div. 585; Saunders v. Baxter, 6 Heisk. 369 Accord.

507. 3 Q. B. Div. 237, S. C.

508. The charge of the learned baron is abridged; the arguments of counsel and the concurring opinions of Bramwell and Cotton, L.JJ., are omitted.

509. Barry v. McCollom, 81 Conn. 293; Bays v. Hunt, 60 Ia. 251, 255–6; Hemmens v. Nelson, 138 N. Y. 517; Haft v. First Bank, 19 App. Div. 423 Accord.

510. The case is materially abridged.

511. Ranson v. West, 125 Ky. 457 (semble); Toothaker v. Conant, 91 Me. 438; Briggs v. Garrett, 111 Pa. St. 404; Conroy v. Pittsburgh Times, 139 Pa. St. 334; Mulderig v. Wilkes Barre Times, 215 Pa. St. 470; Egan v. Dotson, 36 S. D. 459 Accord.

See also, Douglass v. Daisley, 114 Fed. 628.

Compare Glisson v. Biggio, 139 La. 23; Estelle v. Daily News Pub. Co., 99 Neb. 397; Wiese v. Riley, 146 Wis. 640.

Petition or memorial for removal of public officer privileged. Blake v. Pilfold, 1 M. & Rob. 198; Woodward v. Lander, 6 Car. & P. 548; James v. Boston, 2 Car. & K. 4; Spackman v. Gibney, Odgers, Lib. & Sl. (5th ed.) 278; Beatson v. Skene, 5 H. & N. 838; Harrison v. Bush, 5 E. & B. 344; Hart v. Von Gumpach, L. R. 4 P. C. 439; Stanton v. Andrews, 5 Up. Can. Q. B. O. S. 211; Corbett v. Jackson, 1 Up. Can. Q. B. 128; Rogers v. Spalding, 1 Up. Can. Q. B. 258; McIntire v. McBean, 13 Up. Can. Q. B. 534; Bell v. Parke, 10 Ir. C. L. R. 279 (semble); White v. Nichols, 3 How. 266; Vogel v. Gruaz, 110 U. S. 311; Pearce v. Brower, 72 Ga. 243; Young v. Richardson, 4 Ill. App. 364; Rainbow v. Benson, 71 Ia. 301; Rabb v. Trevelyan, 122 La. 174; Bodwell v. Osgood, 3 Pick. 379; Wieman v. Mabee, 45 Mich. 484; Greenwood v. Cobbey, 26 Neb. 449; State v. Burnham, 9 N. H. 34; Thorn v. Blanchard, 5 Johns. 508; Vanderzee v. McGregor, 12 Wend. 545; Howard v. Thompson, 21 Wend. 319; Halstead v. Nelson, 24 Hun, 395; Decker v. Gaylord, 35 Hun, 584; Woods v. Wiman, 122 N. Y. 445, 47 Hun, 362; Cook v. Hill, 3 Sandf. 341; Van Wyck v. Aspinwall, 17 N. Y. 190; Harwood v. Keech, 6 Th. & C. 665; Logan v. Hodges, 146 N. C. 38; Gray v. Pentland, 2 S. & R. 23; Kent v. Bongartz, 15 R. I. 72; Reid v. Delorme, 2 Brev. 76; Harris v. Huntington, 2 Tyler, 129 Accord.

But not absolutely privileged, where the proceeding is not judicial. Dickson v. Wilton, 1 F. & F. 419; Proctor v. Webster, 16 Q. B. D. 112; Woods v. Wiman, 122 N. Y. 445; Morah v. Steele, 157 App. Div. 109; Fulton v. Ingalls, 165 App. Div. 323.

Compare McKee v. Hughes, 133 Tenn. 455 (petition to revoke merchant’s license).

512. The statement of the case, the arguments of counsel, the judgment of Mellor, J., and portions of the judgments of Crompton and Blackburn, JJ., are omitted.

513. Hibbs v. Wilkinson, 1 F. & F. 608; Turnbull v. Bird, 2 F. & F. 508; Hunter v. Sharpe, 4 F. & F. 983; Hunt v. Star Co., [1908] 2 K. B. 309; Walker v. Hodgson, [1909] 1 K. B. 239, 253; De Mestre v. Syme, 9 Vict. L. R. (L) 10; Davis v. Duncan, L. R. 9 C. P. 396; Queen v. Carden, 5 Q. B. D. 1, 8; Crane v. Waters, 10 Fed. 619; Kinyon v. Palmer, 18 Ia. 377; Bradford v. Clark, 90 Me. 298; People v. Glassman, 12 Utah, 238 Accord.

514. Stuart v. Lovell, 2 Stark. 93; Macleod v. Wakley, 3 Car. & P. 311; Green v. Chapman, 4 Bing. N. C. 92; Parmiter v. Coupland, 6 M. & W. 105; Whistler v. Ruskin, Odgers, Lib. & Sl., (5th ed.) 196; Wilson v. Reed, 2 F. & F. 149; Morrison v. Belcher, 3 F. & F. 614; Hedley v. Barlow, 4 F. & F. 224; Risk Allah Bey v. Whitehurst, 18 L. T. Rep. 615; Joynt v. Cycle Co., [1904] 2 K. B. 292; Massie v. Toronto Co., 11 Ont. 362; Burt v. Advertiser Co., 154 Mass. 238; Cooper v. Stone, 24 Wend. 434; Reade v. Sweetzer, 6 Abb. Pr. N. S. 9, n.; Ullrich v. N. Y. Co., 23 Misc. 168 Accord.

515. See contra, Williams v. Spowers, 8 Vict. L. R. (Law) 82.

516. Honest belief is no defense apart from privilege. Van Wiginton v. Pulitzer Pub. Co., (C. C. A.) 218 Fed. 483; Brandt v. Story, 161 Ia. 451; Tanner v. Stevenson, 138 Ky. 578; Reid v. Nichols, 166 Ky. 423; Sweet v. Post Pub. Co., 215 Mass. 450; Clair v. Battle Creek Journal Co., 168 Mich. 467; Ivie v. King, 167 N. C. 174; Spencer v. Minnick, 41 Okl. 613; Williams v. Hicks Printing Co., 159 Wis. 90.

Fair comment on public affairs and public officers. See Gandia v. Pettingill, 222 U. S. 452; Lowe v. News Pub. Co., 9 Ga. App. 103; Diener v. Star Chronicle Pub. Co., 230 Mo. 613; Cook v. Globe Printing Co., 227 Mo. 471; Merrey v. Guardian Pub. Co., 79 N. J. Law, 177; Bingham v. Gaynor, 203 N. Y. 27.

Fair comment on candidates. Walsh v. Pulitzer Pub. Co., 250 Mo. 142; Schull v. Hopkins, 26 S. D. 21; Ingalls v. Morrissey, 154 Wis. 632.

Fair comment on persons seeking public patronage. Ott v. Murphy, 160 Ia. 730.

517. Dibdin v. Swan, 1 Esp. 28; Heriot v. Stuart, 1 Esp. 437; Stuart v. Lovell, 2 Stark. 93 (semble); Tabart v. Tipper, 1 Camp. 350 (semble); Dunne v. Anderson, Ry. & M. 287, 3 Bing. 88; Soane v. Knight, M. & M. 74; Thompson v. Shackell, M. & M. 187; Macleod v. Wakley, 3 Car. & P. 311; Fraser v. Berkeley, 7 Car. & P. 621; Evans v. Harlow, Dav. & M. 507; Paris v. Levy, 9 C. B. N. S. 342; Eastwood v. Holmes, 1 F. & F. 347; Hibbs v. Wilkinson, 1 F. & F. 608; Turnbull v. Bird, 2 F. & F. 508; Strauss v. Francis, 4 F. & F. 939, 1107, 15 L. T. Rep. 674; Henwood v. Harrison, L. R. 7 C. P. 606; Jenner v. A’Beckett, L. R. 7 Q. B. 11; Mulkern v. Ward, 13 Eq. 619, 622; Whistler v. Ruskin, Odgers, Lib. & Sl., (5 ed.) 196; Duplany v. Davis, 3 T. L. R. 184; McQuire v. Western Co., [1903] 2 K. B. 100; Crane v. Waters, 10 Fed. 619; Snyder v. Fulton, 34 Md. 128, 137; Gott v. Pulsifer, 122 Mass. 235; O’Connor v. Sill, 60 Mich. 175; Dowling v. Livingstone, 108 Mich. 321; Cooper v. Stone, 24 Wend. 434 (semble); Reade v. Sweetzer, 6 Abb. Pr. N. S. 9, n. (semble); Adolf Philipp Co. v. New Yorker Staatszeitung, 165 App. Div. 377; Press Co. v. Stewart, 119 Pa. St. 584 Accord.

“The defendant was, in my opinion, entitled to have the jury’s decision, as to the plea of fair comment, whether or not, in all the circumstances proved, the libel went beyond a fair comment on the plaintiff and on the system of medical enterprise with which he associated himself, as a matter of public interest treated by the defendant honestly and without malice. The plea of fair comment does not arise if the plea of justification is made good, nor can it arise unless there is an imputation on a plaintiff. It is precisely where the criticism would otherwise be actionable as a libel that the defence of fair comment comes in. But the learned judge put aside that defence, and told the jury that unless a justification was proved they were bound to find a verdict for the plaintiff, and that, unless justified, the libel is not fair comment and cannot come within the region of fair comment.” Lord Loreburn, L. C., in Dakhyl v. Labouchere, [1908] 2 K. B. 325, 326–27.

518. The arguments are omitted.

519. The statement has been abridged, and the arguments of counsel together with a small portion of the judgment are omitted.

520. Merivale v. Carson, supra, 775; McQuire v. Western Co., [1903] 2 K. B. 100, 110; Joynt v. Cycle Co., [1904] 2 K. B. 292; Digby v. Financial News, [1907] 1 K. B. 502; Hunt v. Star Co., [1908] 2 K. B. 309, 317; Walker v. Hodgson, [1909] 1 K. B. 239; Starks v. Comer, 190 Ala. 245; Com. v. Pratt, 208 Mass. 553; Williams v. Hicks Printing Co., 159 Wis. 90; Putnam v. Browne, 162 Wis. 524 Accord.

In Walker v. Hodgson, Kennedy, L. J., said, p. 256: “Now it is true that there may be comment of an injurious nature in which there is no statement of facts, or which refers to facts which are admitted or are indisputable. In such a case the fairness of the comment depends upon the character of the criticisms, or the inferences of which it is composed, that is, whether it is a comment made honestly and bona fide, or a comment made mala fide and maliciously.... But where the words which are alleged to be defamatory allege, or assume as true, facts concerning the plaintiff which the plaintiff denies, and which either involve a slanderous imputation in themselves, or upon which the comment bases imputations or inferences injurious to the plaintiff, it is, I think, settled law that the defence of fair comment fails, unless the comment is truthful in regard to its allegation or assumption of such facts.” See also the remarks of Buckley, L. J., in the same case, p. 253.

In Hubbard v. Allyn, 200 Mass. 167, Rugg, J., said (p. 170): “The right of the defendant was not to make false statements of fact because the subject matter was of public interest, but only to criticise, discuss and comment upon the real acts of the plaintiff and the consequences likely to follow from them, or upon any other aspect of the case in a reasonable way. This may be done with severity. Ridicule, sarcasm and invective may be employed. But the basis must be a fact, and not a falsehood.”

Nor does it cover violent attacks and insulting statements. Press Pub. Co. v. Gillette, (C. C. A.) 229 Fed. 108; Jozsa v. Moroney, 125 La. 813; Hines v. Shumaker, 97 Miss. 669; Patten v. Harpers Weekly Corp., 158 N. Y. Supp. 70; Hayden v. Hasbrouck, 34 R. I. 556; Spencer v. Looney, 116 Va. 767; Williams v. Hicks Printing Co., 159 Wis. 90; Putnam v. Browne, 162 Wis. 524; Compare Dickson v. Lights, (Tex. Civ. App.) 170 S. W. 834. And see Phillips v. Bradshaw, 167 Ala. 199.

521. Robinson v. Coulter, 215 Mass. 566; Tawney v. Simonson, 109 Minn. 341 Accord.

The burden is on the plaintiff to show malice, not on the defendant to show good faith. Jenoure v. Delmege, [1891] A. C. 73; Davis v. Hearst, 160 Cal. 143; Locke v. Bradstreet Co., 22 Fed. 771; Hemmens v. Nelson, 138 N. Y. 517; Haft v. Newcastle Bank, 19 App. Div. 423; Strode v. Clement, 90 Va. 553.

Definitions of “malice.” Doane v. Grew, 220 Mass. 171; Peake v. Taubman, 251 Mo. 390. See Marney v. Joseph, 94 Kan. 18.

“If proof of a malevolent motive would rebut the privilege, which we do not decide, nothing less than that would do, so far as malice is concerned. It is true, as is said in the very careful brief for the plaintiff, that in most connections malice means only knowledge of facts sufficient to show that the contemplated act is very likely to have injurious consequences. Apart from statute it generally means no more when the question is what is sufficient prima facie to charge a defendant. Burt v. Advertiser Newspaper Co., 154 Mass. 238, 245. But sometimes the defence is not that the damage was not to be foreseen, but rests on what in substance is a privilege, whether of a kind usually pleaded as such or not, that is to say, on a right to inflict the damage even knowingly. In such cases, if malice in any sense makes a difference, as distinguished from excess over what was reasonable or needful to do or say under the circumstances, which often is included under the same word, Gott v. Pulsifer, 122 Mass. 235, 239, it means that the defendant is not within the privilege because he was not acting in bona fide answer to the needs of the occasion, but outside of it from a wish to do harm. See Wren v. Weild, L. R. 4 Q. B. 730, 735, 736; Clark v. Molyneux, 3 Q. B. D. 237, 246, 247.” Holmes, C. J., in Squires v. Wason Mfg. Co., 182 Mass. 137, 141.

See Advertiser Co. v. Jones, 169 Ala. 196, 670; Davis v. Hearst, 160 Cal. 143.

Reckless republication without inquiry. Houston Chronicle Pub. Co. v. Wegner, (Tex. Civ. App.) 182 S. W. 45.

“Malice” on the face of publication. Ashford v. Evening Star Co., 41 App. D. C. 395; Dickson v. Lights, (Tex. Civ. App.) 170 S. W. 834.

522. 16 C. B. N. S. 829, S. C.

523. Nevill v. Fine Arts Co., [1895] 2 Q. B. 156; Hollenbeck v. Ristine, 105 Ia. 488; Children v. Shinn, 168 Ia. 531; Atwill v. Mackintosh, 120 Mass. 177; Wagner v. Scott, 164 Mo. 289; McGaw v. Hamilton, 184 Pa. St. 108; Hellstern v. Katzer, 103 Wis. 391 Accord. Compare Davis v. New England Pub. Co., 203 Mass. 470; Doane v. Grew, 220 Mass. 171.

524. Only the opinion of the court is given.

525. Parmiter v. Coupland, 6 M. & W. 105; Odger v. Mortimer, 28 L. T. Rep. 472; Queen v. Carden, 5 Q. B. Div. 1, 8; Bryce v. Rusden, 2 T. L. R. 435; Duplany v. Davis, 3 T. L. R. 184; R. v. Flowers, 44 J. P. 377, per Field, J.; LeFroy v. Burnside, L. R. 4 Ir. 556, 565, 566; Stewart v. McKinley, 11 Vict. L. R. 802; Browne v. McKinley, 12 Vict. L. R. 240; Smith v. Tribune Co., 4 Biss. 477; McDonald v. Woodruff, 2 Dill. 244; Hallam v. Post Co., 55 Fed. 456, 59 Fed. 530; Parsons v. Age Herald Pub. Co., 181 Ala. 439; Jarman v. Rea, 137 Cal. 339; Dauphiny v. Buhne, 153 Cal. 757; Star Co. v. Donahoe, (Del.) 58 Atl. 513; Jones v. Townsend, 21 Fla. 431; Rearick v. Wilcox, 81 Ill. 77; Klos v. Zahorik, 113 Ia. 161; Ott v. Murphy, 160 Ia. 730; Bearce v. Bass, 88 Me. 521; Negley v. Farrow, 60 Md. 158; Commonwealth v. Clap, 4 Mass. 163, 169 (semble); Curtis v. Mussey, 6 Gray, 261; Burt v. Advertiser Co., 154 Mass. 238 (compare Sillars v. Collier, 151 Mass. 50); Hubbard v. Allyn, 200 Mass. 166; Foster v. Scripps, 39 Mich. 376; Bronson v. Bruce, 59 Mich. 467; Bourreseau v. Detroit Co., 63 Mich. 425; Wheaton v. Beecher, 66 Mich. 307; Belknap v. Ball, 83 Mich. 583; Hay v. Reid, 85 Mich. 296; Smurthwaite v. News Co., 124 Mich. 377; Aldrich v. Press Co., 9 Minn. 133 (but see, contra, Marks v. Baker, 28 Minn. 162); Smith v. Burrus, 106 Mo. 94; State v. Schmitt, 49 N. J. Law, 579; Lewis v. Few, 5 Johns. 1; Root v. King, 7 Cow. 613; Littlejohn v. Greeley, 13 Abb. Pr. 41; Hamilton v. Eno, 81 N. Y. 116; Mattice v. Wilcox, 147 N. Y. 624; Hoey v. New York Times Co., 138 App. Div. 149; Ullrich v. N. Y. Co., 23 Misc. 168; Seely v. Blair, Wright, (Ohio) 358, 683; Post Co. v. Moloney, 50 Ohio St. 71; Upton v. Hume, 24 Or. 420; Barr v. Moore, 87 Pa. St. 385; Brewer v. Weakley, 2 Overt. 99; Banner Co. v. State, 16 Lea, 176; Democrat Co. v. Jones, 83 Tex. 302; Sweeney v. Baker, 13 W. Va. 158; Spiering v. Andrae, 45 Wis. 330; Eviston v. Cramer, 57 Wis. 570; Gagen v. Dawley, 162 Wis. 152; D. Ward v. Derrington, 14 S. Aust. L. R. 35; Haselgrove v. King, 14 S. Aust. L. R. 192 Accord.

Mott v. Dawson, 46 Ia. 533; Bays v. Hunt, 60 Ia. 251 (but see State v. Haskins, 109 Ia. 656, 658, and Morse v. Printing Co., 124 Ia. 707, 723); State v. Balch, 31 Kan. 465; Coleman v. McLennan, 78 Kan. 711; Marks v. Baker, 28 Minn. 162; State v. Burnham, 9 N. H. 34; Neeb v. Hope, 111 Pa. St. 145; Briggs v. Garrett, 111 Pa. St. 404; Press Co. v. Stewart, 119 Pa. St. 584; Jackson v. Pittsburgh Times, 152 Pa. St. 406; Ross v. Ward, 14 S. D. 240; Boucher v. Clark Co., 14 S. D. 72 Contra.

See Palmer v. Concord, 48 N. H. 211.

In Burt v. Advertiser Co., 154 Mass. 238, Holmes, J., said: “But there is an important distinction to be noticed between the so-called privilege of fair criticism upon matters of public interest, and the privilege existing in the case, for instance, of answers to inquiries about the character of a servant. In the latter case, a bona fide statement not in excess of the occasion is privileged, although it turns out to be false. In the former, what is privileged, if that is the proper term, is criticism, not statement, and however it might be if a person merely quoted or referred to a statement as made by others, and gave it no new sanction, if he takes upon himself in his own person to allege facts otherwise libellous, he will not be privileged if those facts are not true. The reason for the distinction lies in the different nature and degree of the exigency and of the damage in the two cases. In these, as in many other instances, the law has to draw a line between conflicting interests, both intrinsically meritorious. When private inquiries are made about a private person, a servant, for example, it is often impossible to answer them properly without stating facts, and those who settled the law thought it more important to preserve a reasonable freedom in giving necessary information than to insure people against occasional unintended injustice, confined as it generally is to one or two persons. But what the interest of private citizens in public matters requires is freedom of discussion rather than of statement. Moreover, the statements about such matters which come before the courts are generally public statements, where the harm done by a falsehood is much greater than in the other case. If one private citizen wrote to another that a high official had taken a bribe, no one would think good faith a sufficient answer to an action. He stands no better, certainly, when he publishes his writing to the world through a newspaper, and the newspaper itself stands no better than the writer. Sheckell v. Jackson, 10 Cush. 25, 26.”

Participants in legal proceedings are legitimate subjects for comment if restricted to their conduct therein. Rex v. White, 1 Camp. 359; Seymour v. Butterworth, 3 F. & F. 372; Hedley v. Barlow, 4 F. & F. 224; Woodgate v. Ridout, 4 F. & F. 202; Hibbins v. Lee, 4 F. & F. 243; Risk Allah Bey v. Whitehurst, 18 L. T. Rep. 615; Reg. v. Sullivan, 11 Cox C. C. 44, 57; Kane v. Mulvany, Ir. R. 2 C. L. 402; Miner v. Detroit Co., 49 Mich. 358. See also Kelly v. Tinling, L. R. 1 Q. B. 699 (churchwarden); Harle v. Catherall, 14 L. T. Rep. 801 (waywarden).

Matters not of public interest. The right of comment was denied in Latimer v. Western Co., 25 L. T. Rep. 44; Hogan v. Sutton, 16 W. R. 127; Wilson v. Fitch, 41 Cal. 363.

See also Hearne v. Stowell, 12 A. & E. 719; Gathercole v. Miall, 15 M. & W. 319; Walker v. Brogden, 19 C. B. N. S. 65; Booth v. Briscoe, 2 Q. B. Div. 496.

526. Arguments omitted.

527. The decision of the Appellate Division, overruling demurrer to complaint, is reported in 64 App. Div. 30.

528. Corelli v. Wall, 22 Times L. R. 532 (post cards depicting imaginary incidents of an author’s life); Atkinson v. Doherty, 121 Mich. 372 (picture of plaintiff’s dead husband on cigar label); Henry v. Cherry, 30 R. I. 13 (picture as advertisement); Hillman v. Star Pub. Co., 64 Wash. 691 (picture of plaintiff in connection with report of arrest of her father for crime) Accord. Compare Chappell v. Stewart, 82 Md. 323 (shadowing).

Corliss v. Walker, 57 Fed. 434 (semble); Von Theodorovich v. Josef Beneficiary Ass’n, 154 Fed. 911 (semble); Pavesich v. New England Ins. Co., 122 Ga. 190 (picture as advertisement); Foster-Milburn Co. v. Chinn, 134 Ky. 424 (picture as advertisement); Douglas v. Stokes, 149 Ky. 506 (publishing photograph of deceased deformed child of plaintiff); Itzkovitch v. Whitaker, 115 La. 479, 117 La. 708 (photograph in rogues’ gallery); Schulman v. Whitaker, 117 La. 704; Munden v. Harris, 153 Mo. App. 652 (picture as advertisement); Edison v. Edison Polyform & Mfg. Co., 73 N. J. Eq. 136 (picture—but here there was chiefly an interest of substance) Contra.

See also Dill, J. in Vanderbilt v. Mitchell, 72 N. J. Eq. 910, 919.

As to photographing persons arrested on charges of crime, see Hodgman v. Olsen, 86 Wash. 615.

New York, Civil Rights Law, §§ 50, 51 (Laws of 1903, ch. 132, §§ 1, 2).

§ 50. A person, firm, or corporation that uses for advertising purposes, or for the purposes of trade, the name, portrait, or picture of any living person without having first obtained the written consent of such person, or if a minor of his or her parent or guardian, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

§ 51. Any person whose name, portrait, or picture is used within this state for advertising purposes or for the purposes of trade without the written consent first obtained as above provided may maintain an equitable action in the supreme court of this state against the person, firm, or corporation so using his name, portrait, or picture, to prevent and restrain the use thereof; and may also sue and recover damages for any injuries maintained by reason of such use, and if the defendant shall have knowingly used such person’s name, portrait, or picture in such manner as is forbidden or declared to be unlawful by this act, the jury, in its discretion, may award exemplary damages.

See Binns v. Vitagraph Co., 210 N. Y. 51.

On the whole subject, see Warren and Brandeis, The Right to Privacy, 4 Harvard Law Rev. 193; Pound, Interests of Personality, 28 Harvard Law Rev. 343, 362–364.

529. 4 Rep. 16 b, S. C.

530. Dame Morrison’s Case, Jenk. 316; Matthew v. Crasse, 2 Bulst. 89; Sell v. Facy, 2 Bulst. 276, 3 Bulst. 48; Nelson v. Staff, Cro. Jac. 422; Thomson’s Case, Bendl. 148; Countess of Salop’s Case, Bendl. 155; Taylor v. Tolwin, Latch, 218; Wicks v. Shepherd, Cro. Car. 155; Southold v. Daunston, Cro. Car. 269 Accord.

See Bridge v. Langton, Litt. 193; Norman v. Simons, 1 Vin. Abr. Act. Words, D, a, 12.

In Felty v. Felty, 164 Ky. 355, plaintiff’s husband left her as a result of the defamatory words.

531. The arguments of counsel are omitted, together with the concurring opinions of Martin, Bramwell, and Wilde, BB.

532. Guy v. Gregory, 9 Car. & P. 584; Adams v. Smith, 58 Ill. 417; Woodbury v. Thompson, 3 N. H. 194; Butler v. Hoboken Co., 73 N. J. Law, 45; Beach v. Ranney, 2 Hill, 309; Terwilliger v. Wands, 17 N. Y. 54 (overruling Bradt v. Towsley, 13 Wend. 253; Olmsted v. Brown, 12 Barb. 657; Fuller v. Fenner, 16 Barb. 333); Wilson v. Goit, 17 N. Y. 442; Bassell v. Elmore, 48 N. Y. 561; Shepherd v. Lamphier, 84 Misc. 498; Clark v. Morrison, 80 Or. 240 Accord. But see Garrison v. Sun Publishing Ass’n, 207 N. Y. 1 (defendant published a libel on plaintiff’s wife resulting in illness and loss of her services).

McQueen v. Fulgham, 27 Tex. 463; Underhill v. Welton, 32 Vt. 40 Contra.

Damage caused by another person’s repetition of the defendant’s words is too remote. Holwood v. Hopkins, Cro. El. 787; Ward v. Weeks, 7 Bing. 211 (but see Riding v. Smith, 1 Ex. D. 91); Rutherford v. Evans, 4 Car. & P. 74; Tunnicliff v. Moss, 3 Car. & K. 83; Kendillon v. Maltby, 1 Car. & M. 402; Parkins v. Scott, 1 H. & C. 153; Dixon v. Smith, 5 H. & N. 450; Clarke v. Morgan, 38 L. T. Rep. 354; Bree v. Marescaux, 7 Q. B. Div. 434; Cates v. Kellogg, 9 Ind. 506; Stevens v. Hartwell, 11 Met. 542; Hastings v. Stetson, 126 Mass. 329; Hastings v. Palmer, 20 Wend. 225; Hallock v. Miller, 2 Barb. 630; Olmsted v. Brown, 12 Barb. 657; Terwilliger v. Wands, 17 N. Y. 54; Fowles v. Bowen, 30 N. Y. 20; Bassell v. Elmore, 48 N. Y. 561 (but see Sewell v. Catlin, 3 Wend. 295; Keenholts v. Becker, 3 Den. 346).

See also Whitney v. Moignard, 24 Q. B. Div. 630; Speight v. Gosnay, 60 L. J. Q. B. 231; Adams v. Cameron, 27 Cal. App. 625; Mills v. Flynn, 157 Ia. 477; Fitzgerald v. Young, 89 Neb. 693.

The rule is otherwise where the repetition is made as a privileged communication. Gillett v. Bullivant, 7 L. T. 490; Derry v. Handley, 16 L. T. Rep. 263; Fowles v. Bowen, 30 N. Y. 20.