[437]. Only the opinion of the court is given.
[438]. By 54 & 55 Vict. c. 51, words which impute unchastity or adultery to any woman or girl are actionable, without special damage.
[439]. This rule has been approved in the following cases: Pollard v. Lyon, 91 U. S. 225; Perdue v. Burnett, Minor, 138; Dudley v. Horn, 21 Ala. 379; Hillhouse v. Peck, 2 St. & P. 395; Heath v. Devaughn, 37 Ala. 677; Kinney v. Hosea, 3 Harring, 77; Pleasanton v. Kronemeier, 29 Del. 81; Pledger v. Hathcock, 1 Ga. 550; Giddens v. Mirk, 4 Ga. 364; Richardson v. Roberts, 23 Ga. 215; Burton v. Burton, 3 Greene, 316; Halley v. Gregg, 74 Ia. 563; Wooten v. Martin, 140 Ky. 781; St. Martin v. Desnoyer, 1 Minn. 156; West v. Hanrahan, 28 Minn. 385; Chaplin v. Lee, 18 Neb. 440; Hendrickson v. Sullivan, 28 Neb. 329; McCuen v. Ludlum, 2 Harr. 12; Johnson v. Shields, 25 N. J. Law, 116; Widrig v. Oyer, 13 Johns. 124; Martin v. Stilwell, 13 Johns. 275; Alexander v. Alexander, 9 Wend. 141; Case v. Buckley, 15 Wend. 327; Bissell v. Cornell, 24 Wend. 354; Demarest v. Haring, 6 Cow. 76; Young v. Miller, 3 Hill, 21; Wright v. Paige, 3 Keyes, 581, 3 Trans. App. 134, S. C.; Crawford v. Wilson, 4 Barb. 504; Johnson v. Brown, 57 Barb. 118; Quinn v. O’Gara, 2 E. D. Sm. 388; Torres v. Huner, 150 App. Div. 798; Dial v. Holter, 6 Ohio St. 228; Alfele v. Wright, 17 Ohio St. 238; Hollingsworth v. Shaw, 19 Ohio St. 430; Davis v. Brown, 27 Ohio St. 326; Davis v. Sladden, 17 Or. 259; Andres v. Koppenheafer, 3 S. & R. 255; Davis v. Carey, 141 Pa. St. 314; Lodge v. O’Toole, 20 R. I. 405; Gage v. Shelton, 3 Rich. 242; Smith v. Brown, 97 S. C. 239; Smith v. Smith, 2 Sneed, 473; McAnally v. Williams, 3 Sneed, 26; Poe v. Grever, 3 Sneed, 664; Payne v. Tancil, 98 Va. 262. See Moore v. Francis, 121 N. Y. 199.
[440]. Hence it is not actionable (without special damage) to call a man a “bastard,” Paysse v. Paysse, 86 Wash. 349, or a “blackleg and swindler,” McIntyre v. Fruchter, 148 N. Y. Supp. 786; or a “rascal,” Massee v. Williams, 207 Mass. 222, or to call a woman a “bitch.” Craver v. Norton, 114 Ia. 46; Sturdivant v. Duke, 155 Ky. 100; Kerone v. Block, 144 Mo. App. 575; Blake v. Smith, 19 R. I. 476.
But in Fowler v. Dowdney, 2 Moody & R. 119, the words “he is a returned convict” were held actionable, Lord Denman, C. J., saving that though the punishment had been suffered, “still the obloquy remains.” Gainford v. Tuke, Cro. Jac. 536; Boston v. Tatam, Cro. Jac. 623; Beavor v. Hides, 2 Wils. 300; Stewart v. Howe, 17 Ill. 71; Wiley v. Campbell, 5 T. B. Monr. 396; Krebs v. Oliver, 12 Gray, 239; Johnson v. Dicken, 25 Mo. 580; Van Ankin v. Westfall, 14 Johns. 233; Ship v. McCraw, 3 Murphy, 463; Smith v. Stewart, 5 Pa. St. 372; Beck v. Stitzel, 21 Pa. St. 522; Poe v. Grever, 3 Sneed, (Tenn.) 664 Accord.
Compare Carpenter v. Tarrant, C. t. Hardw. 339; French v. Creath, Breese, 12; Barclay v. Thompson, 2 Pen. & W. 148.
[441]. Only portions of the opinion are given.
[442]. See also Keck v. Shepard, (Ark.) 180 S. W. 501 (statutory); Craver v. Norton, 114 Ia. 46; Hahn v. Lumpa, 158 Ia. 560; Traylor v. White, 185 Mo. App. 325 (statutory); Culver v. Marx, 157 Wis. 320. On the whole subject, see Veeder, History and Theory of the Law of Defamation, 4 Columbia Law Rev. 33, 52.
[443]. Only the opinion of the court is given.
[444]. “We think that the rule as to words spoken of a man in his office or trade is not necessarily confined to offices and trades of the nature and duties of which the court can take judicial notice. The only limitation of which we are aware is, that it does not apply to illegal callings.” Channel, B., in Foulger v. Newcomb, L. R. 2 Ex. 327, 330.