[445]. Alexander v. Angle, 1 Cr. & J. 143; Sibley v. Tomlins, 4 Tyrwh. 90; Doyley v. Roberts, 3 B. N. C. 835; Brayne v. Cooper, 5 M. & W. 249; James v. Brook, 9 Q. B. 7; Dauncey v. Holloway, [1901] 2 K. B. 441; Hogg v. Dorrah, 2 Porter, (Ala.) 212; Oram v. Franklin, 5 Blackf. 42; Buck v. Hersey, 31 Me. 558; Oakley v. Farrington, 1 Johns. Cas. 129; Van Tassel v. Capron, 1 Den. 250; Ireland v. McGarvish, 1 Sandf. 155; Chomley v. Watson, [1907] Vict. L. R. 502 Accord.
Compare Ware v. Clowney, 24 Ala. 707; Butler v. Howes, 7 Cal. 87; Fowles v. Bowen, 30 N. Y. 20.
“Some of the cases have proceeded to a length which can hardly fail to excite surprise: a clergyman having failed to obtain redress for the imputation of adultery; and a school-mistress having been declared incompetent to maintain an action for a charge of prostitution. Such words were undeniably calculated to injure the success of the plaintiffs in their several professions, but, not being applicable to their conduct therein, no action lay.” Lord Denman, C. J., in Ayre v. Craven, 2 A. & E. 2. See Morasse v. Brooks, 151 Mass. 567, 568.
Imputation of misconduct to a clergyman, see Bishop of Norwich v. Pricket, Cro. Eliz. 1 (heterodoxy in religion); Payne v. Bewmorris, 1 Lev. 248 (incontinence); Pope v. Ramsey, 1 Keb. 542 (knave, &c.); Chaddock v. Briggs, 13 Mass. 248 (drunkenness); Ritchie v. Widdemer, 59 N. J. Law, 290; Demarest v. Haring, 6 Cow. 76 (incontinence); Potter v. N. Y. Journal, 68 App. Div. 95; Hayner v. Cowden, 27 Ohio St. 292 (drunkenness); McMillan v. Birch, 1 Binney, 178 (drunkenness); Starr v. Gardner, 6 Up. Can. Q. B. O. S. 512 (incontinence; but see, contra, Breeze v. Sails, 23 Up. Can. Q. B. 94, incontinence), holding the words actionable.
Parrat v. Carpenter, Cro. El. 502; Nicholson v. Lyne, Cro. El. 94; Anon., Sty. 49 Contra. Compare Gallwey v. Marshall, 9 Ex. 294, 568.
Imputation to teacher of discreditable conduct with pupils. Spears v. McCoy, 155 Ky. 1. Compare Nicholson v. Dillard, 137 Ga. 225.
Imputation to an officer of drunkenness while on duty. Reilly v. Curtis, 83 N. J. Law, 77.
[446]. Kempe’s Case, Dy. 72, pl. 6; Stanton v. Smith, 2 Ld. Ray. 1480; Brown v. Smith, 13 C. B. 596; Pacific Packing Co. v. Bradstreet, 25 Idaho, 696; Simons v. Burnham, 102 Mich. 189; Traynor v. Sielaff, 62 Minn. 420; Hynds v. Fourteenth Street Store, 159 App. Div. 766; Davis v. Ruff, Cheeves, 17 Accord.
Barnes v. Trundy, 31 Me. 321; Redway v. Gray, 31 Vt. 292 Contra.
See Bell v. Thatcher, Freem. 276; Bryant v. Loxton, 11 Moore, 344; Marino v. Di Marco, 41 App. D. C. 76 (“sells rotten goods”); Taylor v. Church, 1 E. D. Smith, 287; Fowles v. Bowen, 30 N. Y. 20; Bilgrien v. Ulrich, 150 Wis. 532 (habitual cheating).