Perry v. News Syndicate Co.

The plaintiff is a lawyer of many years’ standing, admitted to practice in the State of Massachusetts, and actively engaged in the practice of his profession. The defendant publishes a Sunday newspaper called Sunday News. In its issue of February 13, 1949, the defendant published an article concerning a proceeding before Judge Mayhew E. Hitch of the Probate Court, which was one to obtain the custody of a four-year-old girl whose mother had arranged with a Mr. and Mrs. Hirshons to board the child. The child’s mother and grandparents sought to obtain custody of the child; so did the Hirshons.…