Abell v. Cornwall Industrial Corp.

The defendant published in its newspaper an article urging upon the residents of Cornwall that they should be “ progressive ” so that their community might advance with the times.” Apparently the editor believed that the beautiful and good acquires greater lure when pictured in contrast with the ugly and evil, and that exhortation to virtue may profitably be supplemented by excoriation of vice; so he chose the plaintiff as the exemplar of the unprogressive in the community and painted him in color and form intended to repel. In no uncertain language he charged the plaintiff with being that…