At first , `` The New York Times '' refused as a matter of policy to report on the Appel -- Haken proof , fearing that the proof would be shown false like the ones before it .
At first , `` The New York Times '' refused to report on the Appel -- Haken proof . The newspaper did this as a matter of policy ; it feared that the proof would be shown false like the ones before it ( Wilson 2002 , p. 209 ) .