Cortelyou v. Charles Eneu Johnson & Co.

138 F. 110, 1905 U.S. App. LEXIS 4594
CourtU.S. Circuit Court for the District of Southern New York
DecidedMay 30, 1905
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 138 F. 110 (Cortelyou v. Charles Eneu Johnson & Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Southern New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cortelyou v. Charles Eneu Johnson & Co., 138 F. 110, 1905 U.S. App. LEXIS 4594 (circtsdny 1905).

Opinion

RAY, District Judge

(after stating the facts). The patented rotary neostyle is sold under a license restriction, which restriction precludes the use thereof except with supplies (stencil paper, ink, etc.) manufactured and sold by the Neostyle Company. The charge is that the defendant has been making duplicating ink and selling the same to the complainants’ vendees or licensees, with the intent that such ink shall be used on these machines obtained of the complainants by such vendees or licensees in violation of the license restriction. It is charged- that the defendant in fact procures such ink to be so used by such licensees.

The rotary neostyle was the first machine on the market adapted for rapid stencil duplication, and is the only duplicating machine of the rotary type ever marketed. Its use was commenced in 1899, and soon passed into the hands of the Neostyle Company. At that time the machines were sold without any restrictions as to their use. In a short time that plan of sale proved to be impracticable, because the excessive cost of selling left no profit. In fact, there was a loss. The machines were not being at all times successfully used, because of the inferior supplies offered and furnished by outsiders to the users of the machine. It was also discovered that several improvements on the machine were necessary to make it complete. If the machine was to prove a success, it was necessary that it be operated efficiently and economically, and, that this result might be attained, it was necessary that the machine should be used in the manner contemplated by the manufacturer. Its use in a different manner, as with stencil paper adapted for a hand duplicator or with ink adapted for a printifig press, would speedily bring the machine into disrepute. In October, 1899, it was discovered that the plan of selling the machine outright and without a license limitation was disastrous; money was being lost by the manufacturers and sellers, and-the machine was falling into disrepute because of their failure to secure high-class work. This failure was due, in some degree at least, to the supplies used. It was deemed unwise to increase the price of the machine. The plan was then formed of selling the machine under a license restriction. The machine was improved, and placed in the hands of users at the price of $50, the same before charged; but each machine, it is asserted, was sold under and with a license restriction forming a part of the contract of sale, and limiting the right of the purchaser to use the same. The purchaser, it is insisted, acquired the right to use the machine only in connection with the specially developed supplies of the Neostyle Company, its ink being one of these supplies. The [112]*112baseboard of the machine, a most conspicuous part of the mechanism, is black, and upon this, before the sale of the machine, was. firmly affixed in a conspicuous place a whi.te celluloid plate, on which was and is inscribed, in black letters, the following:

“License Agreement.
“Tbis machine is sold by the Neostyle Co. and purchased by the user, with ■ the express understanding'that it is licensed to be used only with stencil paper and ink (both of which are patented), made by the
“Neostyle Company,
“New York City.”

This license agreement was affixed to each and every machine sold subsequent to October 21, 1899. Each machine bore also the patent label, giving the date of the Eowe patent in suit. This tag read as follows:

“Rotary Neostyle, U. S. Pats., July 9, 1895; Jan. 28, ’96; June 22, ’97. Made by Neostyle Co., New York.”

This plate, giving the patents, etc., was of metal about 2^ inches long and 1J4 inches wide, and the letters named were placed thereon in raised .gilt.

The supplies for this machine are duplicating ink and stencil paper. The manager of the Neostyle Company says that the company expended large sums of money in bringing these supplies to the highest possible standard, and that they employed at great expense expert chemists, and expended months of labor and thought, to perfect an ink that would give satisfaction in any temperature and climate, and permit the user to secure the best possible results under all climatic conditions. The president of the company says that much time and labor and experience were thrown into experiments on the ink to be used on the machine, as well as in the reconstruction of the machine itself. He says that chemists and ink manufacturers were employed to secure an ink that would give the highest and best results. He says that the use of satisfactory ink on the machine means more than the production of perfect prints; that the ink must dry readily, and not act to destroy the stencil. He says that other inks were found to destroy the stencils. It must be conceded that the success of the machine would depend largely upon the quality of the work done, and that the quality of the work done would depend largely upon the quality of the supplies used. In short, it appears that the complainants, having lost large sums of money, and being in danger of having the machine brought into disrepute so that it would be worthless, expended large sums of money in improving the machine and other, large sums of money in producing first-class supplies, and that then, to make the venture a success and insure a proper working of the machine and good results, they attached to .each machine, before selling the same, the license agreement before quoted, and to which attention has been called. The evidence shows that good results came from this plan. The testimony shows that this plan of selling and using and operating has been beneficial both to the company and the purchaser and user of the machine. It has resulted [113]*113in profits to the company, and the highest result in quality of work has been attained. It is also shown that the ink used under this plan has saved from 30 to 40 per cent, of what would otherwise be the initial cost of the machine. The evidence is that the present selling price of the rotary neostyle machine is $50, but that its cost to the manufacturer is about $64. The evidence shows, therefore, that the manufacturer or complainants put into the hands of the purchaser or licensee, whichever we call him, a machine costing $64, at a cost to him of $50, but with the agreement attached, specified heretofore as the “license agreement,” that the purchaser or licensee shall only use the machine with the supplies made and sold by the complainants. The evidence shows also that the user of the machines, operating them with the supplies made and furnished by the complainants, may receive or get back the price paid for it in about three weeks. The evidence shows that the cost of producing 1,000 typewritten copies of a writing, letter size, on,the rotary neostyle, is about 33 cents. The cost of 1,000 copies of the same produced on a printing press is about $3. Other benefits derived might be named and specified, but it is unnecessary. There is a sufficient consideration to the buyer of the machine, or licensee, for the license agreement. The price charged by the company for duplicating ink is fair and reasonable. In selling the machines with this license agreement attached in the manner described, there is no fraud, deceit, or imposition. After some of these machines were sold with the license agreement attached, it was discovered by the complainants that some of them were not doing satisfactory work.

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Bluebook (online)
138 F. 110, 1905 U.S. App. LEXIS 4594, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cortelyou-v-charles-eneu-johnson-co-circtsdny-1905.