Goodwin v. Camp

295 F. 785, 1924 U.S. App. LEXIS 3241
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
DecidedFebruary 12, 1924
DocketNo. 3711
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 295 F. 785 (Goodwin v. Camp) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Goodwin v. Camp, 295 F. 785, 1924 U.S. App. LEXIS 3241 (6th Cir. 1924).

Opinion

KNAPPEN, Circuit Judge.

Appellant, a resident of the city of New York, brought suit in equity against appellee, a corset manufacturer in Jackson, Mich., to enforce asserted rights in a certain business of manufacturing and selling corsets, in which appellant claimed to be jointly interested with appellee; the latter asserting that he was the sole owner and proprietor of the business and that appellant was his employé therein. She asked a winding up of the business, an accounting, and an injunction restraining appellee from using the trademark or trade-name “Goodwin” in the business of manufacturing and selling corsets. This appeal is from a final decree dismissing complainant’s bill, and enjoining appellant from using the trade-mark or trade-name “Goodwin,” and granting other relief as hereinafter stated.

The cause was referred, by consent of parties, to a master in chancery to take the testimony, to make therefrom special findings of facts upon the issues joined, and to report the same, with his conclusions of law thereon, to the court, together with the testimony and all exceptions taken thereto. The master found, in substance, these facts:

Prior to March 24, 1908, complainant had been engaged in cutting and selling ladies’ garments and in demonstrating and selling corsets, but was without experience or reputation in designing corsets. At that date defendant was engaged in manufacturing corsets in Jackson, Mich., doing business as S. H. Camp & Co. On the date named the parties made a written agreement providing that S. H. Camp & Co. should take up the manufacture of the line of corsets for which, it was recited, complainant had prepared the designs, and would put it out under her name.; she to devote the most of her time to actively pushing the corset, introducing it in new localities and stimulating trade in places where it might previously have been introduced. Eor this defendant was to pay her a commission of 15 per cent, on all first orders taken by her, or orders coming from such customers during three months succeeding the placing of their first order, or taken and sent in by her on trips over territory in which the garments had already been introduced, and a commission of 5 per cent, on orders received after the-expiration of three months, or orders sent in from any source, except from complainant, including those sent in bj agents in localities already covered by salesmen. All orders were to be subject'to defendant’s approval of the credit or financial responsibility of the party ordering. An allowance of approximately 5 per cent, on the gross sales was made for advertising of all kinds. There was express provision that S. H. Camp & Co. were “to secure trade-mark at their expense, right of which shall belong to them.” On June 20, 1910, defendant agreed, in writing, to pay complainant a larger com[787]*787mission upon certain classes of orders. Under the original contract, as so modified, and until June 2, 1914, complainant designed corsets, actively assisted in establishing agencies for the sale thereof in various cities, wrote advertisements, traveled about the country obtaining orders for and exploiting the merits of such corsets, managed at different times the New York shop of the business, voluntarily paid one-third of the expense for advertising until January 2, 1914, and in general rendered valuable services “in actively pushing the corset, introducing it in new localities, and stimulating trade in places where it had previously been introduced.”

For these services she received the commissions provided for in the contract. During the same period defendant, doing business as S. H. Camp & Co., at Jackson, manufactured the corsets so designed; purchased machinery and materials, and employed, discharged, and paid the help necessary to such manufacture; employed, discharged, directed, and paid traveling representatives throughout the country; made all contracts entered into with agencies and agents selling or handling such corsets; fixed the prices thereof; accepted or rejected at will all orders; collected and disbursed all receipts from sales, and retained all profits thereof remaining after paying all expenses, including commissions to complainant; and in general controlled and directed the business. Immediately after the execution of the contract of 1908 the word “Goodwin,” printed in black script letters, as in the signature of complainant, was adopted as a trade-mark and trade-name for the corsets in question, and was so used continuously to the date of the commencement of suit, being affixed by printed label to each corset so made, printed on the stationery used in the business, displayed on windows and signs in the factory and in the different shops and salesrooms, and used in circulars, booklets, and magazine and newspaper advertisements, usually in juxtaposition with the name of S. H. Camp & Co. On November 1, 1910, certificate of registration of that trade-mark was duly issued to defendant upon his application therefor filed December 9, 1909, followed by complainant’s consent and permission that defendant “use the autograph ’Goodwin’ as a trade-mark on corsets, underwear, and articles of ladies’ clothing manufactured by the said [defendant] and * * * register the same as the trade-mark of aforesaid Samuel Higby Camp in the United States patent office.”

Until 1914 the parties acted on the assumption and understanding that defendant was the sole owner of the business and of the trademark. In the spring of 1914 friction, which had been growing between the parties, increased to such an extent as seriously to threaten the continuance of their business relations. Complainant had been removed by defendant from the management of the New York shop, and considerable ill feeling had been developed between them. Complainant felt insecure concerning the permanency of her connection with the business, and resentful regarding her removal from the New York shop management. As a final result of negotiations between the parties, a contract was made and executed between them at Jackson, Mich., on June 2, 1914, which recited that the parties thereto, had since March 24, 1908, and under written agreement of that date, [788]*788been “jointly interested in designing and selling corsets and other garments advertised and known to the trade as ‘Goodwin/ and the adoption of trade-names and the securing of trade-marks during that period,” and further reciting the development and growth of the business to such an extent that it was deemed advisable by the parties that their respective rights, duties and obligations be more specifically defined and fixed to meet the changed conditions — the material provisions being these: Defendant agreed to pay complainant, as royalties, 7 per cent, on the gross aggregate amount of all sales of the Goodwin garments manufactured and sold under that agreement so long as complainant “performs her obligations” herein, until such royalties and any commissions equal $12,500 before the end of the current fiscal year, with proviso that if the sales should exceed $250,000 complainant should receive 5 per cent, of the gross sales in excess of the amount last named; also that allowances should be made for returned goods and that losses on accounts should be adjusted by deductions. Complainant agreed that the—

“trade-mark or trade-name ‘Goodwin,’ and all other trade-marks or trade-names heretofore or hereafter established, adopted, or secured, or used in connection with the Goodwin corset business, shall be and remain the property of [defendant, doing business as S. H. Camp &

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
295 F. 785, 1924 U.S. App. LEXIS 3241, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/goodwin-v-camp-ca6-1924.