Northland Rubber Co. v. International Automobile League

143 N.Y.S. 1
New York Supreme Court·Decided August 15, 1913·Published·Cited by 8 cases

Opinion

LAUGHLIN, J.

This is a suit in equity to enjoin violations of certain contracts made in writing on the 6th day of December, 1911, and the 30th day of September, 1912, respectively, by the plaintiff and the defendant the International Automobile League, which for brevity will be alluded to as the “League,” and for damages for such violations and for the sum of $26,306.93, alleged to be a balance due and owing to the plaintiff from the League by virtue of another contract in writing bearing date September 30, 1912, executed by the plaintiff and the League on an accounting in and by which it was agreed that the balance then owing from the League to the plaintiff was the sum of $61,306.93.

The allegations of the complaint in so' far as they relate to the plaintiff’s claim to be entitled to said sum of $26,306.93 may be elimi[2]*2nated from consideration on this motion, for they merely show a cause of action at law, and no facts are alleged on which the plaintiff would be entitled to equitable relief with respect to that item.

The plaintiff is a domestic corporation. It' was incorporated in August, 1910, under the name International Automobile League Tire & Rubber Company, to manufacture and deal in automobile tires, tubes, and accessories. Its name was duly changed to Northland Rubber Company, Inc., by order of the court on the 20th day of January, 1913. The League is also a domestic corporation, and it was incorporated, about a year prior to the incorporation of the plaintiff, to sell automobile tires and accessories to holders of contracts with it at or below dealers’ prices, and ever since its incorporation it has been and is, in effect, owned and controlled by the defendant Alfred C. Bidwell, its president, who was instrumental in incorporating the plaintiff for the purpose of co-operating with the League in furnishing automobile tires, tubes, and accessories to the stockholders of the League holding its contracts for such supplies at manufacturers’ prices. At the outset Bidwell dominated and controlled both corporations. After the plaintiff and the League had established and continued business relations for some time pursuant to various contracts, they entered into a contract in writing on the 6th day of December, 1911, by which the former agreements were readjusted, modified, and merged in that contract, and the provisions of the former agreements not incorporated in that contract were expressly abrogated.-'.

The contract of December 6, 1911, recites that about - one-half' of the capital stock of the plaintiff had been sold by the League at par and its commissions for sales theretofore made were agreed upon;, and it was provided that in an accounting for such sales the League-should be allowed a specified amount for the premises No. 270 North Division street and a factory site on Northland avenue, title to which, it was recited, was then in the plaintiff, and the League was constituted plaintiff’s sole sales agent, on a specified commission basis, for the unsold capital stock of the plaintiff until 9,500 shares of a total authorized .issue of 10,000 shares were» sold. It was provided that such sales should be made through the agencies theretofore employed by the League and on a general prospectus to be authorized and approved by it, and. that all payments of stock subscriptions should be by checks, drafts, "or money orders to the order of the plaintiff and should be immediately delivered by the League to the plaintiff. The-plaintiff agreed to issue to each subscriber to its capital stock whose subscription was fully paid a contract obligating ■ it to furpish the-tires manufactured by it at cost, and agreed to build and equip a plant to manufacture tires and tubes, and the League agreed to adopt plaintiff’s tires and tubes as the official tires and tubes of the League- and to advertise the same by pamphlets and circulars and in its official catalogues and journals in all editions sent out to members, and endeavor to advance the sale thereof, and agreed to give plaintiff’s officers access to its membership files. Paragraph 12 of that contract provides as follows:

“It is further agreed that the said League will, by means of tits agency forces established throughout the United States and Canada, and consisting [3]*3of about three hundred representatives, and established agencies, do all things necessary and proper to promote the publicity and sale of the tires, tubes and products manufactured by the tire company, and will use its utmost endeavor to induce all of the contract holders of said League to purchase and. use the products of the said tire company; and the said tire company likewise agrees to sell to the said League so long as said League remains in; business, all styles of tires and tubes to be manufactured by said company at prevailing automobile manufacture’s market prices.”

With an exception, which need not be considered, it was agreed that not more than ten shares of the capital stock of the plaintiff should be sold to any one party. It was further expressly agreed that the obligation of the League to sell plaintiff’s tires and tubes as'the official tires and tubes should be operative only while said Bidwell remained president or general manager of the plaintiff and general manager or in any way connected with the League. On August 24, 1912, Bidwell was removed as general manager of the plaintiff, and it appears by; affidavit that on the 13th day of February, 1913, he- resigned as its; president. It is alleged in the complaint that at the time the agreements of September 30, 1912, were made Bidwell placed his resignation as president and director of the plaintiff in the hands of his attorney under an agreement “that the same should be■ delivered in. the event that he again violated his obligations to the plaintiff,- or did.’ anything inimicable to its interests”; and it is further. allegéd, in.' effect, that on the discovery by the plaintiff of the fact that the League and Bidwell falsely and fraudulently misrepresented the amounts paid - by the League for certain of the tires delivered to the plaintiff under-time accounting contract of September 30, 1912, Bidwell tendered his: resignation as president and director of the plaintiff and the same wasr duly accepted.

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Northland Rubber Co. v. International Automobile League, 143 N.Y.S. 1 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1913).

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