Stogop Realty Co. v. Marie Antoinette Hotel Co.

217 A.D. 555, 217 N.Y.S. 106, 1926 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 7854
CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedJuly 6, 1926
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 217 A.D. 555 (Stogop Realty Co. v. Marie Antoinette Hotel Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stogop Realty Co. v. Marie Antoinette Hotel Co., 217 A.D. 555, 217 N.Y.S. 106, 1926 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 7854 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1926).

Opinion

Wagner, J.

This action was brought to enjoin the defendant from using the name Marie Antoinette, or- any simulation thereof, in connection with an hotel, and to secure relief specified in the complaint. The facts in this record are practically undisputed and the only question before the court is one of law.

In 1892 one William L. Flanagan owned the premises at the northwest corner of Sixty-sixth street and Broadway in the city of New York. During the years 1893 and 1894 he erected a building upon these premises, which was specially constructed for the purposes and uses of an hotel. During the course of construction Mr. Flanagan determined to adopt and to appropriate the name “ Marie Antoinette to designate this hotel building, and with this purpose in view caused such name to be cut into the stone work over the entrance to the building where it still remains. The initials M. A.” were wrought into the design of the ornamental iron gates and grill work at the entrance to the building, all of which are still in place and these letters were upon all the door knobs, upon the iron gratings and the elevator doors, upon the lighting fixtures, decorations and on other parts of the building. When completed, the building was an eight-story structure containing approximately 159 guest rooms, excluding bathrooms, and was in all other respects fully and adequately equipped for the operation of a first-class hotel. It was completely furnished by Mr. Flanagan, the linens being imported and having a crest with the initials “ M. A.” woven therein, and the dishes and furniture were also marked with the same letters. After some advertising, the hotel was opened to the public by Mr. Flanagan on October 11, 1894, and for the succeeding eight years, and until October 12,1902, he or his representatives conducted the establishment as an hotel. During this period it was the only hotel in New York known by that name.

On July 19, 1901, said Flanagan, the owner, made a deed of his property, including the Hotel Marie Antoinette, to certain trustees under which deed the trustees became the owners in fee of said hotel premises and the owners and proprietors of the hotel business. This deed was accompanied by a declaration of trust which provided, among other things, that the trust deed should become void upon the death of William L. Flanagan. This occurred on January 18, 1903.

Prior to 1903 there was a vacant lot to the north of the “ Hotel [558]*558Marie Antoinette ” at the southwest corner of Sixty-seventh street and Broadway, which lot, together with the “ Hotel Marie Antoinette ” building just described, covered the entire frontage on the westerly side of Broadway between Sixty-sixth and Sixty-seventh streets. The Sixty-seventh street lot was owned by a New York corporation known as the Boulevard Corporation.

On February 19, 1902, a lease for twenty-one years was made between Albert R. Keen, as lessee, and William L. Flanagan personally and the Flanagan trustees under the deed of trust, as lessors, covering the Sixty-sixth street premises together with the building thereon erected, known as the Hotel Marie Antoinette, together with the right to the party of the second part [lessee] to the exclusive use of the name ‘ Marie Antoinette ’ for the purposes of said hotel, together with all the personal property therein contained, an inventory of which is to be hereto annexed signed by the parties hereto, with the appurtenances, for the term of 21 years from the 1st day of October, 1902.”

Among other provisions, this lease contained the following:

“ It is hereby agreed between the parties hereto that connections may be made between the said premises and the adjoining building to be erected on the north thereof in such locations as the said party of the second part [lessee] may deem desirable, but on plans submitted to the parties of the first part by the party of the second part and approved by them; provided, however, and it is hereby agreed, that the above leased premises shall be restored to their original condition by and at the expense of the party of the second part at the expiration or earlier termination of this lease or a renewal thereof.
“ It is further agreed by and between the parties hereto at the termination of this lease or any renewals thereof which may be agreed upon that the name ‘ Marie Antoinette' and the right to use the same shall revert to and become the sole property of the parties of the first part [lessors], their successors or assigns * * *
" And the said party of the second part [lessee] further covenants and agrees to use said premises for the purposes of a first-class hotel and for no other purpose.”
By another instrument in writing, bearing the same date as this lease, executed by the trustees and Flanagan, as parties of the first part and said Albert R. Keen, as party of the second part, it was provided as follows:
Whereas, as an inducement to the parties of the first part to make and enter into said lease with the party of the second part, the said party of the second part hereby agrees to procure a lease of premises adjoining the demised premises on the north [559]*559[67th Street premises], upon which a twelve-story hotel is to be erected, which said lease, together with the lease of the hotel Marie Antoinette are to be assigned to a company or corporation to be organized by the said party of the second part on or before October 1st, 1902, * * *
“ Now, therefore, for and in consideration of one dollar * * * the parties of the first part hereby consent to the assignment of the lease of said hotel Marie Antoinette by the party of the second part to the said corporation so to be formed.
“ The said party of the second part hereby agrees to organize and incorporate said corporation on or before October 1st, 1902, and to assign the lease of said hotel Marie Antoinette, together with the lease of the aforesaid adjacent premises to said corporation.
“ The party of the second part further agrees that upon the organization of said corporation, he will procure said corporation to accept assignments of said leases, and to assume and agree to pay the rents reserved therein and to keep and perform all the covenants therein contained, and contained in this agreement.” (Brackets ours.)

Mr. Keen complied with the provisions of this agreement and obtained a lease for twenty-one years of the Sixty-seventh street premises, which, on March 4, 1902, he assigned to the defendant herein, Marie Antoinette Hotel Company. To this company he also assigned the lease of “ Hotel Marie Antoinette ” (the Sixty-sixth street premises) by an assignment jointly executed by Keen and the defendant. By such instrument the defendant does assume and agree to perform, fulfill and carry out the agreements, covenants, conditions and provisions which in the said indenture of lease are by the said Albert R. Keen agreed to be performed.”

It is, therefore, apparent that when the lease was made, defendant’s assignor, and thereafter defendant, had notice and expressly agreed that their right to use the name Marie Antoinette ” would cease and terminate at the end of such lease.

From and after October 1, 1902, the defendant hotel company managed and operated the “ Marie Antoinette Hotel,” established at Sixty-sixth street and Broadway.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Wyndham Co. v. Wyndham Hotel Co.
157 Misc. 2d 307 (New York Supreme Court, 1992)
Nercessian v. Homasian Carpet Enterprises, Inc.
89 A.D.2d 1012 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1982)
Norden Restaurant Corp. v. Sons of Revolution
415 N.E.2d 956 (New York Court of Appeals, 1980)
Norden Restaurant Corp. v. Sons of the Revolution
73 A.D.2d 213 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1980)
City of New York v. Patton
450 F. Supp. 842 (S.D. New York, 1978)
Reltron Corp. v. Voxakis Enterprises, Inc.
57 A.D.2d 134 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1977)
Clemente Bros., Inc. v. Peterson-Ashton Fuels, Inc.
29 A.D.2d 908 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1968)
Kristel v. Steinberg
188 Misc. 500 (City of New York Municipal Court, 1947)
People v. Ferdinand
172 Misc. 595 (New York City Magistrates' Court, 1939)
Rhea v. Bacon
87 F.2d 976 (Fifth Circuit, 1937)
Samuel Stores v. Queen City Credit Clothing Corp.
157 Misc. 186 (New York Supreme Court, 1935)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
217 A.D. 555, 217 N.Y.S. 106, 1926 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 7854, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stogop-realty-co-v-marie-antoinette-hotel-co-nyappdiv-1926.