New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-09
FLED TO SAVE THEIR INVENTION
THE HARPERs SENT A VALUABLE MACHINE
ABROAD AND nHHN FOLLOWED IT-GLAsS-
WARD DEALERS THINK THEY
ARE NOT DISHONEST.


The crockery and glassware trade is still agitated
over the fight of Thomas and william Harper, OF
Harper Brothers Company. 1t has been learned, how
ever that the debts of the firm not so large as
was at first supposed it being improbable that they
will aggregate 1000 The principal loser Is F. H.
Lowell, lamp manufacturer, OF No. lis Joln-st.'
who had $4,000 invested In the company. Next TO
him comes Mr.. Scott president Of the Central Glass
Works. of Wheeling, West Virginia, who loses $1,000.
Mr. Scott agreed to purchase one of the machines
which the Harper brothers had invented for printing
upon glass. The price to be paid for the machine
was 100000 and he gave 1000 down. to assist In
building It, He never received the machine. Tho
next creditor is the firm OF Philip Bender q Sons,
OF No. 90 Clif-st. The Belders arc machinsts, and
have done experimental work for the Harpers. Their
bill amounts to 80, 800 A. SartOrus d Co., OF NO.
2s Barclay-st, have a bill against the Harpers for
$40, for dyes furnished. A. J. MarShing & Co.. OF
Park Place and Church-st., also have a small bill
for dyes. John S. Mapes, of II. C.. Mapes 81 Co.,
insurance and real estate mer, of No. 50 Lbertys ST.,
has Endorsed notes Of the arpers for about LOO.
These notes have still several months to The
Harpers owe Mapes for house rent, and the firm Of
II. c. Mapes & Co. for insurance their factory for
several years. The debts to the employees at the
factory In Van Nest amount to a considerable sum.
The general opinion among the trade is that the
Harpers not dishonest men. They were skilled
mcchanicans, but they were not good business men.
and in their zeal In perfecting their invention they
allowed their financial affairs to get into muddle.
1ey have been working at the invention for the last
two years. aud have had three experimental machines
built The last one worked well. Tribune re
porter saw some samples Of their product at their
rooms at No. sc Church-st. J. b. Bennett, a. former
employee of the Harpcrs. says Inc has the machine
work. and that IT'S product IL excellent Large orders
obtained for the goods and quantities were de-
Iivered to various dealers Throughout the country.
rl~ uroox -H.akfo x-hapa
In ordr to increase tho productive facilities
it decided some time ago to enlarge the COM
pany, taking in two walst. bankers and increasing
the stock from 100000 to $4,000. The Messs llar-
per rather opposed 10 this but Lowell favored It,
week ago Wednesday expert was sent by the men
about 10 enter the firm to examine the books. The
expert found number of small debts that the Iarpeis
had not mentioned and there halt in the develop
ment Of the new company. The arpers evidently had
an idea that with new capital coming In, there was
danger of their being squeezed out while the matter
of the new company was pending, they made up their
minds to go away in order to save their Invention,
which they considered to be Of great value. The ma
chine which they had been running at their factory
was the one that had been built for Mr.. Scott, OF
Wheeling. They shipped ii from the factory, ostensi
bly, TO Scott but followed it to this city, and changed
the address the box afterward having it loaded on
the steamer Persian Monarch to be sent it Is supposed
to point in the pottery district Of Scotland They
followed the machine on Saturday, November l. on
the Cunard steamship Umbria. Steps have been taken
by Messrs. Lowell and Scott to cndeavor to intercept
the machine the arrival Of the Persian Monarch on
the other side. The Sheriff has levied the ma
chnery in the factory under a judgment held by
John Kenney of No. 1913 Grand-st. Brooklyn. The
factory itself and tile land on which 1T stands will
revert TO John s. Mapes In accordance with pro-
vision In the deed from Mapes by which the Harpers
held the property
The prevailing opinion Is that 1t is the intention
OF the iarpcrs TO perfect their machine In scotland
where they will perhaps I've able to work without
molesaton from creditors and then to return to the
United states and regain their commercial credit
through the proceeds derived from their invention.