The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-25
SUING FOR $500, ,OOO.
The New York Associated Press Brings > nj
Against the Western Association.


NEW YORK, March 2i-The members
OF the New York Associated Press have
sued the Western Associated Press for
about 100000 with interest due on unset
tied accounts for collecting and distribu-
ting news reports in the far West under
an agreement that expired on January
lst The agreement was made in 1852
for five years and was renewed In 1897
for the same period
The suit is the result of an examination
Of some Of the books of both associations.
and the preparation Of a statement of the
relations that existed between the assO-
Citations with an estimate Of the amounts
that were withheld by the Western Press
Association during the existence Of the
agreement. The suit IS to be tried In
the supreme court OF this district sum-
mons having been served on Mr.. Victor
f. Lawson, Of the Chicago News, as
chairman OF the executive committee Of
the Western Associated Press, when he
was I'm New York last month attending
the meetings of the Publishers Associa-
ton The complaint has been served on
the attorneys for the defendants by
Townsend Dyett & Enstein. out issue
hls not been joined yet. The contro-
versy OF the New York Association with
the Western Association extends back
to july. lNN-. WItu TIE tAF'uilFf ANili
mittee Of the latter association sent 10
President David NJ. Stone a notification
Of the termination OF the contract under
which the association had collected and
distributed news reports for fifteen years
A month later the New York Association
appointed a special committee 10 confer
with the Western Association, and drew
up contract for the regulation OF future
business. In September, 1882. the confer
ence committees recommended the or
gani2atiOn OF a joint board Of control,
that should have. for period to be de
termined entire charge Of the business
of collecting. transmitting and distributing
news reports for the two associations,
and make contracts that would be bind
ing on both. A substitute offered by Mr
Charles a. Dana at a meeting OF the New
York Association proposed a pooling ar
rangement between the two ASSOCIATIONS
and the appointment OF an executive com
mittee of two members from each asso-
ISOLATION. with a chairman 10 be chosen
by the New York Association. TO nave
Joint charge Of the business Of the pool.
No changes in rates OF charges or IN
the territory served by the respective as
sociatiOns were TO be made by the JOINT
executive committee without the assent
Of both associations.
At a meeting in November, lS6Z' the
plan OF the substitute was accepted ana
the New York members Of the joint eNecu-
tive committee were elected. The west
ern Association approved the plan and
elected two members OF the committee.
Harmonious relations were renewed I'M
mediately and the joint executive com
mittee took charge Of all affairs. Mr.
Dana was chairman OF the committee
until the Sun withdrew from the Ne"
York Associated Press in January 1892.
IN. f,nrfnp tanueff
elected chairman. In this suit, however,
the Sun. as a member OF the New York
Associated Press during nine years OF the
period OF the agreement, appears as one
OF the plaintiffs The agreement provided
that the New York Association should
furnish to the Western Association news
reports gathered from Europe. CANADA,
the Eastern. Middle and southern States.
and that the Western Association should
distribute the reports, as subscribed for.
10 newspapers in the far West that had
been served formerly by the New YORK
Association IL was understood, also,
that the Western Association should col
lect news reports In the West ana tar
West and furnish them 10 the New YORK
Association. The Western Association
had sought To enter the so-called terri
tory OF the New York Association In the
far West, but the latter had objected.
IL agreed. however 10 allow the Western
Association TO assume control OF the SER
vice during the existence OF the agree
ment IL was not expected that the New
York Association would lose any pecunia-
~ advantage by the agreement, because
the Western Association agreed to take
only a part of the net revenue from the
clients in the far West. The boundary
OF each Association had been defined.
When the agreement was made William
Henry Smith was in New York as man.
ager OF the Western Associated Press,
but when Mr.. Erastus Brooks. the gen.
eral agent OF the New York Associated
Press, went 10 the Legislature In Janua-
~. 1885, Mr.. Smith carried out the in
structions OF the joint executive commit
tee In. regard 10 the New York Associa-
tion.
Mr.. Brooks resigned a month later. and
Mr. Smith remained as general manager
OF both associations. The books of both
associations were kept at the headquar-
ters at New York. and II was the duty OF
the general manager TO transfer TO the
New York association amounts that might