New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-27
SAYS THE BROKERS SWINDLED HIN.
LEONARD A. sTAUB. AN INVENTOR "'''''-S
JOHNSTON & CO. or UNLAWFCLLf "tiIlN"
MONEY AND RIGHTS FROM HIM

,rox,pn . srArB. AN INVENTOR. ACCUSES
JOHNSTON & Co OF UNLAwFuLLY GETTING
MONEY AND RIGHTS FROM HIM
Chief Judge DAILY in the Court OF Common Pleas
Yesterday granted injunction restraining Oha'i's
Johnston and Charles Nicholson brokers' nolns
business under the firm name or johnston " ~
from transferring or In any way dispos.ng OF
note for $500 made by Leonard a. Siaub stauD
has brought a suit 10 recover the note and other
money which. he alleges was obtained from him
by fraud. In his complaint Staub charges that the
brokers have cheated him out OF valuable patent
rights worth $4,000 in addition 10 the note. and
have caused to be conveyed to him the Florence
Hotel at Long Branch. which he says was 70
covered with encumbrances when he accepted II
In payment for the patent rights that 1t was OF
little value.
According to Staub's story the transaction was
carried on in the name OF one George T.. Adams. a
mysterious person. whom he has never been able
to find. Staub says he came to this country from
Germany about three years ago. and knows little
about real estate values. He alleges In his com
plaint that when he arrived here he had valuable
patents for the manufacture Of coke and applied for
and secured letters patent from Washington his
invention. After securing the patents Staub said
he looked around for purchaser for one-fourh
interest in his patent. He was led to call on John
ston Co The defendants. Staub says. agreed -
raise the necessary capital and TO sell one-fourth
OF the patent rights for 5000 This was early In
October. 1894 On the 18th OF the same month Staub
alleges that Johnston Co told him that they
had found purchaser Tor the One-lourth interest
Staub called on the defendants. and said he
told that one George +. Adams had hotel at Long
Branch which was worth $1,000 flee and clear.
which he would transfer 10 him for the one-fourth
This hotel the plaintiff says. was representa- to
be in good condition and would rent for 900 a
year. BY way OF commissions on the trace whien
Staub accepted on the advice OF the Defendants ne
says he paid them 81 900 IN cash ana MS note ior
Sc 200 due on March 10. 1882 .
Subsequently. Staub says. he discovered mat me
hotel was encountered for all II was worth, and
was of little II any value to him; lie then De
nnIf oh hln
ance of his patent rights Offering to reconvey me
hotel which Staub alleges only brought In rental
OF sl25 last season. He was told to see ADAMS
about the matter. but could not find him In an an
a6idayit made by the plaintiffs lawyer Gustave
Hnrlimann. OF No 2OG Broadway the lawyer says
that he saw George f, Adams once al NO Lon
broadway and that Adams told hin ne came
from California but had lost nearly all ms money
I'm bad Investments In this city. lie also saId ne
did not own the Florence at the time III was leased
last season. Since then the lawyer says George
r. Adams has disappeared ,,, -. a., .
The brokers are restrained from dlsposing or me
note until the case is decided. The plaintin asks
Tor the return OF his money and the note. ana the
rcconveyance OF his interest In the patent.