The morning times., 1897-01-24
THE BILL POSTERS AT WAR
The Local Firm Defending Its
Rights in Court.
1t Is Claimed Il Baltimore Firm
Is Trying to- Persuade Custom
ers to Break Contracts.

There is fight on hand between the
done so much to decorate fences, houses.
buildings and stone piles i'll this city, and
monumental organization which per
forms the same duty for the city of Balti-
more.
1t developed yesterday into a suit for
an Injunction, filed in the equity branch
OF the District supreme court.
Lloyd Moxley, before his death, built
up paying bill posting business in this
city. He was later associated in the
enterprise with Mr.. John Z Shoemaker,
who is now conducting the enterprise in
conjunction with Mr.. George Moxiey A
great feature OF this business is the secur-
ing of options upon all available places
for the display OF theatrical and ether
advertisements. This is Accomplished ,,y
contract with the owners of the premises
Persons who are possessed OF vacant lots
and have difficulty in finding tax money,
often resort to the biH poster .nan, who
ereots a fence, upon which are spread
the bills. He leases the option for a
given time and then proceeds to fulfill
his contracts with the advertiser. Other
PERSONS allow the posting OF theatr rieai
signs for the mere privilege OF securing
passes to the theaters.
In Baltimore the great poster firm is that
Of Rife & HoaeE, thesindividual members
Of which are george Rife and George Houck
Ii is asserted that for several months past
.:Iey have been epdesisoriDge to secure u
foe.thoId in the Capital City, and their
agents have been looking for favorable OBJ
tioGS. which, because of tie existing CON
tracts Of the MoNley people, have been fe W
ard far hetweeBat r-r-eis
Now Mr., Moxhy charges that the ,Ralti-
more firm has Eeen rying 70 Ieis,lii,i,. one
Of lis Gust efners. TO violate an existing
agreement and sign with them. This was
the result OF the LII in equity To rtstrain
Rife & Houek from interfering with n c er-.
tain advertising privilege and compel the
performance by Mir Arthur L. ThpTnpstia OF
his Contract with the Monkey people. 1t is
rrcited in the ill that last December
Thompson executed lease 10 Mr. Moxley
Of the right to construct certain beard
fence TN Part of lot /. square 57l. which
is located at First and B streets north west
For this privilege, say the plaintiffs, they
were to pay Mr. Thompson S75 a year
and also five double theater admission
tickets weekly.
Inc renee was constructed and posters
out up The advertisements were read
and the theater issued the tickets, which.
according TO the allegations of the hi,
were received by Mr. Bailey, who was sent
for them by Mr.. Thompson. AT the l;e-
ginning OF the week of January 3 the
tickets were rendered Mr.. Bailey rs usual,
aud he is said to have accepted four OF
them, leaving the fifth to be exchanged
for a ticket TO another thgater. The eX-
change was effected but the ticket was
not sent for. 1t is now claimed that be-
cause of alleged failure to give tickets,
Mr. Thompson is endeavoriuE To vacate
the lease, and has since then refused to
take other tickets sent him. IL is charged
by Mr. Shoemaker that Rife Il Houck at
tempted 10 influence Thompson and get
him TO violate the lease.
Mr.. Shoemaker claims to have been
present on one occasion when one OF Rife
& Houck's employees asked Thompson
whether he was prepared. to sign a lease
giving to the Baltimore coapany the priyi-
iege. 1t is recited in the bill that such
contract is about to be executed, aud
the court is asked To restrain any such
action and prevent Rife K HOuck from
interfering with the privileges of Mr..
MoXlcy; also TO compel Thompson to
carry oat his agreement with the plaintiffs.