The herald., 1898-10-20
THEDffENDANT'SCL
THOUGHT HE WAS A GUEST AT
THE MANSION
SOME BUSINESS DETAILS
The Pacific Drug Company Matter
From the Porter Standpoin'-A
Bitter Controversy Expected

= In re Mary Banning VS.. .; suna Mlason :
\ pantar nlaintiff. complains and alleges :
= that from the 18th day OF Deceh1De1' y y
= 1907 until the 23d day OF january loSo;
= he;ng forty-two days, defendant anu
4 onotber Derson occupied rooms III pia,n
y t;a,s house in the city of Los Angeies y
NJ ,ba request of said defendant ana py =
= ,,srm;ss;on of said plaintiff, and was \
! furnished by said plaintiff az tns re
! quest Of said defendant witn looo' "'
i tendance and other necessalesi .iroof !
i That the reasonable value .ne.ev
! is the sum of IS per day, amounting IN
= aiI 70 SOLO. which defendant promised :
! to nav plaintiff That the defendaht \
4 has not paid the same or any parI
\ theroof and the same is still due ana y
\ o1v;no 70 plaintiff. Wherefore PLAIN.
/ tiff nrays Judgment for the sum Oh
i S2lO and for costs OF SUIT.
HI. j. Mercer, attorney Tor pialntin.
That is the document reposing IN the
plebeian archives of the Justices cour'
which has caused all the commotloh, az
stated in yesterdays Herald, cohlio.ion
that has extended from the aristocratle
shades OF Bonnie Brae and st. James PARK
down the line on Spring street, and even te
tbe societyless regions on the east SIDE OF
Main street, Ladies in their boudolrs, over
their Guns of tea and bites OF chocolate cake
business men between the turning OF pages
in their ledgers, the sporty boys as they TOOK
their cocktails, the grave ana decorous
hounds of the California club, the more
iocund precincts of the Jonathan CLUB, down
to the night hawk hackman who had looked
with envy at the gathered driVer Oh 'he
glistening hanson cab OF the defendant, all
are debating the pros and cons OF the mat
fer. and ranging themselves on either side
with as much yivacity as If it was question
of Montague and Capuet or Mcguire ane
Gage.
il appears that Mr.. Porter has abandoned
the idea of bringing cross bill for simi-
lar sum for services as night watchman,
as his attorney, Frank Flint, was quoted
yesterday as saying that this was only
JOSH Mr. Porter now asserts that he was
o guest at the house at the request OF either
Mrs. Banning or Mrs. Norris. The place was
to be vacant, and they did not wish to
leave the housekeeper and servant alone
there When Mr.. Won Spiegel, Mf. Porter 5
friend, came from the east he intended to
90 to a hotel with him, but the housekeeper
was averse to staying alone, and asked him
to bring Won Spiegel there, saying that she
thought Mrs. Banning would be offended ii
he left. He did not occupy Mrs. Banning 5
room, but they both occupied an apartment
which he designated as a "cubby hole,
and his valet "a word which he, by the way,
pronounces valettJ prepared his meals.
cleaned the room and attended to all of the
work caused by their presence. He did not
have the eggs, sugar, coffee and other things
charged to him, for he considered he was a
guest at the house and felt that Mrs. Ban
ming would be offended if he went to such a
length. He had long been friend of the
family and was "best man" for Mr.. Norris
when he married Miss Banning; he went to
the house as favor to the family and never
dreamed that board bill would be pre-
sented to him because of his stay.
Mr.. Porter declined to discuss the busi-
ness difference which had arisen between
himself and Mr. Norris, saying that he sup
posed that this would in time be made a
subject for litigation. He contented him
self with saying that he did not consider
that Mr. Norris had anything to complain
of, that he had not lost any such sum as
$4,000, but comparatively small amount.
Mr.. Porter yesterday had a hard day of
it, for his friends, and the young man seems
to have plenty, of them, poked all, manner
of fun at him for not having paid his board
bill Guy Barham, who delights in some one
Johnny Gaffey, Nat Wiltshire and the other
wits of the California club made life a
burden for the sporty but amiable New
Yorker; but he has shown no sign of waver-
ing and has told his friends that he intends
to fight the thing through if he has to stay
here indefinitely, and is perfectly willing for
all the concurrent matters to be brought
out if it is desired by the other side.
As only one side was given in The Her
aid of yesterday, owing to the impossible
ity of obtaining definite information at the
late hour last night regarding Mr.. Porter's s
version of the affair, some inquiries were
made yesterday about the business rela-
tions between the two men in the case,
Porter and Norris. Mr. Norris claims that
he lost something like $4,000 through the
deal in the Pacific Drug company, which
was the name of the concern. 1t was started
in opposition to the one large wholesale drug
firm of this city and for time prospered
According to a friend of Mr.. Porter's. his
side OF the affair is something like this
When the company started the two were
very friendly, and Mr.. Norris agreed to
put in $4,000; Of this he paid up 10000,
which he got from the east, and he bor-
rowed the other $4,000 from Porter, as money
which he had said he expected to get had
not arrived, giving his note to Porter for
the amount.
The concern had very impressive direc-
tory, consisting of Messrs Porter, Squires.
Nat Wiltshire, Norris and w. f. Martin.
Some difference arose, as Mr. Porter did not
I Nt tilC IllduucI Ill WIilt1 lIlp business was
conducted by Mr.. Norris, who as secretary
and treasurer, had full charge of the Office
and then there was some complicated action
regarding special meeting of 'he directors
MIR. Porter, it seems, had information which
led him to think that MIR. Norris intended
to gain control of the company by taking
up the treasury stock and thus oustng him
and Mr.. Norris is represented as holdinl
the same suspicion regarding Mr.. Porter
However this may be, after considerabl,
srlimmaging and talk, Mr.. Porter agreed t,
purchase Mr.. Norris stock at discount o
20 per cent, which was done. This, it il
claimed, let Mr.. Norris out at less los
than that which accrued to the other stock
holders, as in the final wind up of the com
pany and the sale of the stock they all suf
fered more of loss.
In this connection there are some yer,
sensational stories circulated as gossip abou
some discussions which took place betweeA
the two young men in which references wer
made to other things and people than thos
directly connected with the drug compan,
and which it might he supposed would hay
caused more serious trouble than has We
arisen. 1T is to he hoped that there wa
no truth in these stories and that the who'll
difference will be confined to the direct is
sues in dispute
When Mr.. Norris was seen on Tuesda,
evening he was asked about the drug com
hany matter but declined to rnoJ,o ~,