The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-12
NEW PHASE TO TROUBLE
Criminal as Well as Equity Proceed.
iDgs Grow Out Of the Troubles Of the
ColIins.ttale Furniture Company.

The trouble among the directors of
the Collins-Hale Furniture Manufac-
turing company, assumed a serious
phase yesterday when c. e. Spoerl, the
manager and one of the directors, was
arrested for embezzlement and infring-
ment of the patent laws at the in
stance of Arthur L. Collins, one of the
directors composing the faction that,
it is alleged, was deposed from power,
by trick of the minority stockholders.
The information of the warrant reads
as follows:
That c. L. Spoerl, one of the directors
and the manager of the Collins-Ilale
Manufacturing company, a corporation
duly organized and chartered under the
laws of Pennsylvania, and having its
principal office in the city of Scranton
aforesaid did, to wit, on the 1th day OF
November, A. d. 1897, or thereabouts
and at such other dates and times
fraudulently take, convert and apply TO
his own use the property of said COM
pany, namely the Collins-Hale Manufac-
turing company, consisting OF an inven-
ton for tufting, being process for man
ufacturing coverings for couches used
by said corporation, amounting in value
to a great sum of miney, to wit $500; and
further that he, the said c. +. Spoerl,
ton on or about the latter part of Octo-
Der, A. D. 1897, to wit, the 25th, destroy
the papers by which the said invention
was transferred to the said corporation
contrary to the laws of the common
wealth in such cases made and provided.
On Monday, it will be remembered,
an injunction was granted restraining
the Spoerl-K ashenbach-H Hale faction
irnc OF ha traa
| stock to Spoerl for the patent rights
| to the "tufting" machine. 1t was stat
| ed in the petition for the injunction
| by the Van Dyke-Collins-Van Dyke
| faction that John Hanbrich, an EN-
| ploye of the company, invented the
| machine and sold his half interest in
| it to the company. Spoerl, who assist
| ed the inventor, perfecting the ma
chine, controlled the other half He
wanted to secure full control of it, so
| it is alleged, and going to Hanbrich
| induced him to sign paper which
| was represented to him to be a dupli-
| cate of the transfer to the company, in
| which latter it was stated to him, q
| mistake had been discovered, necessi-
| tating the drafting of a new transfer.
1t afterwards proved that the paper,
| so it is alleged, was a transfer of Han
| brich's interest to Spoerl. Spoerl ac-
cording to the information contained
| in the warrant, destroyed the paper
containing the original transfer to the
| company.
Mr.. Spoerl appeared before Alderman
| Howe, who issued the warrant, and
gave bail in the sum of $500 for his
appearance at court. Charles du Pont
| Breck became his bondsman.
An equity suit was also instituted
| yesterday by the Van Dyke-Collins-
| Van Dyke party. 1t asks court to re-
strain the treasurer from paying to
c. E. Hale and A. L. Collins 100 and
$3.50 respectively, which the Spoerl-
| Kashenbach-H Hale directorate has vot-
ed to do. The money is to be paid as
additional commissions for sales dur
ing 1896. Mr.. Collins refuses to accept
the increased commission, and he and
the Van Dykes propose that Hale shall
be prevented from doing so. They hold
that 5 per cent. was fixed as theil
commission for that year, and If any.
thing more is paid it would be il.
legal.
Court is considering the granting Of
an injunction restraining the payment
of these moneys.