The San Francisco call., 1905-02-14
LEGAL FIGHT
IS PROBABLE
Methodist Book Concern
May Be Involved in a
Battle Before the Courts
CANCELS TRANSACTION
Disposal of Local Property
to Louis Friedman May Be
Bone of Hot Contention

A hot legal fight is likely to result
from the recent attempted sale of the
Methodist Book Concern property at
1037 Market street. News received here
yesterday indicates that the contract of
sale executed by direction of Eaton &
Mains, the Book Concern agents in New
York, has been repudiated by the high
er authorities of the church, who have
ordered the sale Cancelled. On the 9TH
er hand, the purchaser, Louis Friedman
Of this city, who has paid a deposit on
the purchase price, $125,000, and claims
ownership in the event the title proves
clear, declares he will not give UP his
contract unless we'll paid to do So.
Leading local Methodists assert that
this contract was invalid from the be-
ginning. Eaton & Mains having no au-
thority to make it.
The Call has already published the
facts Of the sale and the resulting diff
ferences of opinion among Meth
odists regarding it, but a tele-
gram received yesterday from c. B.
Perkins, secretary to the Book Concern
commission in this city, who is at pres
ent in New York, has placed a new
complexion on the whole transaction.
1t was at a meeting of the Methodist
Ministers Association that the tele-
gram was read, and its receipt and con-
tents caused the liveIiest interest, not
/ to say joy, among those who strenu-
/ ously oppose the sale of the present
premises.
Perkins sent the telegram to DR.. E.
r. Ollie and it was read as follows:
Committee ordered sale of property
Cancelled. Transfer to Western agents.
! The Eastern agents of the Book Con-
Germ are Eaton & Mains of New York
/ City, and the Western agents are Jen-
nings & Graham of Cincinnati.
Immediately after the sale was an
! nounced Mr.. Perkins, accompanied by
DR.. Fred Bovard, editor of the Metho-
dist Christian Advocate, FASTENED to
New York in order to attend a meeting
/ Of the general conference book commit
| tee, which represents the whole church
and supervises its publishing interests
/ in all parts of the country. The tele-
gram from Perkins therefore indicates
/ that the book committee has ordered
the Eastern agents. Eaton & Mains, to
cancel the sale TO Louis Friedman and
make the transfer Of the property to
] Jennings & Graham.
To q Call representative Louis Fried
/ man said:
having bought the property from Eaton &
/ Mains. the Book Concern agents at New York.
and Just as soon as my lawyer, Milton S.
Eisner. passes on the title, the balance of
the purchase price, which is s125 000 agreed
on between myself and Eaton & Mains. will
be paid.
In answer TO a question whether he
would be willing to forego any claim to
the property should the Book Concern
ask him to do so, Friedman said:
There has been nothing mentioned question
| ing my right to the property I would not re-
] linguish # unless paid what consider ought
! to make on the transaction, as 1 disposed OF
/ a piece Of property on Stockton street, near
Vallejo, in order to purchase this. / would
not have done II l had not considered the
buying Of the Book Concern building abso-
! lutte certainty.
William Abbott OF the local Book
| Concern said that no further details
had been received and he could there
fore make no explanation of the can
| collation..
Further news received from the East
was the resignation Of Rolla V. Watt
from the local Book Concern commits
sion, which looks after the San Fran
cisco house. His place has been filled
by J. F. Forderer, president Of the
Board Of Trustees of Alameda. Watt
has gone on a six months trip to Eu-
rope, hence his resignation.