The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-29
FORMULA LOST:
BAUMAN HELD
UNDER BONDS

There is considerable mystery at
tached to the sudden disappearance of
a secret formula controlled by the
Flexible Alumetal Company, of this
city.
Rudolph Bauman, a well-known
grocer of this city, with a store at 100
South Orange avenue, is under IS, 900
bonds for examination a week from to-
morrow on a charge of embezzling the
formula, which is valued by George
Studer, president of the at
$4,000. This value is placed on the
formula as the strength of an alleged
offer made for 1t a year ago.
It's true value cannot be determined,
as no but the inventor, Victor Cop
pee, knows its real worth. He has sold
it to the company, which now controls
II, but several attempts on the part of
the company's directors to obtain pos
session of the paper were without re-
suit.
Bauman was entrusted with its care,
and after several requests to produce
the envelope with the much-valued pa
per he has failed. After a warrant had
been issued for his arrest he surren-
htitd iuIilStit I1lb mOTnlnB at the
First Precinct station in with
his lawyer, Frederick Pommerehne, of
New York city. Bauman claims that
his arrest is an outrage, claiming that
he has in some lost or mislaid
the process, and expects to find it in
his desk any time. Bauman claims
that he never attempted to embezzle
the paper and is willing to produce it
as soon as he locates it.
The history of the formula is unique
in regard to the precautions adopted to
prevent its being spirited away in just
the which Studer alleges 1t
was taken.
The formula is one which is to be
used In the manufacture of flexible
aluminium. 1t is claimed hal by It's
use aluminium may be plated, thus
making 1t adaptable for use in the man
ufacture of watch cases and imitation
gold and silver jewelry. When the in
ventor announced that he had solved
the problem a company. known as the
Flexible Alumetal Company, was
formed to buy the rights to use the
formula, which had not been patented.
The company was capitalized at $780,
900, and George Studer, of New York,
was elected president and Rudolph
Bauman treasurer.
On September 10 ii was agreed be-
tween the officers of the company and
the inventor hat the formula should be
placed for safekeeping in a vault of the
Fidelity Trust Company, of this city.
1t was written In French, placed within
an envelope in the presence of the pres
ident, inventor n counsel, and then
cnolnd with rrn Aa-H1, A-.--4
similarly sealed, was placed around the
first one.
Thus protected, it was given to Bau-
man, the treasurer. and Coppee. the
inventor, with the understanding hat
they would at once purchase a strong
box, place the formula within 1t. lock
it, throw the key away and deposit the
locked box and it's contents in a safety
deposit box of the Fidelity Trust
Company. This was never done.
Bauman left his store on Thursday
to attend a meeting of the directors of
the company. He believes he took the
envelope containing the formula with
him, but when he arrived at the meet
ing he found h a he did not have it.
Friday he did not show up, 1t is said,
and Saturday the president and the
inventor called together at his resi-
dence, only to find that he was not at
home. Saturday afternoon he was
served with a notice, it is said, by the
officers of the company, calling upon
him to produce the formula yesterday
morning. 1t was after he had learned
that the formula was not forthcoming
that Coppee, in a burst of rage, at
tackled Studer.
The loss of the formula, which was
not patented, places the stockholders of
the Flexible Alumetal Company in an
embarrassing position, and unless it Is
recovered they will be unable to proceed
with the manufacture of their product.
A site had been purchased in Nutley
a factory erected thereon for the
purpose of manufacturing the metal in
quantities. The factory has just been
and 1t was for the purpose
of starting work that the officials sent
to the trust company for the formula.
Coppee, the inventor, who lives in
Nutley, was paid $1,000 in cash and
given stock to the value of $4,000 for
the right to manufacture exclusively
under his formula, which was to have
been patented in the near future. He
is said to nave worked ten years on the
formula.
A warrant was issued for Bauman's
arrest last night. He was arraigned
before Judge Howell in the First Grim
inal Court and ordered to furnish $4,000
for examination one week from Wednes-
day. ]. F. McMurray, of 1893 Mulberry
street, furnished surety for Bauman.
Bauman claims that out of the 3d. 900
actually subscribed for stock In the
company he holds $1,50O worth of it.