The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-10-03
Use of Name "Chase" on One
Brand of Its Pianos Must
Be Discontinued, Says Fed
eraI Court of Ohio.
FIGHT OVER NAME HAS
CREATED INTEREST.
A. B. Chase Company's Tenn
porary Victory Over Local
Company Not Unexpected
Review of the Case.

Although the federal court or ONO
has issued a temporary restraining Or
der against the Starr Piano company.
of this city. to prevent it's use of the
name Chase, as a trade name Tor
one of it's brands of pianos, the attor-
neys for the local company do not re-
gard this as an i'll omen of the out
come. John F. Robbins, local counsel
for the company, stated today the ac-
ton of the federal court was taken in
accord with the usual proceedings and
nothing different was to be anticipat-
ed. as it was rendered in accord with
the usual court form. Mr.. Robbins
believes there is no doubt but that the
local company will win out in the end
and establish it's right to use the
name.
The action of the federal court came
as the elimination of months of liti-
CATION. 1t represents the effort of the
A. p. Chase Piano company OF Nor
walk, Ohio to obtain the right to use
| the name Chase as it's piano brand
| instead of the name A. B. Chase. The
Starr Plano company has been manu-
featuring line OF pianos and brand
ing it Chase. The local company
/ claimed to have the right to the use
of the name as one of the conditions
of the purchase of the Chase plant,
that was operated in this city several
years ago. The litigation between the
| two companies has attracted wide
spread attention and been the object
for great deal of comment and criti-
cism on the part of various trade jour-
nails.
| The Chase Piano company succeed
ed the Ticer Piano company, which
was the original concern engaged in
this industry in this city. Later the
Chase company sold out to James
Starr, of this city, now deceased, and
the plant became known as the Starr
Piano company. When Mr.. Starr pur-
chased the property he bought, also,
the right to use the name "Chase" as
a brand on the pianos. Afterward Mr..
Starr disposed of the plant to Henry
Gennett and his interests, the present
owners of the plant. The Gennetts'
continued the operation of the plant
under the name Starr Piano Company.
Likewise they continued the manufac.
ture of the line of pianos that was
branded Chase" The assignment OF
the right to use the name was made
by Mr.. Starr to the Gennetts at the
time of the sale. The name has been
used ever since and has been SO used
until the temporary restraining order
was issued.
: Some years ago a new firm was Or
ganized at Norwalk, Ohio, under the
name A. B. Chase Piano Company
Originally this company restricted its
output to organs and did not enter up
on the manufacture Of pianos. Later
the A B. Chase piano was put upon
: the market. In the meantime the
Starr Piano Company was continuing
the manufacture of the Chase piano
and this put upon the market two pi
amos bearing practically the same
name by rival concerns.
When the A. B. Chase company
found a conflict in names with the
piano manufactured by the Starr Com
pany, an attempt was made to brinf
about a settle ement. An attorney from
the east conferred with the Starr Pi
ano Company and it's counsel and
threatened suit unless the latter firm
withdrew from the market pianos
, bearing the brand Chase
Within the past year the Starr Piano
Company applied for the right to reg
ister the name Chase" as its brane
with the registry department a
Washington. Thereupon the A. B
Chase Company entered objections
and threw the matter into the courts
On the face of the bill of facts. as pre-
sented to it, the court ruled agains
the Starr Piano Company. Upon thu
, filing of a $4,000 bond by the A. B
Chase Company a restraining ordel
was issued against the Starr Piano
, Company. This prevents it putin,
out pianos bearing the name Chase.
Inc injunction was issued by tn,
court without hearing the claims o
the Starr. The counsel for this com
pany now has entered a motion I.
5 have the restraining order dissolve,
and the use OF the name by his ellen
2 permitted until the final decision o
: the case. The A. B. Chase Compan,
, now alleges the Starr abandoned til,
r brand Chase" during a certain tern
j OF years and thus by the disuse los
5 any claim to the brand. 1t is averre,
g further the use of the name was no
e taken up again by the Starr until al
e ter the A. B. Chase company had be
D gun the manufacture of pianos Thi
a claim Is disputed by the Starr.
D 1t is conceded that the Starr ha
: been making the Chase brand contir
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