The Washington herald., 1909-08-29

Impending litigation threatens those in
terested IN the National Cotton Improve
ment Company almost before Il starts
upon its corporate existence. according
TO statements made last evening by
Homer Svsrt. son-in-law OF Charles G..
Randolph, who is the aggressive party.
According 70 Mr.. Swarts statement.
some two or three years ago John p
Miller. known in Washington as corre-
spondent OF the Baltimore Sun. entered
into an arrangement with W. D. Dore-
mus, who had invented what was be-
iieved TO be a valuable cotton gin. Mr.
Miller. as he told his friends, bought
or contracted TO buy Mr.. Doremus' right
In the invention.
For upward Of two years Mr. Miller at
tempted 20 obtain the necessary capital
70 put the gin on the market, but was
unsucc essful.
Several months ago he spoke TO Mr.
Randolph, and at his request the latter
wrote to a friend OF his in EQew York.
John J. Welsh, who came 10 Washing
ton. looked over the machine and became
convinced Of It's value.
Subsequently several meetings were
held between Mr. Welch and capitalists
behind him. on the one hand. and Mr..
Miller on the other. These meetings
finally resulted I'm the organization OF
the National Cotton Improvement Com
pany. with John Hays Hammond as
president. and d. J. Sully, the Cotton
King as one Of the directors.
Million Dollar Concern.
The co,1panx- vvas ore~orf-os ,,-s+h a.,
capitalization OF more than S1.Ooo,coO. Mr..
Miller receiving for his rights the ma
jority OF the stock. as well as a large
sum in cash, part Of which has already
been paid
Mr.. Randolph, believing that he was
entitled 10 consideration for his services
in procuring the capital necessary to
place the Doremus cotton gin on the
market, asked Mr.. Miller for a settle
ment.
Mr.. Miller declined to recognize Mr..
Randolph's rights in the first instance.
but subsequently made an offer which
Mr.. Randolph refused to consider, deem
Ing the compensation inadequate for the
service performed.
Being unable TO induce Mr.. Miller to
reconsider his declination TO entertain
dolph. in order TO protect his rights. con-
suited counsel IN the person OF W. c.
keegin. Subsequently he retained Charles
j. Happier and Charles NJ Merillat 10
institute the necessary proceedings TO
gain his demands.
The suit will be filed as soon as Mr..
Merillat returns 10 Washington He is
at present absent on a trip partly in this
connection, and II is expected he will
return Tuesday. Mr.. Randolph is just
now In Brockport, y. Y, on vacation.
Second Only TO whitney.
The Doremus cotton gin, the patent
rights Of which figure in this dispute. Is
claimed to be an invention which win
revolutionize the cotton industry. It Is
claimed the new device is second only 10
Eli Whitney's Invention. which is used
to-day in practically its original form.
BY its adoption. IL is claimed. enough
lint Will be saved from each bale Of seed
cotton to pay for the entire cost Of gin
ming and more besides. The new device
also turns out the cotton seed in better
commercial condition that the old.
More than dozen Congressman from
the cotton belt. including Albert s. Bur
leson. OF Texas. have examined the i'm
proved apparatus and pronounce It TO
be most wonderful machine the adop-
ton Of which viii revOlutiOnize the GIN
ming of cotton
The practicability OF the machine and
tho prospect OF its development are un-
dOubtedly the considerations that awak-
ened the interest OF Mr. Sully and led
him TO invest his capital in the enter
prise