The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1914-02-09
GUILD launches
SUIT On PUCHASE
Declares He was Misinform.
ed as to Actual Value of the
Fargo Courier News.

dieob ~. ~. TCU. S.-sAlOllCS
chapter in the adventures Of the
~Ciurier-Ncws opened Saturday whcn
Il suit tor $4,000 vas tiled in district
court by l.. 7. Guilds attorneys, Wat
son ~ iounS, against \. Y. More, for
MGR owner Ut the Couricr-Ncws. His
attorneys are Pollock Il Pollock. Tho
papers in the suit arc dated Dec. =,
1915.
Invested $4,000.
The complaint states that Mr.. Guild
was engaged as IL pastor in the Meth
odist denomination and that for a
number of years past his earnings
have been in he ne,shh orhood of
rumulatcd some 100000 which he was
induced by MIR. More to invest in
forming Il stock company and taking
over the Courler-Ncws, and tina, he
resigned his Passionate and engaged
in the enterprise depending p y GER.
tain representations which he AYERS
have since proved to be false.
Iic Representations.
Among these was the rcprcAenta-
ton that the progressive party. OF
which II was the organ, was second
in the state and would give the pa
per united support: That the paper
was in good rcpute and OF wide i'll
nucnce; that it was sound financially
and on Il paying basis and vas re-
turning II profit month by month, that
ii had a large subscription list and
That the property was worth $4,000,
an invoice being given.
Has Lost Money.
The complaint further states that
he relied upon these statements and
so invested. resigned his pastorate
and came with his family to Fargo
and took the management of tho
courier-News. He AYERS that in fact
the progressive party had practically
no organization in the state and tina:
the Couricr-News was in disrcpute
and discreditcd, that it had been sue
rcssivclN the organ of a variety OF
factions and parties and that it had
an nnbrokeN record for bad faith III
nnnciallN: and that a large number OF
respectable citizens had mt different
times invested money in 1t. always
make them feel ulkindly toward tho
paper. The paper had long been 81
.'sinkhole" for tho investors and thar
it was running behind ut the time i!
Was old TO this corporation.
Circulation Padded.
Tho charge is made that the sub
scription list. was grossly padded, and
misrcpresented and the value Of the
plant greatly misrcprcsentcd aud that
the uncnllcctcd subscriptions were
oVercstimated and We're in fact only
a small percentage of the value rep
resented ny end
The complaint states that the above
acts were not discovered until after
he had entered upon the management
.! the paper. that as soon as he did
discover them he repudiated the
transaction. that at the defendants re-
quest he continued to manage the pa
per II to avoid injury to it and en-
narfassment to defendant he waived
the proposed decision, choosing
rather to hold the defendant for dam
ages which he sets at $3.50 o with in
tcrest from Sept ~. 1913.
More Makes Answer.
The defendant, \. Y. Moore, admits
that he was owner of the Courier
led, that he. received a mortgase
the plant for part OF tho pur-
chase price. He denies that the plant
was misrepresented and that he re.
ceived more than $4,000. He admits
various episodes and incidents but
maintains that he had no responsible
reputation of the paper must have
been known to the plaintiff before he
joined in organizing the company and
taking its management.
In regard to the suit filed Mr.. Guild
states hat he examined the circula-
ton Isis as did some circulation ex-
perts at tina time, but it was impos-
sible to discover what, afterwards be-
came plain. viz. that a large number
OF names thereon were Of persons
who entirely repudiate their subscrip-
lions. These were put on
through campaign funds. a subscrip-
ton contest and remained through
neglect to discontinue names which
had been ordered removed by the
subscribers.
The present management under Mr.. !
Guild, has added several thousand
new subscribers to the Est hut in spite
of this the total does not now reach
above tho number represented to him
as being bonafldc subscribers at the
time Of purchase. He has also been
informed tina u number of Fargo
business men We're agreed to refuse
patronage 10 the Courier-News and
50 To eliminate it from the town, The
meeting OF this sentiment was most
discouragins.
Did Not Have Facts,
Although the past history and yicis-
situdeS OF The paper were known to
many persons, those whom MIR. Guild
circulated among while he was inves-
tlgating the property did not give him
information which would arouse sus.
plcion that it was anything but u fine
and well supported newspaper.
The patrons of the Couricr.News
need not DC alarmed for the ropert
IS nearer paying it's way Just nov.
IMAM II seems ever 10 have been, and
the $4,000 he put into it was evil
IDENTITY more cash than it had seen
ior some time preceding his advent.
MY. Guild owns the majority of the
stock controlling the paper so hat
TINS suit ma no effect upon the policy
IL conduct rF .k& -. ~