New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-26
marie Louise, Importer,
Wins "Contemptuou,'
Award
Her Business Name
Held To Be Illeo.
Witnesses Admi. That On
portations' Were Mad.
in America

The second libel sui. TO com.
trial based upon the article, vri.,.
by Samuel Hopkins Adams in Tn. r,a
une's campaign for honest adyer,i.;..
resulted in absolute failure for -.
plaintiff. when the jury in justice p,
dleton's part of the Supreme cou,
yesterday awarded nominal verdi.
Of six cents damages 70 Mare Lon.
Msrrillst. She sought to re,o,.
$4,000.
Nine. Marie Louise, as she p,e,,-
TO be called. holding herself out a,
"importeur." conducted. when IA
Adams article was published. in M,
1916, stores at l East For;y-.coa
Street and SOS Madison Avenue !,
the sale of gloves. lingerie and hos,r
After expert shoppers attached to a.
Tribune Bureau Of investigations N
investigated the oral and written p,
reservations made at the Forty..co.
Street shop, Mr.. Adams wro, !,
Mere Mans Warning 10 Experie,s
Woman"
In his article he urged Stop! Ia.
Listen. Before Believing Claim, =
Bargains and pointed out that rr
the most careful purchasers might
trapped by the misleading and dsr
tive practices followed in certain ..,s
fourishing on Fifth and Sixth Aygs
and side streets.
Experiences Of Tribune Buyers
The article offered In evidences uw
the trial proceeded 10 narrste the q
periences Of The Tribune purchssns
Nine. Louise's Forty-second Street,
adjustment, where goods were =
scribed as French and Italian impo-
lions. although the evidence sddsx
upon the trial established beyond
shadow Of doubt that they wer,
domestic origin.
The Tribune throughout the t,i
stood firmly upon the ground ths, d
ii had published was true, and slsi
contended in defence OF the action ths'
the plaintiff, in conducting business
under the name "Marie Louise" whici
was not her real full name, withou
having filed in the County Clerks oAe
the certificate required by Section "a
of the Penal Law. was transscting h4i
business illegally.
Justice Pendleton ruled tina, ,h'
plaintiff was doing business illegaAy
as "Marie Louise" and therefore ~
she could not recover any damages.
her business. He left II 20 the iurJs
determine whether the article vas "
rect or otherwise, and IL Inaccurate
what extent the plaintiff had beer .
jured in her individual reputation
"Importations" Made in L. S
The Tribune's witnesses testfed,,f
the plaintiff represented stockings
gloves as imported, a pair Of 81
boomers as the product Of her ~
factory in Grenoble. France, snt
silk vest as an Italian importation. i
OF these were Of domestic manufsc,gr
The plaintiffs witnesses denied III,
she had said the articles were impor,s.
but admitted that they were actually
made in the United States snd that
Nine. Marie Louise" had been in.
terrogated as 10 whether they were
One Of the high lights Of the trill
was the receipt in evidence OF pho,'.
graph of the Madison Avenue siot
which bore on its window the gold-lss'
legend, FRENCH LINGERIE TR0uS
SEAUX TO ORDER, GLOVES Fs0g
OUR FACTORIES. PARIS, GREN0BLt
FRANCE" although Miss Narrillst vs.,
forced to admit that she never had ,a'
a factory in Paris or Grenoble, or else
where in France.
The six-cent award. known n n'
Darlance Of the courts as CONTEMPT
Gus verdict" indicated that while ever
detail OF the article complained o! w.
not proved 70 be literSlly true. the e
sential substance OF the defsms,e1
charges was proved and the prseiis
Of the plaintiff left her withog, r'
right 70 actual damages 20 her rep.a
ton.
Bearing on Other suits
Tho outcome ~ the Narrillst st,H
after a full weeks trial before a lN
is regarded as having significant oa'
ing upon other pending suits ana J
held to show the futility Of the e1@'
of dealers whose methods have been q
posed by The Tribune 20 muIzle n'r
papers which are seeking 70 n'
about better advertising and me'''h
dising conditions.
The verdict is another severe sem.
70 merchants who are trying 70 ~.
The Tribune for heavy damages
cause Of its fearless exposure o. -
representation in advertising ara
public condemnation % fake arc
ceptive methods. Other pending ~
actions are based on grounds SCI
10 those taken in this suit The 70 !,
gate demands for damages ariesa'
more than 100000. ,,.
intermediate proceedings have ,"
taken. and various motions ms~
some OF them, in sll OF which me p. y.
decisions of the Supreme Court ea n..,
AZ special term or in the Apps--.
Division, have been In favor o. :.
Tribune. The first case tried vas y.
Of Jacob ". Harris. a Fifth NJ
rug dealer, who also sued Tor 90
damages. and got a six-cent verole1S ),
Miss Marrillat was Representa-. go.
Leonard J. Langbein and Paul w, w
Colonel Henry ". Sackett ana ~ a..
L. Cross, OF the firm OF Sseseii' ~ 4
man & Stevens, were trial eoun'"
TIE Tribune.
Greenhouse He Must STAY