Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-03-28
Bee HIVE STOCK
INVOLVED IN SUIT
Mrs. L. M. Simmons, Formerly
Mrs. N. +. Chamberlin, Seeks
to Recover Dividends Supposed
to Amount to Nearly $4,000
Trial Next Month,

A suit in equity was opened Tuesday
afternoon at four o'clock in the United
States district court before Judge Harland
B. Howe. brought by Mrs. Leon NJ. Sim
mons, formrly Mrs. Nelson E. Chamber
lin, against the Old Bee Hive corporation,
to recover dividends alleged to be due on
200 shares Of stock which the PLAINTIFF
claims to hold, but which the defendant
claims was not issued legally
The suit was brought in the United
States court because the plaintiff, Mrs
Simmons, is a resident Of New York and
the defendants are residents Of Vermont,
and because also there is more than s, 900
involved and II 1t is SO wished the United
States court can hear such cases.
1t appears that Mrs. Simmons was the
wife Of Nelson E. Chamberlin at one time
the president and treasurer Of the Old
Bee Hive. a corporation of Vermont, To-
Gated in Burlington on Church street.
about 1912. Mr.. Chamberlin gave his wife
20 shares OF the concerns stock, each
share having value Of $50 with a MAXI
mum value Of 500. There was a divorce
between Mr.. and Mrs. Chamberlin but she
still retained the certificate Of the stock.
Since that time Mr.. Chamberlin has died
and Mrs. Chamberlin has again married.
she now being Mrs. Leon M. Simmons Of
New York city. She through her attor-
neys, w. B. C. Stickney. Sherman r..
Moulton and Max L. Powell. claim that
! the Old Bee Hive is a paying proposition
and that she is entitled to dividends on
her shares during the period Of her hold
ing them. which would probably amount
tn oh ko
fails to recognize the stock issued to Mrs.
Chamberlin by her husband, Nelson E.
Chamberln. as legal and refuses to pay
the dividends. Vernon A. Billiard. Rufus
E. Brown and c. P. Cowles are represent
ing the Old Bee Hive.
In order to have the testimony Of a
prominent witness for the plaintiff given
at the trial It was necessary to call court
Tuesday afternoon for that purpose, be-
cause the witness came from out of town
and had to return at once.
Miss Amy e. Rice. aged n. a professional
nurse. was the witness. She Is resident
Of st. Mary's, Pa. and knew Mrs. Cham
berlin before and after her marriage. She
was employed on several occasions in
Mrs. Chamberlin's family before her mar
riage.
She testified to being called by Mrs.
CnamOerlln 10 the OLD Bee Hive on Cnurch
street one night in the spring Of 1912. She
went with her to the parish house of st.
Paul's Church and Mrs. Chamberlin went
upstairs to the study of the Rev. c. C.
Wilson. then curate Of the church. Mrs.
Chamberlin remained there for about 40
minutes and when she came downstairs
appeared to be much distressed Mr..
Chamberlin came down behind her. as did
also Mr.. Wilson. At the bottom Of the
stairs. SO the witness said. Mr. Chamber
lin asked her (the witness) to plead with
his wife to return to their fiat, but her
pleadings did not do any good. Then
Mr.. Chamberlin took the certificate OF
stock from Mrs. Chamberlin's hand and
said Here. Jane. want you to have
these. They will mean money to you later
on. Do not tell my family anything about
them az 1t will make trouble until my
death. II you should die before do.
want them made back to me-" The wit
ness testified that Mrs. Chamberllin never
lived with Mr.. Chamberlin after that, but
that she still had the stock. She was
cross-examined by Attorney Rufus e.
Brown.
The case will be tried on April at nine
O'Clock In the morning before Judge Howe
In the federal court here.