Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-28
DU POINT BONUS SUIT
UP FOR TRIAL HERE
TUESDAY, JAN. "A
Judge w. II. S. Thomson of
Pittsburg Assigned to Sit
in the Case.
LARGE AMOUNT INVOLVED

Another development in the complicat-
"a and long ng-drawn out legal battle which
has rent the du Pont family. famous rs
the worlds greatest producers Of powder
into two bitterly opposing factions, will
be thr,s b u out beginning Jan. IL " en-
i new SUIT IN equity, filed IN April. 1917.
bv Eleanor du Pont Perot vs. the cNecu-
tors Of the will Of William G. Ramsay
deceased, and f. du Pont dc NeTnours a
Company 70 invslidatc the purchase Of
stock formerly owned by T. Coleman du
Pont, attacking the bonus system of the
company and asking the return OF about
Sl5ooO 600 10 the company's treasury. Is
heard here in United States District
Court for Delaware.
Judge W VI :. Thomson Of Pitts
burg, Pa, will SIT, temporarily filling the
vacancy IN the Delaware district judge
ship created by the retirement Of Judge
Edward G. Bradford
On April {, 1917, Mrs Pcrot filed suit
in the L. s Distinct Court here, charging
that Pierre s. du Pont and other directors
If the company Conceived scheme
having for its purpose the distribution TO
themselves and Others, Of assets OF the
company 20 which they were not entitled,
and Of increasing their control OF the
corporation.
She charged that the scheme consisted
in the acquisition of shares OF stock OF
the company. at An enormous expendi-
turc. 10 distribute them 70 the defendants
and other persons rs bonuses, with the
purpose of fraudulentiy heneGting the
def ndants and a placing large amour t
IL shares IN the hands Of persons whose
action the defendant could influence and
control
Plat pyNIAL BY DEFENDANTS.
The answer flei by tho defendants
hatly denied every charge o. fraud and
conspiracy made by Mrs Perot and point
ed ont that the bonus system had been
in operation since 1904 and that, as ad-
ministered by the company. had been Of
lrlcaluabnr value u securing faithful
and efficient service from employees. They
declared that many of the benetclar1es
were minor employees of the company.
At meeting of the du Pont Company
stock holders. held IN March Of this year,
the claims of the plaintiffs were submitted
70 the stockholders, together with list
Of those 70 whom the bonuses had been
granted In series OF resolutions, a
majority of the stockholders voted ap-
proval OF the bonus system. Out of a
total issue OF 500, 40 shares of stock,
4l4,690 shares were registered in votes Of
approval
The plaintiffs refused 10 accept TIE vote
as fair and conclusive. declaring that the
very votes which had been used TO approve
the bonus plan we're Illegally qualified
or that those who had p'rOngfully shared
In the bonus system were allowed TO per
petuatc theu own lll-gotten gains,
IT. the suit TO bc heard January II
Eleanor du Pont Psrot. the compl inant
who represents many members OF the du-
Pont family, names as defendants: Pierre
: du Pont, Henry F. du Pont, Irenee
du Pont. Eugene + du Pont Lammot du-
Pont, Alexis du Pont. Alexis Felix
du Pont, Robert Ruhth Morgan Car
renter. Harry G.. Haskell. John p Laffey,
Charles L Patterson, John J Rascob,
Frank l.. Connable, William Coyne,
Harry +. Brown, Edmund 9 Buckner,
Frank G.. Tallman, Hamilton NJ Barks-
dale. Tilghman Johnston and Caroline
} Ramsay. executors Of the will of Viii
liam g Ramsay, deceased, and Z. j.
Continued page