Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-10-20
RECENT DECISION OF SUPREME
COURT IN HIGHLY.JNTER.
EsTING LITIGATION.
WIDOW OF INVENTOR
IN PARTIAL VICTORY
Courts Fail to Sustain All Her Con-
tentions in Her Suit Against
Brother-in-iaw For $3,00O,000-
William p. eettendorf Made Mil.
lions From Patents.
necial to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines. Oct 2o.-The Betten-
dorf case from Scott county. in
which the widow OF William P. Bet
tendorf brought suit against her
brother in-law. Joseph Bettendorf
for $4,000, 600, just passed on by the
Iowa supreme court, Is one OF the
most interesting cases ever appealed
to the high court because Of the big
amount OF money involved. William
P. Bettendorf was recognized as an
inventive genius and built up one OF
the greatest manufacturing BUSH
nesses In the state.
Mrs. Betendorf lost her suit both
In the district court and the supreme
court for 100000. The award
made by the Scott county district
court OF $522,3s2.34 was upheld by
the supreme court, the high court
giving the further award of interest
on the original judgment. The case
has been In the courts for almost ten
years.
Mrs. Bettendorf charged that her
brother-in law as trustee and adj
ministrator of her husbands estate
without divulging to plaintiff the in
formation he possessed. procured
plaintiff to release the royalties due
to her as an heir Of her husbands
estate without adequate considera-
ton and to transfer to defendant the
legal title in the patents to be held
by him as trustee, thereby securing
an unwarranted and fraudulent adj
vantage to himself as plaintiffs
trustee"
brother in-law as administrator OF
her husbands estate "fraudulently
purchased" 321 shares of common
stock Of the Bettendorf Axle Com
pany, which she had inherited from
her husband, "for an inadequate con-
sideration." She claimed he with
held from her the facts as to the
value of the stock, which were
known to him. so that in his pur-
chase OF this common stock he Sc
cured financial advantage OF one
and half million dollars.
The brother In law In his defense
denied these charges and pointed out
that in all Of her transactions she
had the advice and assistance OF
counsel.
The lower court upheld many of
the contentious Of the widow, but in
the final award gave her $522,392.34,
as against her claim for s3,000,000,
and In this the supreme court agreed.
Bettsndorf's Career Romantic.
The history of the business
achievements Of William P. Betten-
dorf reveals much of interest. He
began his business career as a clerk
in a hardware store at Peru. ILL.,, and
later became superintendent Of tho
Peru Plow Company OF that city. In
1888 this business was Incorporated
as the Betendorf Metal Wheel Com
pany with William P. Betendorf
holding only about one third of the
stock Of the corporation.
In 1890 branch was opened in
Springfield, O., under the manage
ment of William P. Bettendorf. In
1892 William p. Bettendorf lost the
management Of the wheel company
and soon afterwards went into bust
ness for himself in the manufacture
Of hollow metal axles for wagons.
under the name of the Bettendorf
Axle Company, capitalized at $780,
900. From manufacturing hollow
steel axles for wagons and complete
wagons the company branched out
into the manufacture Of steel brake
beams for freight cars. The business
then expanded into the manufacture
Of body and brake holsters for