The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1922-11-16
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Wins SUIT FOR DUES
TEST Case Before Circuit Court De
cided BY Jury In Favor Of Chahl-
be, Oh Commerce.

A case of far reaching Importance,
although upon its surface only one Oh
slight import, was decided yesterday
i morning in the Circuit Court when
the Jury in the case of the Chamber
of Commerce versus Milton Sullivan
brought in verdict against Mr.. Sui
Ivan for $1S75 the amount being
for dues for nine months IN the
Chamber of Commerce.
1t is reported that about seventy
or eighty members OF the Chamoer
OF Commerce had refused to pay dues
although they had signed the caro-
which obligated them to pay $40
year for three years. The suit was
brought to test the legality of the
claim arising through the signing OF
the card There were two suits
brought before Justices of the Peace,
one was decided in favor OF the
Chamber of Commerce and the othef
in favor of the member, then an ap-
peal was taken to Court and 1t Is
stated that an agreement was reacn-
ed between counsel for the two SIDES
that the decision of the Court should
be binding upon all of the members.
The case was tried by Attorneys
Andrews and Shepherd and Judge
w Laird Henry for the plaintiffs and
Attorneys V. Calvin Trice and 1.
Sangston Insley for the defendants
and every point in the case was Dit
terlV fought. The defendants claim
ed that their names had been pro-
cured to the cards through promises
that industries would be brought
here that would give employment to
the citizens of Cambridge and that
if they did not desire to continue
their membership after one year
they could withdraw. Counsel for
tbs defendants also attacked the
= right of the Chamber of Commerce
to sue upon the notes given, alleg-
ing that they were given to an unln-
corporated association and that AFTER
directors had been selected from the
number through a primary and gen
. eral election, they, the directors
without consulting the members then
= formed corporation and that the
corporation had taken over the notes
without proper assignment and with
out the consent of the makers and
were suing upon them. This they
claimed was contrary to law 1t beng
their claim that before the directors
could form a corporation out OF an
unincorporated organization they
should first have secured the consent
of a majority of the members OF the
organization.
The attorneys for the Chamber of
Commerce stated that these gentle
men had voluntarily entered into an
organization which had for its pur-
pose the development and upbulldlng
of Cambridge, that the usual custom
had been followed and that the gen
tlemen had no right to repudlate
their agreement to pay for the main
tenance of such an organization be-
cause during the first sixteen months
of its life it had not done all they eX-
pected it to do. They also claimed
that the fact that about fourth
of the dues for the three years went
to the American City Bureau of New
York for it's part in forming the or
ganization had nothing to do with
the question of whether or not these
members should pay.
In ruling upon various objections
made Judge Duer, who was presid-
ing, stated that the three year con-
tract was nOI USlOIe TIE SOuiI, tHell
the defendant in the case had ad-
mitted that he had agreed to pay one
years dues and inasmuch as this
was the only question at issue, at this
time. unless it could be shown that
the plaintiff had failed to fulfill its
portion of the contract it would be
matter for the jury to decide as to
the amount of damages to be assess
. ed. After hearing the arguments of
the counsel for both sides the jury
was out about one minute and then
brought in a verdict for the Chamber
of Commerce for $1S.75 the amount
which il claimed.
Just received from New York a
full line of children's coats.
}. RICHARD SMITH
11I16-2E