Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-03-10
MANDAMUS HEARING
Before Associate Justice Spear
on Mandamus Petition by
Boston Lawyer to Compel
Clerk of Edwards Mfg. Co. to
Show Him List of StOckhOld-
ers-Decision Reserved at
Close of Hearing

Whether or not Milton Q. Dean Of
Augusta, clerk and resident agent Of
the Edwards Manufacturing Company,
should be compelled to show to JOS
eph G. Dryer of Boston. a stakeholder
in the company, the list of stockhold-
ers and the records of the corpora ton,
was the question before Associate
Justice Albert NJ. Spear at hearing
held Thursday morning at the court
house on a petition for mandamus
brought by Mr.. Rryer.
The hearing extended through the
tice Spear took the case under adj
visement. stating that he would rea-
dor decision in a few days.
Mr.. Dryer of Boston. who is a law
yer. visited some time ago at the Ed
wards mill in this city and asked for
a list of stockholders. Milton o. Dean.
the resident agent and clerk Of the cor
list. hearing that they We're going 10
be used for an improper purpose. Re-
Gently a petition for Il mandamuS
was filed to compel Mr.. Deane 10
show him list of stockholders and
The records of the corporation.
Mr.. Dryer made request as a
stakeholder of the Edwards Company.
he having come into possession of -
shares of the stock. and he claimed
under the Maine statutes he had a
right to be shown the list of stock
holders.
The statutes permit a stockholdcr
to receive stakeholder list. if tho
purpose is lawful. But for any other
purposes tending to injure the cor
poration there is question whether
they could be properly shown, and this
is largely the issue at stake. Justice
Spear gave a wide latitude to the teS-
timony and said he would weed out
that which had no direct bearing on
the case. He said he thought he
could get at the kernel of the whole
matter in short time.
Agent Dean was represented by
Lawyer John r. Nelson. Mr.. Nelson
was Of the opinion that Mr.. 3ryer
wanted the list Of stockholders for
improper and Illegal purposes and in
his cross examination of Mr.. Brver
he attempted to show that Mr. Dryer
and Howard Bennett. owner of the
Cotton e Wool Reporter and r. O.
Nicholson of New Bedford were en-
gagged in conspiracy to injure the
Edwards Mfg. Co.
Mr.. Nelson called attention TO
some attacks that the trade paper
had made upon the corporation ard
he also brought ont In testimony
that Mr.. Dryer was attorney for Mr..
Bennett and also attorney for Mr..
Nicholson although the witness did
not know that Nicholson and Ben
nett were acquainted with each
other.
Mr.. Rrycr said that he had been
engaged for long time in secur-
ing stockhoIder lists of different
mills and corporations for the brok-
erace firm of George c. Shea &
Company of Boston. lie said the
purpose of getting the stockholders
was simply so that the firm could
circularize them for the purpose of
buying and selling stock of that par
ticular corporation.
Mr.. Dryer said that is anything.
this proceeding would improve the
corporation for it would broaden the
market for the sale OF the stock. He
admitted that he was only a nominal
holder OF the stock himself as the
brokerage firm paid for the stock for
him in order that he might be able
to get list of the stockholders.
n. Forrest Lockwood. treasurer
OF the Edwards Company. testified
briefly upon Mr.. Buyers calling upon
him. He stated that the published ar
ticles in the Cotton & Wool Repor-
ter were detrimental to the company
and affected the market value of the
stock. Agent Dean said that short
after the articles were published in
the trade paper, some 5000 shares
OF the stock We're transferred.
Mr.. Dryer was represented by a
Boston attorney. He denied that the
list of stock holders was wanted for
any improper proposes and he said
that no testimony had been intro
duced to show that there was any
inn L