The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-09-16
DON'T WANT MEEKINS
TO HEAR HOTEL CASES
And Local Federal Jurist Recommends Up
State Judge to Settle Fight For Control
of Virginia Dare Hotel

Federal Judge Isaac M.
Meekins of Elizabeth City will
hear none of the matters per-
tanning to the litigation be-
tween the Elizabeth City Hotel
Corp. and the Associated
Hotels. Inc. to come up in the
Federal Court in this district.
Another Judge, probably Judge
Johnson ]. Hayes will sit in the
hotel case.
And all because Judge Meekins
was nj, one time a stakeholder in the
hotel. Judge MeekinS subscribed to
$1,000 of the capital stock of the
Virginia Dare Hotel when it was
first organized. He paid in 5000 and
then got peeved about something
and refused To make further pay
mcnt. Finally he agreed to trans
fer his stock To c. q. Robinson
president Of the hotel corporation Ii
Mr. Robinson would take up the
balance of HOO due on il. Then
Judge MeekinS went off to Europe
before Mr.. Robinson made reply.
Mr.. Robinson later cabled Judge
MeekinS in Paris that he would ac-
cept his offer. Judge MeekinS did
not cable Il reply and the matter
rested until Judge MeekinS got back
home last Friday.
In the meantime the hotel COM
pany and the Associated Hotel. Inc.
leSSeeS Of the hotel had falling
out. The hotel company brought
suit i'm the State Courts TO secure
revocation of its contract with
the leasing company, setting forth
that the leSSees had violated the
terms of the contract in several
particulars. The defendants had
the case removed To the United
States Court and Il motion waS made
by the defendants to restrain the
hotel company from putting III Il
manager of its own election.
Judge Meekins was out of the
country and the motion was to have
been heard by Judge Hayes at Rock
inrham Monday. but before the date
of the hearing of the motion Judge
Meekins returned to the district and
his return placed the motion i'll his
court at Elizabeth City.
And then arose the question as
TO Judge AIeekinS' ownership OF
hotel stock. the defendants arguing
that the fact that he had been Il
s,ockholder disqualified him as
iudge i'm the litigation. At hear
Ing in the Federal Court in this
city Monday the defendants askeu
Judge AIeekins to declare himself
disqualified, removing the case TO
another jurisdiction.
Judye Meekins refused to declare
himself disqualified. holding that
ba wos not Il stOckhOlder in the
hotel i'm fact and that he had never
heen more than nominal STOCK
! holder. But setting forth the eA-
act facts of his past relations TO the
hotel company. Judge MeekinS sald
that he did not think he should sit
os iud.e i'm the pending litigation
between the hotel company ana 'he
Iessees. He thereupon referred the
focts TO the Senior Judge or the =
( Circuit Court of Appeals at kich-
mond with a recommendation that
Judse Johnson J. Hayes he assign
od to the case. Judge Meekins first
oht,ined an expression from at
torpeys for the leSsees that Judge
U,yes would he acceptable 70 them'
And so il is probable that Judge
Uayes will come to Elizabeth III!
,o nres;le Mt the imminent legal
b,ttle between the community hotel
owners and the chain hetel operat-
ing company for the management ol
tho hotel. In the meantime po'n
sides will have to mark time until Il
court order from Richmond design
otes who shall he judge. Ana
also in the meantime the manage
ment of the new hotel is very mucn
in doubt. with the completion ana
opening of the new hotel but d ie"