The St. Paul echo. [volume] (St. Paul ;) 1925-1927, 1927-02-05
WHITE RECEIVER
ATTEMPTS TO Get
O"FORMULA
High Handed Methods Used by
Conrad Paeben in Running
Affairs at POrO.
SaysHeW Was OnlyJoking
Court Protects Mrs. MalOne's
Formula Ruling That 1t
Was a Trade Secret.

st. Louis, Mo-, Feb. -(By the AS
sociated Negro Press). An attempt
by Conrad Paeben, the white receiver
in charge of Poro College, to obtain
the secret formula by which Mrs. Ma
lone makes the famour hair prepara-
ton, was frustrated last Monday only
by court action. Paeben, who is de-
scribed as a bumptious lawyer of
rather mediocre type, and who has
won the soubriquet Of crimson
neck" here, was appointed by the
court when Aaron E. Malone filed
petition seeking to obtain fifty per
cent interest in the million dollar in
stitution.
Uses High Handed Methods.
He is charged during the few days
he has been in control with using
rather high-handed methods in run
ming affairs at Poro, badgering en-
ployees and proclaiming loudly that
"I am the boss now" He orders
Mrs. Malone's car out to bring him
to and from his Office for the couple
of hours which he spends with the
accounting who are checking up the
assets of the concern, in questioning
employees about the methods which
have made the business such sue
cess and in ordering changes. Mrs.
Malone has remained in her apart
ment since the ~reecivership and TAX
en- no part in running her office.
Asks For Formula.
The receiver capped his interfer-
ence in the routine affairs of the in
stitution Tuesday, however, by ask
ing for the formula. Employees ad-
vised him that no one knew the Sc
cret of compounding except Mrs. Ma
lone and that no one entered the
laboratory except with her. There
will be another fellow in there to-
morrow, for I'm going in," he de-
clared. Mrs. Malone appealed at
once to the Judge who called his ap-
poihtee in and told him in open court
that he had nothing to do with Mrs.
Malone's formula which was a trade
secret and to avoid overstepping his
bounds. Paeben told the judge that
he was "only joking" when he asked
for the formula, but it is rumored
that large sum has been offered for
it by white syndicate.
Adds Another Counsel.
Homer G. Phillips, well-known col
ored attorney and national political
figure, has been retained by Mrs. Ma
lone as counsel associated with Nagel
and Kirby and Congressman Newton,
her white lawyers. Mr.. Newton has
handled her legal business for years,
even before she married, presenting
her suit some years ago against
"Dr." Majors, former business as
sociate, and preparing and dissolving
the corporation, Poro College Com
pany of which Mr.. Malone was presi-
dent and on which he rests most of
his claim to ownership.
S. E. Garner, another capable col
ored attorney, has been promised ap-
pointment as co-receiver by Judge
Noes Hartman in case the receiver
ship is made permanent. This choice
ended a race between a number Of
colored lawyers who desired to share
the plum and who made representa-
tions to the court that 1t would paci-
fly the colored people who think there
is a combination to pluck Mrs. Ma
lone of her holdings. While many
people viewed with apprehension the
sudden appointment of a temporary
receiver for business known to be
substantial and prosperous and felt
certain that a permanent receiver
would be named with consequent
great cost and injury to the institu-
ton, the pendulum is now swinging
the other way, and the public is con-
ceding Mrs. Malone a more even
chance to protect herself from her
husbands claims, and the debacle
which his suit threatens.