Continental Wall Paper Co. v. Lewis Voight & Sons Co.

• Decision Date: 05 January 1906
• Docket Number: 1,509.
• Citation: 148 F. 939
• Parties: CONTINENTAL WALL PAPER CO. v. LEWIS VOIGHT & SONS CO.
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — Sixth Circuit

148 F. 939

CONTINENTAL WALL PAPER CO. v. LEWIS VOIGHT & SONS CO.

No. 1,509.

United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit.

January 5, 1906

This is an action to recover a balance of $57,762.10, due on account for wall paper sold and delivered to defendants. The case turned upon the sufficiency of the third defense submitted by the answer to the petition of the plaintiff. To this defense the plaintiff demurred. This demurrer was overruled. The plaintiff declined to plead further, whereupon judgment was rendered for the defendants, dismissing the petition, and taxing the plaintiff with costs. The defense so held to be sufficient was in substance: First. That the plaintiff is a member of an illegal combination among the manufacturers of wall paper, formed for the purpose of enhancing prices stifling competition, and restraining freedom of commerce between the states and with foreign nations, being such a combination or trust as is forbidden by the anti-trust act of 1890 (Act July 2, 1890, c. 647, 26 Stat. 209 (U.S. Comp. St 1901, p. 3200)) and by the laws of Ohio. Second. That the defendants were compelled to become parties to the illegal combination, and that the contract upon which this suit depends for price and terms of sale constitutes one of the agreements which go to make up the illegal combination represented by the Continental Wall Paper Company. The answer, embodying the defense here involved, in substance avers: That the National Paper Company, a corporation owning or controlling a large number of wall paper factories situated within the states of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, together with a large number of independent firms and corporations engaged in the same manufacture, combined or conspired together for the purpose of controlling the wall paper production in this country by suppressing competition among themselves, and enhancing the price of that article to jobbers, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. That for this purpose and this end, and to better cover this scheme, they caused the organization under the laws of New York of a corporation known as the Continental Wall Paper Company, with a capital stock of $200,000, divided into 16,000 shares, the shares to be divided among the conspiring firms and corporations in proportion to the production of each factory during the year preceding July, 1898. That the scheme and agreement was that the National Wall Paper Company, as representative of a large number of corporations dominated by it, should select three directors, the other firms and corporations three more, and that the six directors so selected should select a seventh, and the seven directors should direct the combination through the corporate name of the Continental Wall Paper Company. That the plan was that each of the combining concerns should enter into a contract styling themselves 'vendors,' with the said company. These contracts to be signed by the several corporations and firms entering into this combination were identical in terms, and were in the following words and figures:

'Exhibit 1.

'This agreement, made this -- day of -- , in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight, by and between -- , a corporation or organized under the laws of the state of -- (hereinafter called the 'Vendor') party of the first part, and the Continental Wall Paper Company, a corporation organized under the laws of the state of New York (hereinafter called the 'Company'), party of the second part: Whereas, the vendor is engaged in the manufacture and sale of wall paper, borders, and other articles usually produced and handled in connection therewith, and the company is desirous of acting as its selling agent in handling the entire product of the vendor; and whereas, the company has an authorized capital of two hundred thousand dollars, divided into 16,000 shares, of the par value of $12.50 each; and whereas, the dealer is desirous of acquiring -- shares of the stock of said company at par, and to that end has offered to enter into this agreement and to secure the performance thereof by the deposit of said shares: Now, therefore, in consideration of the foregoing recitals, and for other good and valuable consideration, it is agreed, between the parties hereto as follows:

'First. The vendor hereby sells unto the company, and the latter agrees to purchase, the entire product of wall paper that may be manufactured by the vendor for the period from July 20, 1898, to the first day of July, 1899. The prices at which the merchandise shall be sold to the company are set forth in a schedule hereto annexed marked 'A,' and hereby made a part of this agreement. The vendor further grants unto the company the right to two renewals of said contract of one year each, provided that, in the event of the election of the company to avail itself of either of said renewals, it shall so signify in writing to the vendor before the first day of June next preceding the renewal term, and provided further, that such election to renew shall be accompanied by the written consents of all the registered stockholders of the company, including that of the vendor.

'Second. The goods acquired by the company from the vendor hereunder, which are to be sold to jobbers, shall be sold by the company, and not by the vendor for the account of the company. Such sale shall be made by the company at discounts from road prices fixed in the schedule hereto annexed marked 'B,' which is hereby made part of this agreement. The vendor will deliver such goods upon the direction of the company at the risk and for the account of the latter f.o.b. at the place of manufacture, provided, however, that in all cases in which the goods are manufactured at places other than the cities of New York or Philadelphia, the vendor will equalize the freights with

either of said cities out of the proceeds receivable for such goods. Memorandum invoices shall be supplied to the customer and to the company immediately upon the shipment and delivery of such goods, said invoices specifying quantities and road prices.

'Third. There shall be furnished by the vendor to the company on the 7th, 14th, 21st, and last days of each month (except when those days fall on Sundays, and then on the next succeeding day) a just and true statement of all shipments and deliveries of merchandise included in this contract which the vendor may make for the account of the company, which statement shall contain the names of the purchasers, the character of the goods sold, and the proper charges, and in order to entitle the vendor to be credited with the agreed cost price for such goods. Each of such statements of shipments shall be accompanied by an affidavit of one of the officers of the vendor and of one of its bookkeepers and of one of its shipping clerks, to the effect that the information therein contained is true.

'Fourth. The company shall permit the vendor to sell in its own name, and the latter hereby agrees to sell for the account of the company, such of the goods manufactured by the vendor as are to be disposed of to purchasers not classified as jobbers, which sales shall be made at the cost and expense of the vendor; said vendor hereby guarantying all credits and the collection of all accounts connected with such sales. The prices at which and the terms upon which such goods are to be sold are designated in this agreement as the 'Road prices,' and are contained in a schedule hereto annexed marked 'C,' which is hereby made a part of this agreement. On the 7th, 14th, 21st, and last days of each month (except when those days fall on Sundays, and then on the next succeeding days), the vendor will furnish to the company a statement showing all the shipments made on account of such sales, which statements shall contain the names of the purchasers, the character of the goods, and the prices at which they were sold, and such sales shall be credited to the vendor by the company at the prices fixed in Schedule A, and shall be charged against said vendor at the prices at which they were sold, which shall in no event be less than those designated in Schedule C. The vendor is to receive for its services and expenses connected with such sales and allowances discounts equal to those who are designated in a classification made by the parties hereto as 'second class jobbers,' less the discounts made on sales to purchasers designated in the accompanying schedules as 'quantitive purchasers,' on which the vendor has allowed the quantitive discount, except that where special and exclusive goods are sold there shall be an allowance of 30 per cent. discount to the vendor. The prices of goods as fixed by Schedules A and C may be altered from time to time, but the discounts allowed to jobbers shall not be altered at any time during the term of this agreement.

'Fifth. The vendor will make collection of all accounts for goods sold by it for the account of the company under the provisions of this agreement, except for sales to jobbers (which accounts the company is to collect), and will, on the 10th day of each and every month during the term of this agreement account to the company. Such account shall be accompanied by a payment by the vendor to the company of the difference between the prices at which the goods are agreed to be sold to the company as imbodied in Schedule A, and the prices at which the vendor has agreed to dispose of said goods as contained in Schedule C. The purchases made by the company from the vendor hereunder shall be upon the same credit and terms as those accorded to other dealers, but the company shall have the right to anticipate the due date of all such purchases, and will pay, on the 10th day of each month, to the vendor a sum on account of all shipments

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