179 A.D. 712 | N.Y. App. Div. | 1917
In 1884 Henry Bomeike engaged in the business of conducting a press clipping bureau in the city of New York under his own name. He was not the pioneer in that field in this country, for one Shanks had previously engaged therein. He continued in that business in his own name until 1902, when the plaintiff corporation was organized as “ Henry Bomeike ” on May 6, 1902, under the laws of the State of New York, to which, as the answer herein admits, Henry Bomeike transferred “ his press clipping business and the good will thereof.” At first, and for a period of about six months, plaintiff did business as “ Henry Bomeike, Ltd.,” until Bomeike was informed that he had no right to use the word “ Limited ” as part of the corporate name, since which time plaintiff has advertised itself as “ Henry Bomeike, Inc.,” though. its proper corporate name was “ Henry Bomeike ” simply. Henry Bomeike died June 3, 1903, and his place as president of the plaintiff was taken by Albert Buebe, who had then been with the business about fifteen years. George D. Bomeike, son of Henry Bomeike, became of age February 9, 1916. During his minority the business continued to be managed by Albert Buebe, the president, who was in charge of its office work. Albert Bomeike, a brother of Henry Bomeike, was connected with the business all this time, and Albert’s son, Charles, for a part of the period. Albert Buebe was one of the trustees of Henry Bomeike’s estate, and after their accounts had been settled and the stock in the plaintiff corporation turned over to Henry Bomeike’s children, and as the result of differences with George D. Bomeike, Buebe resigned as president and left the employment of plaintiff on May 9, 1916. Albert Bomeike (who had been a director, secretary and treasurer of plaintiff) and Charles Bomeike (who had occupied a minor position with plaintiff) also left plaintiff’s service some days earlier. George D. Bomeike then became president of the plaintiff. In May, 1916, a corporation was organized under the laws of the State of New York under the name of “ Albert Bomeike & Co., Inc.,” whereof the directors for the first year were Albert Bomeike, Furman T. Howard and Edna J. Siess. This corporation was organized by Albert Bomeike and Albert Buebe, the former
It would be difficult to find a case of alleged unfair trade competition where the record is as barren of any evidence of fraud, false representation or unfairness as the one now under consideration. The business conducted by both parties is unusual in its nature. There are no trade secrets, no lists of customers, no goods manufactured to be sold to the public. All the competitors in this line used practically similar methods, some of which were adopted by plaintiff from another rival named Burrelle. The newspapers are read by employees who clip therefrom the items affecting the persons or topics of which they are furnished with á list of the appropriate official. These employees are mostly girls, who are paid one-fourth of a cent for each clipping they turn into the office. Outside of this business done on orders from customers, it is the custom of all those agencies to send out postal cards calling the attention of persons whose names appear in print to the fact that an item has appeared which is likely to prove of interest
The plaintiff’s contention upon the record must be reduced to the bald claim that because Henry Romeike used his own name in his press clipping business for many years, and afterwards turned that business over to a corporation bearing his name, that no one else bearing the name Romeike can make use of it in that business. I do not believe that contention is sound. It has been stated that Henry Romeike did not originate the press clipping business in this country; that was done by one Shanks. Henry Romeike and plaintiff had competition in New York city in that business before defendant was organized. There is no single feature of the press clipping business which plaintiff, or its predecessor, is shown to have originated or improved. There was a firm of Romeike & Curtis engaged in the same business in London, the use of which name Henry Romeike unsuccessfully endeavored to enjoin. While plaintiff claims to have branches in London, Paris, Berlin, Sydney, Vienna and Rome, it has no branches in fact, but only correspondents there. It is true that an application was made by Ruebe and Romeike to secure a charter for the “ Romeike Press Clipping Bureau, Inc.,” but they are not sued herein for any use of that name nor does it appear that they have advertised or made use thereof in their business. In any event, that fact is not relevant to their use of the corporate title the use of which is enjoined by the judgment appealed from. Nor would even their intent to obtain part of plaintiff’s business by competition under any other name be sufficient to constitute unfair trade, unless the intent was
In Singer Mfg. Co. v. June Mfg. Co. (163 U. S. 169) it was said (at p. 187): “ This fact is fully recognized by the well., settled doctrine which holds that although ' every one has the absolute right to use his own name honestly in his own business, even though he may thereby incidentally interfere with and injure the business of another having the same name. In such case the inconvenience or loss to which those having a common right are subjected is damnum absque injuria. But although he may thus use his name, he cannot resort to
As I can find no evidence of any dishonest use by defendant of its corporate name, nor any resort to artifice or deceit to mislead the public or to cause confusion as to the identity of the respective businesses of plaintiff and defendant, I conclude that this judgment is wrong and should be reversed, with costs, and judgment entered in favor of the defendant dismissing the complaint of the plaintiff, with costs.
The following findings of fact as found by the trial court are reversed: 4 (strike out all after the words “ conducted by him ” and add “ and the good will thereof ”), 5, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16,. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 33, 34.
Also the following conclusions of law: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10. The following findings of fact proposed by defendant are
Clarke, P. J., Laughlin and Page, JJ., concurred; Shearn, J., concurred in result.
Judgment reversed, with costs, and judgment directed in favor of defendant dismissing the complaint, with costs. Order to be settled on notice.