The Price of a Phony Partnership

I. R. Spalt, Josephine Spalt and W. A. Crowell were sued yesterday by Daniel Brown to recover $500, out of which he claims to have been defrauded by being induced to purchase a worthless photographic outfit. According to the complaint filed in the case, the defendants advertised in the papers that there was a photographic gallery to be had for $600, the business paying a monthly profit of $650. The gallery belonged to the Spalts, while Crowell was a practical photographer in their employ. Brown says it was represented to him that the Spalts were willing to sell out the business for $1,000. Crowell proposed to enter into a partnership with Brown to buy the outfit. Crowell represented that he had valuable lands back east, out of which he shortly expected to realize $5,000, but had no ready money. Brown was asked to advance $500 cash, and the rest of the $1,000 was to be paid in monthly installments of $50, which were to be taken out of the earnings of the gallery. According to Brown's story, the purchase was made under these conditions, but Crowell, in a very short time, made the relation so unpleasant for him that he was almost forced to sell out his share in the business to Crowell for $500, for which Crowell gave his worthless notes. The business, too, he says, proved a very poor one. It is claimed by the plaintiff that the whole transaction was a conspiracy between the Spalts and Crowell to defraud the plaintiff; that Crowell had no land in the east, and that he never paid the Spalts any money.