Document N5aRLV6Bnd6QNMb3praOBR68

CoIrnrteeshp-oOnfdfieonece Ethyl Gasol ine Corporation 35 Broadway . N e w Y o r k , April 25, 1929. Dr. Robert A. Xehoe, Dear Dr. Kehoe: Since speaking to you on the telephone this noon about the Dallas trip I have talked vdth Mr. Reid who has sent a telegram to the regular Travelers* attorneys in that city-- Messrs. Thompson, Knight, Baiter & harris-- expressing your willingness to leave Cincinnati on Wednesday. Enclosed is copy of my letter to Mr. Reid on the subject of our conversation today, and also copy of letter from Mr. Reid of the 22nd instant, and of the two letters which were attached. I told Sr. Reid that it would seem quite unnecessary for me to write to Thompson, Knight, Baker & Harris, as is suggested in Mr. Reid*s letter to them, in the event you should have the conference with them in Dallas as proposed. ' You1will please note that it is desired that Continental and, of course, its attorneys, should re gard Thompson, Knight, Baker & Harris as representing the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation, and the fact of our having insurance with the Travelers to be Ttept out of the picture entirely* A:H Copy to Mr. Reid V Ethyl Gasoline Corp. COPY THE TRAVELERS Hartford, Connecticut Liability Claim Division 50-42 East 42nd Street NEW YORK, N. Y. April 22, 1929. Earl W. Webb, President, Ethyl Gasoline Corp., 25 Broadway, New York, N.Y. Dear Mr. Y/ebb: I enclose a copy of a letter from Thompson, Knight, Baker & Harris. Apparently they know the attorneys who are acting for the Continental Oil Company. Will you kindly write to them as you see fit, supplying us with a copy of your letter. I enclose a copy of a letter I am writing them today. Very truly yours, CPRjLH (SIGNED) Calvin P. Reid Manager. Thompson, Knight, Baker & Harris Dallas, Texas. Copy to: The Travelers Ins. Co. - Liability Claim Division, 30 - 42 East 42nd Street, New York City, N.Y. Attention: Mr. Calvin P. Reid. Manager.______ _____ April 18, 1929. The Travelers Insurance Company, Hartford, Connecticut. Attention: Mr. Patrick F. Burke. Gentlemen Re: Continental Oil Company Ethyl Gasoline Corporation We have your letter of the 10th inst. with reference to the above matter, and note the situation. We have also received a letter from Mr. Galvin P. Reid of your Liability Claim Division, New York City, with, reference to the same matter. Mr. Reid advises that he has asked Mr. Webb, President of the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation, to write us direct with reference to this matter. We have taken this matter up with Messrs. Hamilton, Frank & Hamilton, attorneys of this city, who represent the Continental Oil Company. Mr. Hamilton of that firm advises us that their local attorneys at Wichita Falls were instructed to remove this suit to the Federal Court at Abilene, and that although he has not received word that this has been' done he assumes that it has been. The removal should have been effected April 15th, as the suit was answerable at that time. It will be entirely agreeable with the attorneys for the Continental Oil for us to participate with them in the handling of this matter. We have been very careful not to discuss the interest of the Travelers Insurance Company to persons representing the Continental Oil Company, lie have stated to them that we were interested on behalf of the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation. We would be glad to have the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation, if consistent for them to do so, to advise us with reference to the character of their product and as to whether ... or not it is capable of producing any ill effects in those who handle it. As I understand, your only interest in this matter, and the only interest that the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation has in this suit, is to defend their product. ~ Yours very truly, THOMPSON, KNIGHT, BAKER & HARRIS, BY: April 22, 1929. Messrs. Thompson, Knight, Baker & Harris, Dallas, Texas. Gentlemen: I have a copy of your letter of the 18th instant to Mr. Burke. I have forwarded it to Mr. Webb, the President of our client, who will communicate directly with you. The last paragraph of your letter suggests the possibility of a slight misunderstanding of the attitude of the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation and ourselves towards this present suit. Mr. Webb will undoubtedly cover that point but it will do no harm for me to say that the relations between Ethyl Gasoline Corporation and its customers are intimate and cordial. There is no legal obligation through contract or otherwise upon Ethyl Gasoline Cor poration to incur any expense or to take any action in this case. The Corporation desires to lend-its assistance to the Continental Oil Company or any other of its customers who may be; involved in a claim of this kind, based largely on supposition or suspicion growing out of the ignorance of the characteristics of Ethyl Gasoline, which does contain, as I understand it, minute quan tities of tetra ethyl lead ranging from 1-g to about 3 cubic centimeters per gallon of gasoline; but with the technical aspects of the situation I will leave Mr. Webb to deal. He, by the way, is.not only entirely familiar with the chemistry of the product and its action, but he is also an ex perienced trial lawyer and for these reasons I have suggested to him the advisability of his attending the trial of this case. . It is the first one of its kind which our assured has had to deal with notwithstanding the fact that the product has been on the market for five or six years and sold throughout North America as well as in Great Britain to the extent of hundreds of millions of gallons per annum. 1 think -with this crude explanation of the situation, you will be able to appreciate the desire on the part of Ethyl Gaso line Corporation to assist its customer, the Continental Oil Company, to a successful conclusion of the litigation. Very truly yours, CPRiLH Manager