HomeMy WebLinkAboutLaSalle Suit Still in Court; newspaper article (08-18-1980)LaSalle suit still in court
By JOHN MORRIS
Staff writer
Visiting Judge W.T. McDonald Sr.
refused this morning to dismiss J.C.
Ja ues' suit in 272nd District Court
over ownership of the LaSalle Hotel in
downtown Bryan.
Nov 3 was tentatively set as the date
or a Jury to try the suit, which was
filed in September, 1978. The defen-
dant is Lee Abbott of Dallas.
hnful ,ems^_
1ir es, u1creou ntit to and other
elderly residents were forced to move
last May.
Part of the sale contract was for
Jaques to have a place to live and
meals in the hotel for the rest of his
life, when he sold the property to
Abbott.
According to Bill Youngkin, Ab-
bott's attorney, Abbott in turn sold
the hotel to LaSalle Home for the
Retired Inc. The corporation evicted
Jaques, the attorney claimed, not
Abbott.
However, Elmer McVey, Jaques'
attorney, countered, saying Abbott
was, in fact, the corporation." Ab-
bott's actions as the head of the
corporation resulted in Jaques having
to move.
Jaques was getting well up in
years. He sold the hotel to Mr. Abbott
with the promise he would have a
place to live and get his meals,"
McVey said. "It was Lee Abbott that
kicked hm out and put him on the
street."
"It looks to me that Abbott and the
corporation are the same creature,"
the judge declared.
The corporation which bought tl
hotel from Abbott is now in fede c
bankruptcy court
Youngkin pointed out. Jaques n
longer has any legal right to th
property, he added.
And, Abbott should not be
defendant in the suit. The corporatio,
should, Youngkin said. Jaques is tryin
"to muddy the watersj:l ~l ~,~G uu~e
yvvVilud, FUL"l:ua
has already deposited funds in the
registry of the court. The a to Corp.
said Omega Manage
Houston, seeks to uy and re fate
tfie hotel and adjacent Harrison
Building. can be done unti
However, nothing
the legal cloud over title to the
property is removed, according to
Omega partner Robert Renwick.