That the U.S. government paid in round numbers $40,000 for
the care of certain convalescent sailors and marines at the Elizabeth City
Hospital from Nov. 1, 1918 to May 1, 1919, and that Dr. John Saliba, owner of
the hospital property pulled down more than $30,000 in profits from the
transaction, were rather interesting facts brought out in the suit of J.H.
LeRoy against Dr. John Saliba in the Superior Court in this county. And by the
decision of the court Dr. Saliba will have to divide about $20,000 of these
profits equally with the plaintiff LeRoy.
The case went to trial Thursday morning, Jan. 6, and went to
the jury late Saturday afternoon. The jury returned a verdict Saturday night
after having been out over four hours.
Mr. LeRoy alleged that he entered into a verbal contract
with Dr. Saliba when the hospital was opened for the care of the overflow of
convalescents from the U.S. Marine Hospital at Norfolk. Saliba was to get $4 a
day for the care of each man sent here. Saliba was to pocket $1 of this amount
and LeRoy was to undertake to run the hospital on the remaining $3 per diem per
man. If LeRoy showed a profit in the management of the hospital he and Saliba
were to divide on a 50-50 basis. So Mr. LeRoy contended. But when the time came
to settle, Dr. Saliba claimed that he had hired Mr. LeRoy and his wife on a
flat salary of $125 a month for the two of them. And ‘nary’ a cent more would
he pay. LeRoy had made about $20,000 for the hospital out of $30,000 allowed
for operating expenses after Dr. Saliba had taken his $10,000.
The question for the jury in the case was: “Did the
plaintiff and defendant enter into contract of partnership as alleged in the
complaint.” The jury’s answer to the issue was Yes. It now remains for a
referee appointed by the court to go over Hospital records and award Mr. LeRoy
approximately one fourth of something like $40,000 paid Saliba by the
government from Nov. 1 to May 1.
Attorneys for the plaintiff were Meekins & McMullan,
Ehringhaus & Small, Thompson & Wilson.
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