Who Was the Majority Stockholder?

The Articles of The Standard Building Company,Inc. state that title to Lot 95 Original Plat could only be transferred by vote of the majority.

It is seen in 1935, that with both Sam Wolf and James Evans present at the meeting of the stockholders, only 351 of 1350 shares entitled to vote were present.

A Deed Between Lawyers

In 1982, as President of The Standard Building Company, Walter P. Helmke claimed "Evans Properties,Inc." was the majority stockholder of The Standard Building Company,Inc. As Personal Representative for the Evans Estate, Helmke transferred title to the Standard Building to Robert S. Walters in the law firm of Barrett and McNagny which now occupies the building. The Standard Building Company,Inc. had not filed any Annual Reports with the Secretary of State since 1967. This mattered little to Helmke when it came time to certify the corporation was "in good standing," and little to Walters when he took title. The Standard Building Company,Inc. dissolved in 1987, four years after the closing of the Evans Estate and after other stockholders had been paid.

As part of the Evans Estate, "Evans Properties," proceeded to transfer various titles around downtown Fort Wayne though no filings are found with the Secretary of State for Evans Properties,Inc. since 1931. Upon Dissolution, Evans Properties turned out to be owned by Clem Drees, the Evans Estate accountant, and the Lincoln National Bank Trust Department.

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What Happened to the Rental Account and Paid in Capital?

The 1923 Articles of Association of the Standard Building Company, Inc. state the purpose of the company was to hold title to Lot 95 Original Plat (215 East Berry Street), to collect rents, to purchases stocks, bonds, notes, and other debentures. The paid in capital was $350,000.00 in 1923.

When stockholders were paid upon liquidation of the Standard Building Company, Inc., with a check drafted from Anthony Wayne Bank, the payment per share only amounted to a share of the saleprice of Lot 95 Original Plat to Robert S. Walters, attorney.

The 60-year rental account and corpus of The Standard Building Company, Inc. was neither paid to the ingenuous stockholders nor accounted for in the Evans Estate.

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