John de Maison Rouge represents that he is a brick mason by trade who has "turned his attention to the setting of Sugar Kettles." Further, "by a studious attention to his business," he has "discovered a mode of setting Sugar Kettles, by which the quantity of fuel required for making Sugar is materially reduced." Hoping to establish "a good reputation in the Parish of St. Landry," de Maison Rouge entered into a contract for such work with Baptiste Meuillon, a free man of color. In order to prove the effectiveness of his new design, de Maison Rouge "drafted a plan, calculated from the dimensions of the Kettles to be set," and showed it to Meuillon, "who was immediately convinced of the great advantage" of the plan. Having entered into the contract, Meuillon asked to keep the plans; de Maison Rouge agreed on the condition that Meuillon would not show them to his competition, to which Meuillon agreed. However, before the work began, Meuillon did show the plans to one of de Maison Rouge's competitors "with whom he concluded a bargain for the setting of his Sugar Kettles." In consequence, de Maison Rouge lost the contract, causing him to lose $2,000 in wages and other damages. De Maison Rouge prays that Meuillon be decreed to pay him that sum plus costs of the suit.
Result: Dismissed.
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Repository: St. Landry Parish Courthouse, Opelousas, Louisiana
