Harold D. Blankenship, an Individual v. The Hearst Corporation, a Corporation, William H. Myers, an Individual

This is an appeal in a private antitrust action brought in the United States District Court for the Central District of California seeking injunctive relief and damages. The plaintiff and appellant is Harold D. Blankenship, an independent contractor for the purchase, distribution and. sale of the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner newspaper. The defendants are the Hearst Corporation, publisher of the newspaper, and William H. Myers, Director of Circulation of the newspaper.

The first cause of action was brought and the jurisdiction of the court was invoked to recover damages and for in-junctive relief under sections 4 and 16 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 15 , 26, because of alleged violations of section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1 . It alleged a combination and conspiracy to fix the retail prices at which the newspaper was sold to home subscribers. The second cause of action alleged a violation of section 1 of the Sherman Act by an unlawful combination and conspiracy to confine the customers to whom the independent contractors sold the newspaper.

Simultaneously with the filing of the complaint, requests and counter requests for preliminary injunctive relief…