'U' Staffer Wins $15,414 Judgment

‘U’ Staffer Wins $15,414 Judgment

(Special to The News)

Jackson -- A University of Michigan staff member was awarded a court judgment of $15,414 .72 here today as his share of profits in a 30-year, around-the-world bird study project. 

The judgment was given by Jackson County Circuit Judge John C. Dalton to Rup Chand, a technical assistant in the U-M herbarium. 

Chand filed the suit seeking a $50,000 judgement against Dr. Walter N. Koelz, of Waterloo, retired ornithologist and botanist, as his share of profits from his extensive studies and travels in Asia. During the testimony, Koelz said they farther and collected more bird and botanical specimens in Asia than any other scientific party. 

Koelz said that Chand had been in the position of manservant to him throughout their travels. He said this was the custom of India, where Chand was born. 

Judge Dalton ruled that a partnership had existed between the two as evidenced by a joint bank account. The judgment sum represented the balance in the bank account at the time the suit was filed. 

Five days of evidence and testimony were presented before Judge Dalton in March, 1963, but the judgement was handed down just today because of a large backlog on the circuit court docket.

The two men began their association in 1930 and made two trips around the world. The court evidence included accounts of their difficulties when they were caught in the middle of fighting in Persia when World War II broke out. When their association broke off in 1960, Chand was living at the Koelz residence in Waterloo. 

They collected botanical specimens throughout the world for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in addition to gathering and selling what was described as the largest collection of Asian bird specimens in the world. 

The U-M Museums and the Field Museum at Chicago each were said to contain 25,000 bird specimens purchased from the two men. 

Chand now mounts plants for the University herbarium. He lives at 330 Evergreen Pl. Ann Arbor.