Although I missed my flight to New York, I have been able to make good use of my extra day in England.
I went to the Companies House and found out, as I had suspected, that on 20/12/1995 Graeme Bruce formed a new corporation called "Ishi UK Limited".
Graeme Bruce is Director and Lynne Bruce is Secretary.
The obvious reason for choosing this name was to steal the goodwill of Ishi Press, especially since Graeme Bruce went into the business of selling go books and equipment.
The company number is 03139665
There were two previous Ishis. The second was named Ishi International Limited Cranbrook House 287-291 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7JQ
Company number: 02866621
Date of incorporation 28/10/1993 Dissolved 18/08/1998
Directors were:
Lebbeus Edward Anthony Hordern, Secretary and Director Elwyn Berlekamp, Director Rex Edward Nelson, Secretary and Director James William Connelley, Director Timothy Howell Meyrick, Director
The first Ishi was named Ishi Press International Limited Company Number 02451280
Stuart John Dowsey was director.
I am awaiting a microfiche which I have ordered from the head office of Companies House in Cardiff which will arrive at 3:00 PM today. This is not available in London because the corporation was dissolved more than five years ago.
It is important to note the company numbers because otherwise these names are not available in the computer index in London. I found them by searching under the names of individuals whom I know to be involved. For example, by searching under the name of Elwyn Berlekamp I was able to find the record of Ishi International Limited.
It is noteworthy that the name of Nat Berkowitz is nowhere to be found in the Companies House index. Nat Berkowitz always claimed to be the owner of Ishi (London) but apparently this was not true.
It is apparent that the last two Ishis were set up with the plan and intention of stealing the good name of Ishi. Not only did they use the word "Ishi" in their names but they were selling go books and equipment which Ishi Press (Japan) had shipped to Ishi Press International Limited in 1991-1993, for which there was never any payment.
Therefore, Graeme Bruce has been dealing in stolen goods. I shall be contacting the police and law enforcement authorities in England with a view towards having Graeme Bruce arrested and criminally charged.
Unfortunately, the others seem either to be dead, disappeared or in America.
We need to thank Mike Goodall for loaning me the money last night which enabled me to do this company search. I was completely broke and did not even have money for a hotel, plus these items were expensive. Believe it or not, I had to pay £12 to the Companies House for the printouts I have just cited plus another £5 for the microfiche I will receive an hour from now.
Sam Sloan
Today I got microfiches on all three companies.
Interesting, revelations were:
Ishi Press International Limited had a considerable profit in 1991-1992, before a charge of £88,000 in "administrative expenses". It appears that the bulk of these "administrative expenses" was money which James W. Connelley put into his own pocket.
In addition, the balance sheet shows £72,000 in "subordinated liabilities". There is no breakdown in what those were but this may also be money that Connelley was claiming.
Ishi International Limited had assets of as much as £30,000 as late as March 30, 1995. The corporation was dissolved and there is no indication what happened to those assets. The corporation was reorganized on October 13, 1994. This was exactly the time when Edward Hordern had a meeting with James W. Connelley at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. During that meeting, I called Connelley to tell him that he was fired as president of Ishi Press International. I spoke with Edward Hordern on the phone briefly but did not identify myself. Edward Hordern died on May 3, 2000.
5000 shares of Ishi International Limited were sold by Ishi Press International (California) to R & B Acquisitions on exactly 30/6/1995. On that exact same day, June 30, 1995, was the trial of my case against Ishi Press International (California) in San Jose Superior Court. The judge awarded me a judgment of $5,000 but I have never been able to collect because all the money was taken out of the bank accounts before I could get there. R & B Acquisitions is a subsidiary of Binary Arts in Alexandria, Virginia.
Ishi UK Limited is a change in name from Hylda Court Management. Graeme Bruce lives on Hylda Court. A statement dated Feb 27, 1999 states: "This company has not traded and is being retained by us to keep the name only."
This was signed by Graeme Bruce. However, Graeme Bruce has posted on the go newsgroups and elsewhere that he is the real Ishi and he has offered Ishi go boards, so stones and go books published by Ishi Press.
Sam Sloan
Still in England but going back to America today, if I make the flight.
The following are legitimate sources for books and equipment on the game of go: