The Des Moines Register , Wednesday, April 13, 1988

DAVENPORT MAN AWARDED $1 MILLION IN LAWSUIT
By DEANNA COX
Register Staff Writer

A Davenport man has been awarded nearly $1 million in a lawsuit he filed against a prominent Dubuque businessman, accusing him of waging a vindictive campaign to put him out of business.

Ferd Nessler filed the suit in 1984 against Louis Pfohl, then president of Fischer Companies, a real estate company and ice manufacturer, after Nessler lost a contract and lease at the Nessler Centre, a building he was developing in downtown Dubuque.

Pfohl died in July 1986. The Dubuque County District Court jury's verdict was ordered against Pfohls company.

In the lawsuit, Nessler charged that Pfohl harassed him and forced him into bankruptcy by intentionally setting out to ruin his business. Nessler now is a salesman for a computer company.

Tom Riley, a Cedar Rapids lawyer who represented Nessler, said Pfohl became upset when the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors leased office space from Nessler in 1982.

Pfohl believed he should have received the contract because he was the lower bidder, Riley said.

"We offered evidence that he did start a campaign of vindictiveness," Riley said.

Pfohl and the Fischer Companies sued the Board of Supervisors, challenging the lease with Nessler. Riley said Pfohl also visited the Nessler Centre frequently to report violations of building regulations to city officials.

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