Dispossessed Madden to Sue For $50,000 From University

Ted Madden, dispossessed owner of a golf driving range on Western Avenue, will sue the University for $50,000 for damages incurred when the property upon which the range stands was sold to Sears Roebuck and Company.

Madden, tenant on the University land since 1938, said last night that the loss he has suffered in both a personal and business sense has caused him to take action that he sincerely regrets.

In revealing the cause of the suit, Madden explained that several times during his tenure he asked the University if he could buy the property.

"Through letters and conversation with Harvard authorities," Madden claimed, "I was led to believe that the property was not, and would not be for sale. I was assured that if the University ever decided to sell, I would be given the first opportunity to buy it."

$40,000 Improvements

During his stay on the property, Madden claimed he had spent over $40,000 in improving the land that he first took over as a marsh.

"My relationship with the University had always been friendly," he added. "The authorities assured me they were not unmindful' of all I had done for the property." As a demonstration of good will, when Madden and his three sons enlisted in the army during World War II and suspended operation of the range, the University cut the rent to $1 per year.

Loss of Faith

In addition to the $40,000 loss he must sustain, Madden said, he has also had to contend with the loss of faith in him by prospective financial backers for a new range in Woburn. When the University did not offer him the land for sale, these backers refused to aid him on the grounds that the University must have had ulterior motives for its action.

The driving range, a familiar landmark both for students and for the thousands of commuters who pass it daily on their way to work, has been one of the most popular in the Boston area since its inception. It was enlarged and improved after Madden's return from the war.