A small claims court ruled last week in favor of the Starr Book Shop, the defendant in a $400 suit filed by Richard L. Alfred '74.

Alfred said last month that the Starr Book Shop had been responsible for a "breach of contract" when the salesman refused to sell him valuable letters written by Virginia Woolf that were inside a book he intended to buy. He sued for value of the letters.

Alfred found the letters while paging through a book in the store. At the time, he contended that both the book and the letters were rightfully his for the price of the book.

The case came before the Third District Court of Eastern Middlesex on February 10. Alfred represented himself, and owner Milton M. Starr, with an attorney, represented the shop.

Both Alfred and Starr received notification of the court's decision by mail Thursday.

Starr said Thursday that even if Alfred had bought the book and later found the letters in it, the letters would still not have been Alfred's property.

Alfred said yesterday that he felt the court's judgement had been "fair", but added that he still felt he was morally right.