Even Mexico's merchants, no tyros at business sleight-of-hand, sat up and blinked at the talented Tillett brothers last week.
English-born James and Leslie Tillett had landed in Mexico five years ago, via Canada, Tahiti and the U.S. Captured by the country's gracious charm, the obvious opportunities for enterprising young men and the war's remoteness, the Tillett boys decided to stay. Soon they found a Russian backer, one Boris Litwin, who agreed to set them up in the family trade, the printing of designs on woolen fabrics.
Because the Tilletts were fine craftsmen their textile designs became fashion's rage in Mexico. In no time at all they were in the chips. Both got married; Leslie to a girl from New York, Jim to lush, dark Nieves, model for some of Diego Rivera's best nudes.
The Tilletts decided to expand some more, then sell abroad to the textile-hungry U.S. But, although the money rolled in, they never seemed to have enough. So they took in new backers. One day the Tillett boys awoke to find that the backers had a majority control.
Jim and Les decided on direct action. One night they moved into the Cuernavaca plant, packed designs and dyestuff onto a truck and skipped off to picturesque Taxco. There they set up a new shop, called themselves ''Tilletts of Taxco."
To Rudolfo Saldana Ruiz, a Mexican who had bought up the majority stock, the Tilletts' departure with the plant equipment looked like outright stealing; he got a warrant for their arrest. But the sheriff, who must catch the Tilletts in the state where the moving operation took place, has so far failed to serve the warrant. The boys travel incognito.
By last week the brothers had some new backers for "Tilletts of Taxco," a Mr. Klein and a Mr. Rosenberg. And they had opened a fancy new store in Mexico City. But the Tilletts were not happy.
Persevering Sr. Saldana had got a court order denying them the use of their own name on the store (the Tillett name went with the original company). And Mr.
Klein and Mr. Rosenberg refused to let them keep the company's books or sign any checks. Said Leslie, resignedly, "It looks like they are going to run us out of Mexico."