U.S. District Judge Maurice B. Cohill Jr....

U.S. District Judge Maurice B. Cohill Jr. blocked investors led by Britain’s Brian C. Beazer from proceeding with a $1.7-billion hostile takeover of Koppers Co., but the judge left the door open for Beazer to salvage the proposed deal. Cohill said the novel role played by Shearson Lehman Hutton Inc. in the takeover apparently requires the investment banking firm to file financial disclosure statements. Shearson did not make the filings. Cohill said that “since . . . there is a great probability that the defendants have violated the Williams Act,” he was suspending the takeover until a trial can be held or the violations in the $60-per-share tender offer are corrected. The Williams Act is intended to prevent manipulation of the stock markets.