The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-03
BARKER'S ESTATE.
ASSIGNEE NoRTONs FIRST ACCOUNT.
To the Editors of the Bulletin =:


/ Z. E. Norton's first account rendered in
against the estate of Jacob Barker, bank
rtlpt as published in the Bulletin of March
29th was sufficient to convince even the
casual observer that the assigneeship OF all
the bankrupt estates in Louisiana has been
Il better paying "billet," that the Presidency
of the United States was, before it became
a sort of gift enterprise. Still. it may not
be deemed amiss to point out some OF the
pecu,iarities of that account. Ano it should
be borne in mind that this case is not an
, exceptional one, but has been selected be
cause it was one of the first, and besides, .
, larger number of our citizens are interested
, in it than in any one of the thirteen hun
bred which have been similarly manipu-
lated.
Under the head of sundry expenses" are
classified great number and variety of
tcharges and number of other charges Of
a similar character are condensed under
the headings of postage, stationery and
clerk hire, proving claims, examining books
etc. When it is considered that f. E. Nor
ton has been the assignee or co-assignee for
all the bankruptcies in this State, it must
he conceded by his most ardent admirers
, bat ne has been better paid for his services
than any other public servant or agent in
the United understanding that his
charges in the other thirteen or fourteen
hundred bankruptcies have been equally as
/ axtravagant, of which there can be little
i,n n
been held responsible for his acts.
y That the greater number of the ASST gn-
se's charges are not only Illegal, but uliau-
: horized will be seen by referring to sec
ions % aud ~ Of the bankrupt law. That
e hey are unjust, no honest, sane man will
j. gainsay. VIII here recapituiate few OF
i Assignee Norton's charges: So each fol
Il writing letters; S. each for proving claims
II SIC fer walking from tile Custom House to
3aronne street and unlocking door, 81
@ or visiting the room where the pictures
d we're sold; 500 for compromising claim
with T. H. Barker; $50 for compromising
.laim with III s. Flox; So for obtaining
rider Of court to redeem property. In add
e ion to these he makes a separate charge
{ OF clerk hire postage and stationery. Thel
y, he charges the modest sum of $3.50 per month
e Cor seven months charge and managemert
: VI the estate, amounting to s,2430. Not con
ent with this, he charges $685. 81 commits
:. ion on &l6,129 81 received. All these char
n res are made by himself, allowed by him
E, elf and paid to himself, without presentin:
= his account and having it approved as tn
o aw requires.
Il And in this connection it is alleged:
9 That the account referred to above is incol
81 rect in form and fact, and was evidentl,
n made by an incompetent accountant; Z
{ That it was not made as the law directs, ac
/ rorylinm to Form 50 of General Orders an,
;, ~ Form of Proceedings in bankruptcy aud tha
it was not accompanied by the affidavit o
= she assignee, as the law requires, according
II 10 Form 81 of General Orders and Forms O
70 Proceeding in Bankruptcy; s. That tn
amount is incorrect in fact, inasmnch as i
L, does not show the amount paid Mr. Girar
iey, the auctioneer; 4. 1t does not give il
,e its foolings the total amount OF debts ant
and credits bv 1904 50. With these fact
before them, the creditors of Jacob Barke
r. must be fully convinced that they have bee
deprived of their Just rights by an irrespon
sble agent, thrust upon them by Judge Du
rell.
Mr. Norton charges 1892 for notifying tn
creditors of Jacob BagIer's estate of til
second meeting. For these notices, ha
ne they been legal, the law would hav
allowed him $66 40; bat they were nc
legal as will be seen by reference to rul
a. %, of the Rules and Regulations in Banb
ruptcy, adopted by Hon. e. II. Durell, Jal
he /. 1867. At the second meeting the assigne
tit did not exhibit to the creditors just an
true accounts of ali his receipts and e2
penditures, verified by his oath, as require
rs. bv law; he did not submit schedule
he the bankrnpts property. as amended, dui
III verified by the bankrupt, nor statemei
of the whole estate of the bankrupt as the
ascertaned, of the property received an
IS, the property outstanding, specifying til
cause of it's being outstanding: nor VIII;
he debts, or claims, were undetermined, as r
ed quired by section q of the bankrupt Law
et The only information the creditors liza
relative to these important matters W:
obtained from condensed report made
Mr. Grardey, the auctioneer, of the sale
the pictures and a part OF the real estat
nc amounting to Sl19,187 60, and also ii
NC conditions of the sale. As matter
% course, the creditors were dissatisfied, bl
they mad no redress.
The second dividend declared amountt
~ to S36,000 and the assgnees charges
0OO-fully ten thousand more than ii
NC dividend Among the items i'll his accou
ca was $4,000 paid Henry d. Stone, Esq, a
a' signee's counsel, fer filing up blank for
zee of petition and presenting it to the court
about five minutes work. This is believe
however. to have been paid Stone for resig
~ ing the assgneeship, SO that E. f. Norte
u L.. RI,