Los Angeles daily herald., 1876-04-23
TEMPLE & WORKMAN.
ASTOUNDING REVELATIONS.
a Complaint, which If true, reveal
A Series of Barefaeed Frauds.


Workman, E. f. Spence and ID. Free
man, assignees, by Charles j. Ellis,
Thomas r. Bard, Kern Valley Bank;
Benjamin F. Thompson, Henry
North, Hiram Quimby, John S.
Thompson, guardian of Mary E. Me-
Clellan, ct al; J. M. Griffith, and S. J.
Lynch, composing the firm of Griffith
Lynch & Co., Louis Pfeiffenberger and
G. A. Nolte, composing the firm of
Pfeiffenberger & Co., and John Joaes
as plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs complain against
the defendants and allege that on the
18th day of January A. d., 1876 the
said Temple & Workman were and
had been for three years prior thereto
partners doing business as bankers at
the city of Los Angeles.
1t is then recited that the plaintiffs
in this case have obtained judgments
against the defendants in amounts ag-
gregating $8l, ,49S.38 and that each of
the judgments in favor of the plain
tiffs has been returned wholly un-
satisfied.
That on the 18th of January 1876 the
said Temple & Workman made two
assignments purporting to convey all
their property to defendants, Spe nee
and Freeman in trust.
That the said Spence and Freeman
qualified under said trust and entered
upon its duties and have collected a
very large sum of money and other
property from the assets of said assign
ees, amounting in all to the value of
over five hundred thousand dollars.
That after the making of said as
signments on the 18th day of January
it was filed.
That on February I'd 1876 the said
Temple & Workman made a pretended
inventory of their joint and several
property and of their lirbili ties.
That the said assignments were not
made in good faith but with the intent
to delay and defraud the creditors of
Temple & Workman.
That it was not intended to convey
all of their property to said assignees,
but Oh the contrary thereof the said
Temple & Workman did fraudulently
conceal large amounts of their joint
and several properties to the value of
two hundred thousand dollars, and did
wholly omit the same from the said
inventory made by them as aforesaid.
That said Temple & Workman did
SO conceal, among other things,
large sum of money in gold coin,
amounting to fifty thousand dollars,
Which said last mentioned sum was
received by said Temple & Workman
at their said banking house and above
the amounts paid out by them be-
tween the 9th of December A. d. 1875
and the date ofsaid assignments.
That Temple & Workman did so con-
ceal, among other things, a certain
promisory note of one A. Brunson for
the sum of twelve hundred and fifty
dollars. the property of the said Tenn
pie q Workman, and that they did
fraudulently conceal other pro missory
notes.
That said Temple omitted about
three hundred dollars owing to him at
the time of making the assignments
from joseph Mullally.
That said Temple fraudulently con-
cealed about four hundred head of cat
tie and one thousand head of sheep.
That on the 18th day of January,
1876, and after drawing said assign
ments the said Temple did fraudulently
abstract from the assets of said firm of
Temple & Workman $1,000 in gold
coin and placed among the assets his
check therefor ante-dated January 18th
1875.
That on the 18th day of January 1876
and after the drawing of said assign
ments the said Temple fraudulently
abstracted for the assets of said firm
$2,400 gold coin.
That on the 18th day of January one
Thomas w. Temple, a son of F. P. F.
Temple, with the consent of the latter,
did fraudulently abstract from the as
sets of the firm $500 gold coin.
That at the time said assignments
were made one Adolph Portugal was
indebted to the sali firm in the sum of
$4,000 gold coin, that three days after
said assignments were made the said
Temple, fraudulently combining with
said Portugal, to defraud the creditors
of said firm, did cause the said indebt-
edness of Portugal to be satisfied on
Temple then drew his check for the
said sum of Sc, 900 in lieu of said Por-
tugal's Indebtedness to said firm, and
ante-dated his check to Jan. II, 1876,
and placed the same among the assets
of the firm and did fraudulently omit
and conceal the ndebtedness of said
Portugal to the firm.
That said Temple claims as exempt
from execution, as homestead, GER
tain real estate which he has falsely
inventoried at $4,000 when the plain
tiffs know it to be worth $4,000.
That said VIM. Workman claims as
homestead property falsely valued at
$4,000 when it is worth $4,000.
That none of said property so con-
cealed and omitted from said invento-
ry as aforesaid, was ever delivered to
said assignees.
That neither of said assignments
was made in good faith, in that both
provide for the payment of certain
claims known to the said Temple &
Workman to be false, and for the pay
ment of more upon certain claims
against said assignees than was justly
due them.
That said inventory includes cer-
tain pretended debt from said Temple
& Workman to J. J. Mellus, Treasur-
er of the City of Los Angeles, when
in fact no debt was due from said
Temple & Workman to said Mellus.
That neither of said assignments
was made in good faith in that on the
18th day of January 1876, the said
Temple & Workman, well knowing
the insolvency of said firm,of Temple
& Workman, and the insolvency of
each of said firm and while they were
actually engaged in making said as
signment to Spence q Freeman, the
said Temple, with the sole purpose
aad intent of preferring enc creditor
over the others did then fraudently