The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-04-03
PECULIAR "PARDs. /"

Dissolution ofa Remarkable Copartnership
Observation-Disclosures Business Relations
Of Two Brothera.
Madison. WIS. speiai Telegram.
In the town Of Westport, six miles north
Of this city, have lived for many years two
brothers named Dominick and Martin
O'Malley. These brothers, when young
men. in 1852, in the mountains of Califor-
MIA. while mining there, verbally agreed
to join their efforts and their fortunes and
to be partners in all their business enter
prises, That partnership existed until
yesterday. Shortly after it was formed
Martin went to Australia, lured there by
the gold excitement, and Dominick re-
manned in California. Each kept an &C
count, and the firm, with all the visissitudes
and varying luck of the miner life, kept
sO;vent. Martin returned from Australia
to Wisconsin and began farming opera
tons, and a year or two after Dominick
returned. Every dollar of earnings or
profits received by either of them went to
the partnership fund, and every loss en-
countered by either, no matter In what
hemisphere or under what circumstances,
came out of the firm capital.
After their return to Wisconsin Martin
married. The firm kept right on; the
lands were all owned together; the house,
as homestead for family use, was built;
every shingle used and every nail driven
at firm expense, and household supplies
procured also on firm account. Dominick
soon after lost an arm. He went to France
at firm expense to procure an artificial
arm. He visited Ireland, and came back
bringing a wife, imported at the expense
of the FIRM. Then another house was
built on the firms lands and supplied out
Of the common fund with all housekeeping
requisites. Since then their lands have
been titled; they have dealt in lands, and
at present own extensive lands in Kansas,
besides some seven hundred or eight hun
dred acres in Westport. Such securities
as they owned-the surplus earnings Of
many years ofthrift-were invested entirely
in ,bominick's name. Every dollar Of
expense and earnings of each family were
a partnership account. and the accumu-
lation was never divided until yesterday.
In fact, everything they had, but their
wives and babies, were firm property.
They lived in perfect concord, without
single difference or discord on the part of
or families ominick, by
reason of his disablement, naturally
attended to the general business,
and Martin devoted himself most
to the cultivation of the farms
They were both in feeling disinclined to
disturb the existing order of things. But
as the years began to whiten their heads.
and their children to approach mature
age, they felt it duty to dissolve this
relation. Their method of doing
this was as novel as their previous deal
ings had been. They went to their coun-
sci and entered into carefully
written agreement, arranging for division
and dissolution, to carry out which, at
whatever cost OF personal disappointment,
they bound themselves by the most solemn
Their respective houses were
unlike in value and desirability In di-
vidmg these and assigning to each his
part they sold the right of choice TO the
highest bidder of the two. II was agreed
that. should change of houses he caused
by their division. the entire household eff
fects used by each should be left in the
house he moved from. and that only the
clothing of the family, the family bible
and the pictures should be taken to the
new home The right OF choice was a
warded to Dominick, and he chose the
house of Martin. who generously yielded
it, as Dominick's family was the larger,
and needed the larger house. So they are
to change households, each taking his
wife, children and their clothing, bible
and pictures, leaving everything else, and
proceed to the home Of the other and own
and occupy it henceforth. 1t cost their
wives a sigh Of regret, but they cheerfully
entered into this arrangement, and il was
carried out with perfect confidence and
good feeling. They have effected divis-
ion Of all their lands except the Kansas
lands, and, for the first time since they
were householdss. they may be said to
own a spoon or knife. fork, plate or tin
iipper which is not partnership property.
These brothers are highly respected
They have often held offices Of trust in
their town. Dominick was a member Of
the assembly in the year 1881.