Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-05-15
TURDAY MORNING, MAY 10, 1880

ssrts that Heath did mott Mr.. Heath
nevertheless on June III, 1S74, fiied Q
petition for the sdjudication tn bank.
ruptcy OF the arm Of Carrier q Baum,
and the proceedings, which seem s
present never to be ended we're COIN
menced. The court appointed as as
sipnees Of the firm Mr., Brsden, now
Jndyel Of Butler county, Giles McGreg'
or. Of Wellsyille, Ohio, and Mr.. wilcox
son, Who was at that time in the otfice
OF W. y. Purvisnce, ESQ, this city. The
assignees found the affairs OF the nrm
most wonderfully complicated, and very
little was done by them. Some time
afterward Mr.. Braden was elected Judge
i'm Butler county and withdrew a. rs
signee. Mr.. Wilcoren went TO California
20 reside, and this left Mr.. Giles Nc.
liregor sole assignee. Mr.. Baum claimed
that Mr.. McGregor was hostile TO him,
hid his papers and refused TO deliver
them up 10 Mr.. McGregor. Asa conse-
quenee Mr.. McGregor could and did do
nothing. Finally Mr.. MoGregor gave
up thB position as assignee and J. IL.
Bailey, Esq, (now Judge Bailey was
q pointed. Judge Bailey got possession
OF tho papers, worried over thepi Tor
five or six weeks, and then gave up the
position in disgust, saying that IN its
various ramifcations, complications aud
exteht, the National Trust Company
MAS nothing To be compared with the
estate of Carrier Il Baum. Then at the
request OF Mg Baum, young lawyer OF
Brookville, Jefferson county, Richard
Arthurs, was appointed assignee. This
position Mr.. Arihurs held until April
20 last, when he, too, was removed, anu
Levi Bird Duff, ESD, OF this city, was
appointed assignee, making the sixth
who has had charge of the estate.
Frittering Away Colossal Fortune.
Al the time that Judge Bailey gave
up the position OF assignee, y little idea
oi the immensity OF the task he had on
hand can be gained from the FAC, that a
Saratoga trunk Of ordinary proportions
Was by him placed in possession oi the
Unsted States Circuit Court, with the
remark which has already been quoted.
This trunk Was completely tilled win
notes, checks and receipts-no other
kind OF paper being in it-whlch mad
reference to the business of the flrm.
No assignee has as yet been able to got
even an inklng of the business, let alone
ANYTHING like correct idea Of II, 81 that
although six years have elapsed since
the fling Of the petition, but very
little has been accomplished In
the way of getting the affairs OF the firn
into shape. MIR, Duff says that al
though Mr.. Baum long before he be.
came assignee aud since had endeayorcd
"a give hima clear understanding OF the
tase, he IL confident he does not under
stand II vet. lie thinks that the bottom
papers have not been given up, and
that through the lapse OF time they
never will be obtained. Mr.. Baum had
entered into certain covering proceed
ings, which he cannst himself now fully
explain or establish, and the result IL an
almost u not quite inextTicahle coniu'
sion. At one time MIR Baum desired to
make composition with his scredltors,
and even Register Harper, satisfied that
the Nlairs were 80 terribly mixed that
'theyheveI could be Strengthened, advised
a composition. But this fell through.
Again IL Was at one time almost decided
10 withdraw the bankruptcy proceed
inQs and allow each creditor To- look out
iar himself ~ u way out Ot the labyrin-
.lhian confusion, but this, 40 lar, has
failed also, Atpresent, MIR, Dun thought
the bankruptcy proceedings would have
To- 20 on; at least until he finds out
whether OF not 1t is possible to untangle
the gorciian knot. -,
In such a condition of affairs II would
appear that the bankruptcy proceedings
would he intermlnable. Up to the pres
ent time only two debts have been
proven, and Mr.. Baum insists that these
two creditors owe him, ~ that they
have not been paid. The land in Jeiier'
son county has been sold, aud also that
IN Clearfield county. MIR. Duff thinks
that in the sale OF the last land there
MAS some shenanigan, and fully expects
10 have the sale set aside. lie further
stated that OF all the immense estato
there is nothing left oi any value ex'
cent this Cleariield county property,
which il quite valuable, and daily
increasing IN value. The large
tracts of Michigan and Kentucky
lands, Mr.. Duff thinks have been lost
through sales for taxes and other causes.
"In the six years the estate has actually
lust irittered itself sway." he said. Had
prompt action been taken at the time oil
the commencement OF the proceedings,
he is confident that every debt could
have been paid and handsome surplus
left Tor Mr.. Baum, but now u 10 doubt
ful II enough can be gathered up TO sat
isfy the creditors. Ii lOoksno as II the
case would remain In court until II IL
thrown out by the statute of limitations,
which in q case si this kind provides Tor
a period NJ twenty years,
One oi the features about the case,
which is entirely without precedent, Is
that all through Mr.. Baum's troubles
no creditor has ever interfered. Al one
lime AN application for an injunction
against a sale was made, but Withdrawn.
Aside from this the creditors have never
interiere,i, and haze allowed Mr. Baum
To struggle along himself, trusting lm.
pliCitly in his assurances that he Won ld
eventually pay every one IN iull. No
bankruptcy proceeding IN this or any
other country ever had this feature
through so great length OF time.
Through all Mr. Baum retains his con-
fdence that the case will finally be set
TIED in his favor, but il 10 more than
likely that he will have closed his last
speculation long before the courts have
reached an understanding OF his chaotic
business affair.
ALOG HOUSE MURDER.