The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-06-26
GEORGE A. WHITNEY.
A Letter from Him to His Boston Credi-
tors

A meeting of the Boston creditors of George
A. Whitney & Co., was held in that city
Thursday, c. Ell. Gilman acting as chairman
and J. j. Monroe as secretary. The committee
chosen at the preceding meeting to take in
charge the interests of the creditors in the
matter of accepting bids for the assets, re-
ported that they attended the general meeting
of the creditors held in Portland, on Tuesday,
and announced that they had accepted Mr..
Redman's offer, and the meeting ratified the
action of the committee and rendered them a
vote of thanks for the satisfactory manner in
which they had performed the duties which
had been entrusted to them. The whereabouts
of Mr.. Whitney are not known, but the F. NJ.
Holmes Furniture Company has received
penitential letter from him, and it was read
at the meeting. The letter contained no init
nation as.to Mr.. Whitney's whereabouts, but
the envelope bore the stamp of the Portland
postoffice. The text of the letter is as follows:
June Is, $780,
F M. Holmes Furniture Company Dear
Sir:-I have just one favor to ask of you. and,
as it will cost you nothing, hope you will do
it for me. wish you would put this letter be-
fore the Furniture Exchange, that my credi-
tors may see it, for know they must have a
very bad opinion of me. When started in
business started with very small capital,
but had partner who was supposed to be
rich. But, as I had very little experience in
the business, he thought we had better begin
with small stock and increase as fast as the
trade would warrant. Our trade increased
very fast, and he was constantly urging me to
add to our stock and room. In order to get the
room we wanted we had to build store, and
supposed up to that time he had plenty of
money. He said not word to me until after
we had got lease of the land and contracted
for building the store. He then said he was
going to hire the money to pay for it. After
we had gone so far we could not back out very
we'll. After we had been in business about six
years he failed in his business, which was out
side of our business. If could have little
money thought could go on with the bust
ness. took in a partner with just money
enough to swim along. After we had
times came on and we were
forced to fail, as you will remember We paid
so cents, and think that certain creditors
were very hard on us. If we had paid 20 cents
ago things began to 60 hard with u.s. Since
then everything has seemed to go wrong. This
spring, as every one said that times were going
to be good, I started up with fresh courage,
but found no improvement. became dis
couraged and, as others have DONE began to
L
drink one day, and not knowing what was
doing took what money there was in the safe
-$475-went into bad compay and lost every
cent. The next morning I went to the store
SO blue that didn't know what to do with
myself. We had a note to pay that day of
1886; we had a little over $125 in the bank.
l was very sick, felt no confidence in myself;
began to drink again: borro wed $50 Of one
of my boon companions and left town. I did
not realize what was doing nor the conse-
quences until after it was too late. If it were
not for trying to atone to my dear wife, and
repay some of the wrong I have done her,
would end it all very quick. To sum up, am
without friends or money, and I suppose all
my creditors are my enemies and shall leave
my business with the one that has been one
great cause of my downfall. All I ask of my
creditors is to think as kindly of me as they
can. can tell them that never did a mean
or wrong thing only when was under the in
fuence Of drink, and drinking has brought on
to drown trouble. But, so help me God, I am
done with drink and everything else that is
wrong. The world looks very gloomy to me
now, but have a little hope for the future.
Very respectfully yonrs,
GEORGE A. WHITNEY.