The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-07-27
Pottsville Property Holders Excited Over A
Forgotten Mortgage,

From the Phila. Press of July 20,
we take the following dispa ,h A
considerable excitement has been caus-
e,. at Potlsville by the appearance of
deputy United States marshal with
writs of Scire .facjas on a mortgage
covering seventy-elght acres of the
most thickly settled portion of the
town, and of the existence of which
none of the 500 or more property own-
ers ever dreamed The circumstance,
as they have developed, are as follow
About lS40 the old Schuylkill Bank of
Philadelphia established two branches
in the county, one at Tamaqua and the
other at Port Carbon, then the point of
coal shipment. The Port Caroou, branch
was uuder the management of Leffen's
Whitney.
AT that time Charles Lawton was
one of the heaviest property owners in
'hat section, and among other tracts
owned hill to which he gave his
name. He became embarrassed after
wards, the Schuylkill County branch
banks failed and involved the old
Schulkill Bank hopelessly. The Bank
of Kentucky, then as now, one of tAe
leading financial institutions of the
South, was one of the Philadelphia
ba lk S principal creditors, and taking
its assets assumed its liabilities. Among
the effects thus TUNED over to the Ken
tucky's bank was an undivided two.
thirds interest in the Eastern section of
Pottsville. In 1858 Francis w. Hughes
purchased large portion Of this hill,
In 1867 he made an additional pur-
chase. The whole tract of seventy
eight acres was sold in town lots and
has since been built up. No less than
500 buildings, a majority of the homes
of working people, but including some
of the finest residences in town, have
been erected on the land
The purchasers of the lots were new
er informed that Hughes had given
moartgges to the bank for portion of
the purchase money. Many of them
have for thirty years lived on their
property unmindful of the exsterce of
these mortgages, which though com
paratvely small at the time they were
given, now amount to qui,e formida-
BILE sum. The Bank OF Kentucky for sew
eral years past has been anxious to set
tie up its affairs in this section, and has
pressed Mr.. Hughes for final adjudi-
cation of its claims He disputed the
amount due, and claimed to have re
ceipts for the sum with which he had not
been credited. These receipts were in
his private papers, and to go over the
latter was such herculean task that
he was unable to perform it in the state
of his health.
Recently Fergus G. Farquhar, acl
ing as his attorney, confessed to Messrs
Bullitt & Dale, of Philadelphia, coun
sci for the, Judgment for the amount
cl;.imed. On learning of this, Mr.
Hughes repudiated Farquhar and warn
, ed the court officials here against tho
, entry of the confession A rule was
taken to show cause why it should not
be entered, but this was never put OF
=, record, and litigation in that direction
, has been suspended, while new form
. is in process. This is to foreclose the
. mortgages through the United State,
District Court, and writs signed by
Chief Justice Morrison are now being
served on the defenceess lot-ow ners
) The amount claimed in the mortgage
4 is over $1,000. Mr.. Hughes has nC
1 other property from which this can b.
realized The attorneys for the banl
express their sorrow that they will b.
( compelled to sell ont innocent lot own
; ers, but say that they could not be ey
+ pected to give other notice than tn
q court records contain of the eXstenc
\ of the mortgages, and that purchaser
r took the property with the oncum
brance at their own peril,