The Columbus journal., 1884-12-17
STUMPED.
Which Applies % the Victims of
Last Weeks Failure.

Which Applies 70 the Victims OF
| Last Weeks Failure.
The JOURNAL in its last weeks issue
merely mentioned the fact that Mrs.
B. F. Stump, late milliner and dress
maker in this city. had failed and that
her stock of goods was in the hands
of Oberfelder & Co., of Omaha, by
authority of . chsttel mortgage held
by them. Since that time further
facts in connection with the matter
have been developed which will be Of
interest to the public, and slso the
fact has appeared that Mrs. Stump's
list Of creditors 10 much larger than
was at first supposed, her liabilities
sggregsting, in round numbers, to her
wholesale dealers and other claimants
who have been represented here, to
about 5000, to say nothing of mum.
berless bills for small amounts, which
are in the back ground in utter hope
lessness of realizing any portion Of
themselves in . scramble. The lsrg-
est claims were held by Oberfelder &
Co., of Omaha, who were creditors to
the amount Of $500, Rosenheimer &
Lewis, St. Louis. $1,000, and Chss.
Mcdonald. Omaha, 81, 500. 1t would
appear that Messrs. Oberfelder s. Co.
fret became aware that their interests
were in danger, and Immediately set
about securing themselves. They
telegraphed their lawyers here on
Sunday last and the next morning
were in possession of the store by
virtue Of the mortgage before men.
toned, and commenced to dispose of
the goods. And right here let us re-
mark that for lightning rspidity in
securing debt by q mortgage and
ultimately taking possession of the
property, that record is hard to beat,
as the entire proceedings did not
cover q lapse of more than twenty
four hours. During the day every
thing was serene and lovely for the
fortunate claimant. and the goods
went of at the sacrifice figures like
hot cakes. On Tuesday attachment
proceedings we're instituted on behalf
of Rail Thayer, Williams & Co., and
the eager throng of seekers after bar
gains were compelled to await an
adjustment. The claim Of these par
ties amounted to s247SS. Appraisers
were appointed and goods efficient to
cover the claim we're taken from the
stock, and again the doors were
thrown open to the public. But the
raking in of the shekels was once
more interrupted on Wednesday, this
time in the interest of Lederer. Strauss
s. Co., of Des Moines, Iowa, with a
claim OF 1916. A repetition of the
preceding attachment proceedings
followed, and the final kick against
the order of things which had been
instituted by the party of the first
part, Messrs. o. s. Co., was made by
Chss. Mcdonald, of Omaha, who re-
plevined a parcel of the goods and
took them from the stock.
This little cross-purpose business on
the part OF the different claimants will
doubtless lead to considerable litigs-
tion and will consequently be fruit
for the lawyers. 1t is understood to
be the intention of Oberfelder & Co.
to sue the bond, in each instance. In
the meantime the firm has had clear
sailing in the closing out proceedings.
The Stumps made their advent in
the business circles of this city some
thing over two years and a half ago,
and up to the very time of their un.
doing enjoyed the confidence of the
best business talent of the community.
There was brach store at Ulysses,
on the B. & NJ, and we believe a store
at Norfolk, on the U. p, was also sup-
piled with stock from the store here,
though having a business responsible
lity of its own. Mrs. Stump was the
ostensible head of the business, and it
seems to have been money which was
undoubtedly her own, coming to her
from her father, with which the bus
iness here was first started, B. F.
Stump, the husband, however, ap-
pearing to manage the business part
of the enterprise, and attending prin-
cipally to buying the goods. He had
been absent from the city for several
days previous to the climax in affairs,
with the avowed intention, we be-
lieve, of looking up a new location
for business.
There are different opinions here as
to the exact status of this sff air. and
as to who is responsible for the fail
ure, and where the money has gone.
The theory which seems to find most
favor here, the fact
that Mrs. S. processes to believe that
her husband will come back--is that
a swindle was deliberately meditated
by Stump, which theory seems justi-
fled by the fact that the vast amount
of goods purchased have been dispos-
ed OF in a very short time, there being
left to the creditors here not to exceed
$500, and we understand the branch
store to be similarly short of svsils.
BILE assets. To this apparent swindIe