The Evening critic., 1885-01-05
THE FAILURE OF EVEN BROTHERS
a Fow Facts Relative 10 Major A..
HIS. Davis Connection with rhem,

Now York Times OF Saturday relative u my
connection with the above.named cotton
brokers, VINO failed and made an assignment
last Saturday, week ago, would ssem to de-
mand some notice from me. Will be as ex'
plicit and pointed as possible in what have
TO say;
Mre. Btetefeldt, the lady referred to as ia.
duclDg Mrs. Davis ana myself TO invest with
the Evan Brothers, 10 the one VINO, Few
weeks sihce, created such d sensation In the
| New York Cotton Exchange and elsewhere by
| her donunciations OF tho men VINO, In tue
spring Of 1882, she so enthusiastically, and,
have no doubt, honestly recommended to us as
| magnificent men, the very soul OF honor, who
had made so much money Tor her, and could
confidence in them she did. Woman mover
| spoke OF man In stronger terms OF praise than
Sos, Se @ 81 % Ss yssa SsS Us ta invss Win
| them every dollar we could raise. She showed
| statements OF what they had made for her and
| assured us that there was no such thing as
losing, for they were wealthy and honorable,
| and perfectly understood their business.
Besides, whenever we wanted our principal, or
any portion OF IL, we could have II.
The Interview with Mrs. 8. was In tue par.
| lors OF the Arlington, May 10, 1882. The next
wife, draft for 1900 requesting them to
| send her n receipt for the same, which they
did, and It reads as follows;
"s1 200. NEW YORK, May 1s, 1882.
"Recelyed from Mrs. Emma @. Davis, one
| thousand two hundred dollars, as margins for
the purchase or sale OF 400 bales Of cotton, at
our discretion. ...,,,
| "No. 1913, EVEN BROTHERS,"
Mrs stetefeldt's statement that Mrs. Davis
| would have satisfactory returns very soon
| were verified on the 31st OF the same month.
| June she made another Investment OF $500.
| This being followed by another good return OF
| profits, sho made another 5000 investment
| June rs.
self, because, as l told Mrs. g., had lost CON
siderable money and thought would see how
Mrs. Davis turned out, nor did invest at all
| Inad not yet seen the Even Brothers, but as a
| matter OF course both my wife and myself were
| delighted with the result OF the investments.
We naturally spoke Of II TO friends and urged
| them TO try II, and frequently referred 70 Mes.
Stetefeldt as the best friend we had in the
world, rs she frequently told us both we
would In the end acknowledge nor to bs. July
ID and September % other handsome profits
were made. About the middle of September,
having been out OF employment since April 10,
1t occurred TO me that might secure the
agency of tho Even Brothers for Washington,
and thus DO tho means OF aiding others 10
shHre what l certainly considered our own
good fortune. Mrs. Stetefeldrs statements Of
PROFITS and her own grand recommendation OF
tho gentlemen, together with our own more
than satisfactory experience, were honorable
incentives to such course. Without yet hav.
ing seen them, but with the fullest confidence
In their ability and Integrity, wrote them,
September 16, asking for tue agency. septem
Der IS, the following reply was received
"oFrICE OF EVEN BROS. 81 AND 33 BROAD Ct.
"NEw YORK, Sept. 49, 1882.
"Hr. 4. H. S. DdgiS, Washington, d. Q.
'DEAR SIR; This Will Introduce our agent,
Mr.. l.. O. Lyman, who is under instructions to
ness between us as per your letter OF the 10TH
inst. Trusting the intercourse may prove
satisfactory to y0u' We orc very EwrN srSly' BROS"
/ met Mr.. Lyman at tho Riggs House, and
was very much pleased with him, perhaps pre-.
judcielly 80, as he had been particularly rop:
| young man-calllng him her god-son, the
soul OF honor, etc. satisfactory arrangements
were made Sn Nth Mr. Lymsn' meyer
firm at all, and that these were
"crooked," or In any manner compromlslve
OF my honor and integrity as a man, trust
my past history and record are too we'll known
to render such denial necessary, but mako
it. Before opening ming my my oInce, , october !, asS2,
ing with the gentlemen, examining their
books, inquiring about their standing, relia.
bility, etcn | became thoroughly convinced
that they were all they had been represented
TO be, fully deserving OF my confidence aud
that OF my friends, whom then honestly de-
| termined would lose no time IN per5uadlng TO
invest with them, firmly believing that could
not be too earnest In the work. was not In
structed, as has been enormously charged, "to
| direct his (my) efforts principally to securing
| lady customers" etc, No instructions at all
were given as to Wt0 should get or hot0
should get them. But l naturally, as any
{ person would under the same circumstances,
did all hOnOrahly could In advocacy OF the
investment, for honestly and conscentlously
| believed In It, and as conscientiously, hon
estly and earnestly, and for the sameIreasons,
. continued 10 advocate 1t until the trouble
began, which eliminated in the failure and
: And / win add, In this connection, that
large majority OF theirWashlngton customers
sentations, either before or soon after they IN
' vested, thoroughly satisfied themselves BY
personal visits TO Now York; or by Inquiries o.
friends, tnat the character and standing OF tbs
flrm were all that could be desired. Indeed
, up 10 the commencement OF this trouble, NJ
! ono ever heard 80 much as hedh against the
INwnN nRAf fhnn NhnNl had Poi NTnn 40 Pa NJ
r anything 10 known, promptly met every oblt
CATION and made lots Of money for all who be
s came their customers. If was deceived IL
them, so were hundreds OF others, all over tn,
country, and made no representations OF o.
> about them that were not first made TO me, b!
T. | either Mrs, Stetefeldt or some member of tn
flrm, and which certainly seemed at the tim
3 they were made TO have been warranted by re
n | suits and facts.
am not In the slightest res ponslble 10,
o their embarrassment and failure, and what
ever OF wrong they may have done In an
form certainly have not knowingly been
= party to It, nor would have been for thou
n sand prospective fortunes. l invested m
own money with them, ana my wife investe
1, hers, in Just as good faith as induced other
IN to invest theirs, and together we shall los
vastly more than anyone, because my faith 1
them was so strong that l allowed even m
II prolts to remain In their hands for re-inves
. ment, and my wife left her last pro1ts there
u all OF which, suppose, we lose with the prir
II J cipal, except what has been advanced froI
time 10 time. may have been the primar
" cause OF others misfortunos, which deepl
D. dcplore, but my own Is terrible, as every do
n lar had In the world, 80 to speak, is in th
IL Investment. Not one dollar that has bee
IN placed with me for Investment was ever /
my possession over i've or six hours after
received IT,, II being my invariable custom
10 send Il 10 New York by draft on the very da
Q, OF its receipt. And persons who made the
o. Investments with them through me have, {
b. ! have for them, Even Brothers receipts 10
10 every dollar that has been paid Into m
ny hands. RemittanGes for profits were alway
80 transmitted to their customers here by draft
le made payable to each Individual The onl
It blame that can reasonably attach 10 me 4
On that put too much confidence In the Eve
OF Brothers, but that l had good grounds Il
Is such confidence, think have shown.
to In reference to the following malicious 1
sinuatlOn In the communication l Will simp
say It betraye q sickly, disOrganizsd, DANCE
ous state OF mind, void Of charity and eYi
common decepcy, as the author could easl
.u have found that was not only at home sic
va but for several days after the notice w
w posted on my onlce door, dangerously sic
strongly threatened with typhoid fever, fro
- the effects Of which / have not yet rec)verl
vi nor been out Of my sick room, Unfortunate
y was that the sickness came when II dld, as
would like TO have been at my post OF dut
=, But when the failure OF the Even Bc0tne
n' reached Washington ! bad been n1t on n
IS back for ten days, Following IS the parasrai
referred to;
"since the news OF tho arrest OF tho Ever
~ Davis has not been visible. notice 10 post
GO on his ONCE door % this effect; 'At homo slck
)S- | viii be out In q fow days"
ono week agO-tle nrst day l had bo
30 dressed eince taking my bed-I wrote 10 N
pI Warren Even, IL. Wednesday wrote Mr. I
cd | man. Not hearing from either, Saturday las
of | wrote tho following to tho assignee: