The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-21
w. L. FLETCHER MISSING.
bis Creditors Anxious to Learn
Whether He is Coming Back.

The creditors of ". G. Fletcher, dealer
in fruits ana vegetables and poultry, at No.
lS3 Congress street, have missed him for
the past ten days. Fletcher came to
Savannah in November last, and with him
came e. E. Davis, his bookkeeper.
Fletcher made small deposit with the
Southern bank, and opened a correspon-
oence with the orange growers of Florida
ana the provision merchants of the in
terror of this state, and without per-
bank and to bank in New York In his cir
culars to his correspondents. In some in
stances the parties receiving the circulars
addressed the bank here for further partic-
ulars, but others took it for granted that
Fletcher was all right and began to ship
oranges aud poultry - him.
Meantime inquiries began to be made as
20 the financial standing Of e. f. Davis,
who was also receiving northern fruit and
vegetables. A MoREfNG NEWS reporter
dropped in at NO. 1873 Congress street dur
ing the holidays at time when an inquiry
was being made OF Fletcher as to whether
DAVIS was partner Of his. Fletcher at
the time stated that Davis was merely his
bookkeeper, but that he had some friends,
who were sending goods to him, and
Fletcher was selling them.
n VCSh ago yesterday -. II. w dllTOn
OF Welaka, Fla, who had shipped $3.50
worth of oranges TO Fletcher from time to
time, and received no pay except a check
for $50, which came back TO him protested,
communicated with Mr.. A. B. Palmer of
this city, setting forth the facts and asking
him to see what was the matter with
Fletcher Mr.. Palmer notified Constable
Kaufman to arrest Fletcher The
officer mistook Davis for Fletcher,
nd
custody and brought him to Mr. Palmer's
home. Davis seeing he was sin the SOUP"
agreed to make payment on the protested
note, and made some excuse to prevent Mr.
Palmer investigating Fletchers books. He
said that Fletcher had left Savannah, but
would be back Saturday. Mr.. Palmer tel
egraphed for Mr. Waldren to come up, and
managed with his friends aid to get the
check paid, and, Davis said Saturday night
was also given SIG worth of goods The
account was placed in the hands of attor-
neys who were pushing Davis, and he in
formed the MORNING NEWS reporter at 6
o'clock Saturday night that he vas going to
try to pay 800 more.
Mr.. Waldron SAID while in the city that
Fletcher had been getting oranges all
through his country, and he says when he
left for Savannah he saw a lot of oranges
marked for Fletcher ready for shipment,
WulCu no COuultIIDdllNlbtl, bdJluR luGb Do
would be responsible and sent a message
into the country TO the shipper to ship no
more goods to Fletcher. Mr.. WaldrOn also
said that he would circulate warning by
mail and through the country press Of
South Florida TO the fruit growers, which
he has done.
Another very heavy loser by Fletcher is
G, Jones & Co., Of Bowling Green, Fla,
who sent his account 10 friend here under
similar circumstances, but his Savannah
friend, after investigation, wrote back a
very discouraging letter. Jones 81 Co. 5
claim, it is reported, is over $500, but Davis
claims it to be but $3.50. and says the Or
anges came in bad condition, and Fletcher
could have made no money on them if they
had been given to him..
Davis information about the future
movements of Fletcher IS conflicting. To
a MORNING NEWS reporter he said that
before Fletcher left town he had given him
a bill of sale of the goods. Davis says that
he has written to Fletcher's customers not
to ship any more goods until Fletcher comes
back; but it is believed he will come
back, and Davis admits that he does not
look for him now.
Fletcher did business at 1873 Congress
street for two months, and, as far as heard
from, paid for none of the fruit. When
shippers began to clamOr for their money
he sent out checks on the Southern Bank, of
this city, and ON a New York bank, in
neither of which did he have the money on
deposit to meet his paper, and by the time
the checks got back to the fruit growers
Fletcher had left. Davis says Fletcher's
liabilities will not exceed $500, and be
thinks 800 will cover them, but this
is evidently far short of his
Indebtedness. Two of his creditors are out
over 5000, and several checks have been
sent back drawn on the Southern bank of
this city and the bank in the north, and, &C
cording to Mr.. Waldron's state nent
Fletchers operations have extended over a
wide territory, reaching from Federal Point
through the heart of the orange belt as far
south as Bowling Green, and the orange
men of Florida are thought to be losers to
the extent of thousands of dollars instead of
hundreds.
Fletcher's mercantile ventures are we'll
known in business circles in the north, and
it is said he was in the fish and oyster bust
ness in Savannah some years ago and
failed. He failed in Boston, in the fish bust
ness, at 81 Bennett street. Last summer he
and Davis operated at Hull, Mass, where
they failed. Fletcher went back to Boston
and engaged in business, but with the usual
result, aud Nov. last he sold out and left
for Savannah, where he was joined by
Davis Davis halls from the north, and
three years ago was in business in jackson
vile.
Davis was asked last night what he pro-
posed to do with the rest of the goods COM
ing in invoiced to Fletcher, and he said that
he intended to turn them over to some one
to sell. He claims that Fletcher
owes him borrowed money, and for that he
took the bill Of sale for fear that some
trouble might arise.