Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-25
RECEIVER APPOINTED
Clerk and Master A. r. Gholson
the Man.
Judge Tylers Opinion in the Case-A
Document That Win Interest the
Whole People.
MUCH EVIDENCE OF FRAUD

The document is clear, covering the
whole ground, and as much interest
has been manifested in the case from
beginning to end the opinion is here
reproduced in full:
In February OF this year, b. Fried
man made statement in which he
placed his assets at eighteen thou
sand two hundred dollars; his stock
of goods on hand in GAINESVILLE being
valued at fifteen thousand three hun
dred dollars, while his cash on hand
amounted to twenty-nine hundred
dollars. His entire Indebtedness he
claimed at that time was six thou
sand two hundred dollars. AT later
date, on March 9th, he signed pa
per stating that his Indebtedness had
been reduced to thirty-three hundred
dollars. On the strength and faith
of these statements he was enabled
to make considerable purchases from
wholesale merchants at the North
and to largely replenish his stock.
On June I'd, he (Friedman) made a
general assignment for the benefit OF
his creditors, naming l.. Jonas, Of
Nashville, as his assignee. In this
assignment his Indebtedness is placed
at more than thirty thousand, all due
wholesale merchants from whom he
had purchased goods, except $3.50
due the SAKE Bank at Nashville, and
81 200 to the First National Bank at
GAINESVILLE. The entire value Of his
stock of goods as estimated by the as
signee, Jonas, was $l4,1 ITO. There
was some two hundred dollars OF cash
on hand and perhaps as much more
due in small sums from persons who
had been allowed to make tickets at
the store. No effort at all has been
made by Friedman to explain theap
parently conflicting statements made
by him in February and March and
that made at the date of his assign
ment. A bill in chancery has been
filed against him alleging fraud, but
he has not answered. He was sum
moned as a witness in this proceed
ing, but has not appeared, and is said
to be in New York. 1t is shown that
he shipped recently two large boxes
of goods to a relative of his doing
business in Petersburg, Tennessee, for
which he has not in any way ac-
counted. Among his liabilities as
stated by him, is debt of $3.50 due
the SAKE Bank at Nashville, which
has recently failed and filed a schedule
of assets and liabilities containing no
mention Of the sum alleged to be due
from Friedman. All the circum-
stances as at present developed are
certainly sufficient to warrant the
gravest suspicion of fraud and cor
rupt conduct on his (Friedman's)
part in this entire transaction.
Jonas, the assignee, resides in
Nashville. The atfidavits produced
on the hearing here show him to be
a man of good standing in that city,
lie is himself the proprietor of dry
goods house known as the "Palace"
there. He has answered denying any
knowledge of fraudulent conduct on
Friedman's part, and asserting that
he will faithfully execute his trust
will exert himself to recover all the
assets of Friedman, and will pay
nothing except his just liabilities.
The proof shows, however, that he,
Jonas, being necessarily absent on
his own business in Nashville, has
retained the Friedmans, father and
sons, as statesmen in the store and is,
or was until enjoined, selling out the
goods through them. In the course
OF a week the FriedmanS, acting for
Jonas, deposited only about $500 in
bank as the proceeds Of their sales,
which is claimed TO be very small
sum. One of the largest creditors go
ing to the store TO confer with b.
Friedman about the condition of his
affairs, was told that he could not
speak English when the creditor
sought to interrOgate a son the latter
was told by the father not to talk.
The two were acting on that day as
statesmen under Jonas. The same
creditor alleges that Jonas was "talk-
ing down the goods which looked
to him like "a nice, clean stock" A
request sent Jonas asking that disin-
trrested merchants be allowed to
value the goods wasdenied also a re
quest that he, Jonas, should give the
cost of the goods as well rs his own
1t is true these re
quests were made after the legal pro-
ceedings were begun and Jonas was
acting under the advice of his at |
torneys in refusing them, but it seems
to me unfortunate that the creditors
and the trustee in this important
matter should be dealing with each
other thus at arms length.
la view of the close relationship
that appears to have existed between
Jonas and the Friedmans since the
in view of the sharp con.