The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-18
THE HAhEY-HILLSUIT
Large Shortage in Plaintiff 8
Accounts Alleged.
HowHEcAMe TO BE BOUGHT OUT
HilPs Version Of the Trouble In the
Haley Grocery Company-Crim.
tnal Charge Threatsned.

In regard to the suit fled Friday by John
haiey against Joseph B. Hill, his associate IN
the Haley Grocery Company, for al accounting
On the ground Of fraud and intimidation, Fred
erick bausman. attorney for Mr.. Hill, makes the
following statement:
~ ! am perfectly willing that the public
should know all about it ! feel that Mr. Haley
nas been frosted both By Mr.. Hill and by the
company with unusual confederation and real
ueaues ON their behalf We would have had him
arrested forthwith.
The history Of the affair ID simply this: For a
the funds OF the company were being abstracted
~ some one OF other. The books
showed sed this beyond question, and tho
Haley was the lsstSman that we suspected, and
u was not until We had suspected and watched
every other man In tho house chat q few cir-
cumstances occurred TO make Us suspect him.
Even after We had begun to suspect 1t We
were slow to believe II, and not until We had
oos1ined such proof az no reasonable man
could doubt did we call him before US When
We q last did 80. in the presence of Mr. Hill. the
Dookkeeper and myself, the charge was made
directly 70 him, and his confession OF guilt aud
Willingness to make settlement were very
speedy, He begged US not to mako the AFFAIR
public, and seemed much relieved by our assur-
ances that thus far we had kept il to ourselves.
He then asked VI the amount of his defci.
ency and We showed him q statement prepared
By the bookkeeper. After aconference OF three
or Tour hours the amounts were agreed upon,
but as the deficiency was over $500, and he
posed that Mr. Hill should buy him out After
considerable discussion between the two Mr.
Hill agreed to do SO, the plan being that MI
, HUI should pay Haley the value OF his stock
Haley. Mr.. Hill accordingly gave Haley
that very night q check for 5000, and after
wards paid 9, 500 to the National Bank OF Com,
bank. the two latter sums being the amount
stock which he had pledged as
collateral. Thus $500 in cash was
to this Mr.. Hill made good to the company the
deficiency due by Haley, in all more than $4,000
On the night of the settlement Mr.. Haley
signed resignation as an officer OF the com.
pany, an assignment OF all the stock sold
20 Mr.. Hill. aud an agreement not to go
into business within certain radius OF the
company's present location. He further begged
the privilege OF concealing his disgrace by be-
ing allowed to remain in the store as q salesman
Tor some little time. with view to making the
Withdrawal. This We allowed him to do.
and he remained in the company's service
for some little time afterwards, making
and being always cordial and polite to me and
to the company's officers. After he finally left
the store he continued to be as submissive a.
before, as even a. late a. . month afterwards
he asked the company some relaxation
of the agreement about his going into buainess
within the defined radius We have letters
from him on this subject couched
in deferential terms. The indulgence
that he asked for was allowed him,
but believe he afterwards found the business
opportunity not available. Even after he had left
the store for good he would drop in. from time
to time, in an apparently friendly humor.
In making our settlement with him we never
used any threats whatever and indeed there
was no need of threats, As he very speedily ad-
mitted his transgreasi0ns and left the amount
the only thing to. be determined. The remark
made by Mr.. Haley in an interview in
an evening paper to the effect that after
accepting Mr.. Hills check he accused Mr.. Hill
of having stolen from him is grossly untrue. A
more humble and submissive creature never
left the presence OF any man than John Haley
on that occasion.
1t is not at all likely that the company Will
spare Mr.. Haley. and further, suppose that q
criminal prosecution will soon follow.
regret that the talk caused by the filing of
the complaint has made it necessary. in justice
to Mr.. Hills high character, to speak out at once
in his behalf He has acted so Ieniently with
Mr. Haley and so honorably, that am unwill-
ing that the public should be misled, even for q
few days, by one-sided statements.