Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-01
MR.. BARTON WRITES.
His Wife Has Heard from Him and lie
Expects to Return.
PURCHASERS MAY NOT SUFFER.
He Is Making All Possible Arrange
ments to Straighten Out His Tan
rr.a SG,trs Here-NO Warrants Out
Yet-The situation Yesterday.

parture on Tuesday morning last, sta'eu
,bat she heard from MIR. Barton yester-
day. and that he was doing all ne pos
sIbly could to raise money to straighten
our his tangled business affairs here, she
smoke as though she felt confident that
Mr.. Barton would be successful, ana
said he would return to the city In rev
days, at most.
Rut little was developed yesterday In
Mr.. Barton's transactions here. the re-
ceivers have not as yet received scheu-
ules of securities held by two OF the
financial institutions where the most OF
MIR. Barton's paper was hypothecated;
and until these lists are completed, and
II is said that they are now being maze
up the receivers cannot tell where they
stand or what they have to go upon.
They still decline to discuss the status
OF affairs, saying that at the proper
time they will submit a report OF the
condition of Mr.. Barton's business to the
court and TO the public. There was not
such rush at the office of the Clerk OF
the County Court yesterday as on prevl-
Gus days, and while there are many who
feel that they Will lose by the manner in
which Mr.. Barton has dealt with them.
the fevered excitement growing out or
the first disclosures OF the tangled state
Of affairs Is wearing off, and the citi-
zeus are not losing heart in Barton
Heights A very conservative resident
Of that suburb, and man prominent in
affairs, said yesterday that he did not
think more than ten persons on the
Heights would suffer from Mr.. Bartons
transactions with them. and that 1t was
almost impossible TO tell to what extent
these would be injured II Mr.. Barton
should not come forward and protect
them from loss.
TO STAND BY THE HEIGHTS.
The residents of the Heights do not re-
gard that their town has been injured,
certainly not permanently So by Mr.. Bar
toms transactions, his failure, or tho
many reports and newspaper articles
which have since gone out TO the public,
on the other hand. they say that the
removal OF the instalment plan OF doing
business there will improve the place.
and eventually be of benefit 10 every
property -owner in the town. This conclu-
sion is based upon the fact that all Sen
are now on an equal footing In the mat
ter of buying and selling real estate,
whereas, heretofore, IL was almost i'm
possible for anybody 10 sell any property,
except Mr.. Barton, because no one else
could afford to sell on such terms as he
was able and willing 10 give.
The statement Of Mrs. Barton concern
ing her husband was partially corrObO-
rated by the cashier Of one Of the lead
ing banks of Richmond. who was on very
friendly terms with Mr. Barton. This
gentleman stated that before Mr.. Barton
went away he told him what he was
going for and whore he was going, and
the cashier remarked that II Mr.. Barton
made a success Of his mission be would
probably be able to clear up everything.
The speaker stated that Mr.. Barton had
a very slp-shod way OF doing business,
and added that there might be eNtenua-
ting circumstances in some Of the cases
regarding which there were ugly rumors
afoat which would materially change the
appearance Of things.
no WARRANTS SWORN OUT.
Although there were other reports out
yesterday that warrants had been sworn
out for Mr. Barton's arrest, they appear
to have been grOundless. Owing 70 the
great pressure OF business in the Senate.
Mr.. Conway r. Sands. the Common
wealths Attorney Of Henrico. has not
had time to fully investigate the pub
llshed accusations against the founder Of
Barton Heights. but he has gotten his
law partner. Hon. Henry Il. Pollard, TO
make a thorough examination into the
case: but what the result OF this will be
cannot now be tod. So far as has been
learned the only piece, of property sON
by Mr.. Barton, the deed TO which Is
couded, IS that of Mr.. John f.. Rose,
whose purchase has already been fully
explained in these columns. One gentle
! man. who had given Mr. Barton two sets
OF notes FOR his home. yesterday found
three OF his original notes in the National
Bank OF Virginia unpaid. He will have
both sets to pay. az will all other such
purchasers, unless Mr. Barton returns to
the scene of action and saves him from
harm.
HOW HE SECURED LOANS.
No information bearing upon Mr.. Bar
toms business Affairs could BE- learned
at the banks yesterday, further than that
he had always paid his notes as they fell
duo Mr. Barton seems 10 have had
plan OF transacting his fuancial affairs,
which, while ii may not hage been morally
wrong, would naturally serve TO brlng
about the irregular conditions among his
affairs which now exists He would so
10 a bank 10 borrow $1,000. and would
give his own note secured by say $1,000
OF the small instalment notes, running
from month TO month, all unendorsei,
and all bearing the mark, no protest"
1t was, therefore, not necessary for any
OF this paper TO be- taken out Of bank,
or for the makers thereof to receive any
notice as these notes fell due. Mr.. Bar
toms individual notes being always
promptly paid the small notes did not
come 10 the surface, save as Mr.. Barton
took them out himself. In most cases
he arranged to make monthly payments
equivalent to the sum total of the small
notes hypothecated. 1t Is true that a
large proportion Of the citizens OF Barton
Heights bought their lots of Mr.. Barton,
and made their own financial arrange
ments for building their homes, either
through the building and loan companies
or otherwise. OF course, these gentlemen
are by no means hurt by the recent de-
velopments in Mr.. Barton's business.
CARELESS BUSINESS METHODS.
Rev. Dr. r. II. Pitt, resident OF the
Heights takes very hopeful view OF
the situation. In speaking OF the mat
ter yesterday he said: Il think that
there are some complications and some
individuals, though not great num-
Der. who are likely to suffer from care
less methods of doing business. So far
that Is all that has been authenticity
given TO the public / think the extent
OF this embarrassment and probable sui
fering has been largely oyerestimsted. IL
is highly probable that many OF the
notes. which have been paid by tue
makers, and for which receipts have been
taken, and which are supposed to be still
alive, have been paid by Mr.. Barton and
DESTROYED. Now. so far as the general
effect on the community Is concerned,
think that at first there will be some de-
preston. Building, OF course. will be
checked for a little while. The town has
substantial improvements which belong TO
the citizens There are well-constructed
a nd graded streets. water-malns. a sew