The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-08
SILK HOSE AND POETRY
THEY WE'RE NO INCONsIDERABLE
PART OF kAVANAGH's ASSETS.
The Verses Particularly COnsoIing to
Creditors of This "5O-tO-1" Ma
pOIeOn of Finance.

All those interested in the recent failure
and disappearance of James 2. kavanagh,
the wholesale tobacco merchant, at No 81
South Pennsylvania street, are agreed on
the proposition that his assignment was the
most unique that ever went OH record in
the county courts Patrick j. Carbon, the
assignee now thinks that Kavanagh's liza
bilities will reach $4,000. His assets-those
that are available-it is thought will not ex-
coed 81 600
In the last two days the assignee has been
going over the accounts of Kavanagh and
taking an inventory of the goods in his
storeroom. Up to date the assets include
office furniture, $50 or $40 in outstanding ac-
counts, fifteen cases of leaf tobacco, esti-
mated to be worth from l to cents a
pound, seven or eight broken cases of to-
bacco, part of a bale of Havana wrapper,
one office safe, two trucks and one pair of
mems hose that are triumph of decorative
art. These are the assets, the receiver says,
Mr.. Kavanagh left for his creditors to di-
vide. The receiver was awed into silent adj
miration when he came across the pair of
hose yesterday, which the tobacco merchant
evidently neglected in his haste to get his
personal effects together. The stockings are
of white silk, worked in oak-leaf flowers.
Those who knew Mr. Kavanagh say this
silent reminder of the excellent young man
is characteristic of him. He seems to have
gone about with a dashing style that won
the admiration of men and turned the heads
of women. He is said to be a tine-looking
man and correct dresser" Kavanagh
came here two years ago and went into
business. He was about twenty-five years
of age, and had been married. His wife
died in the East before he came to Indian
apolis. In casting about among his effects
yesterday, the assignee found various evil
dences of Kavanagh's popularity with
women.
Numerous letters were found penned in
feminine hand. One of them mildly censured
kavanagh for his seeming indifference in
not answering her letters. Another note
was from a woman who wrote kavanaSh
informing him where he could see her. The
tobacco merchant appears to have mad con-
siderable sentiment in his makeup. In his
private desk the assignee found a lady s
visiting card, one side of which contained
two verses in feminine hand. Kavanagh
appears to have been so taken with the
verses that he had them copied on Il type
writer The lines read:
Though sad and mournful must it be,
The thought that no more we may meet,
Yet deserve the stern decree
And almost deem the sentence sweet.
Still had loved thee less, my love,
Had thee less sacrificed to thine,
I'd feel not half so much to part,
AS If its guilt had made thee mine.
The sheet containing these verses was left
on Kavanagh's desk. The assignee was
struck with the peculiar significance of the
first lines, but whether Kavanagh copied
ment of sentimental reflection Mr..
Carton has, no means of finding out
Bills from different indianapolis establish
Kavanaghs desk. One had been sent from
a wine merchant. 1t was a champagne bill
for $37 and had been paid. With it was. q
beer bill. There was a livery bill for $50
and a receipted bill for 800 from Comstock,
the jeweler. A bill for $27 from shoe deal
desk full of stationery of all kinds. The as
signee found blank letterheadS from the
Bartholdi Hotel, New York; the Palmer
House, Chicago, and the Grand Hotel, Gin
cinnati; note paper bearing the name of an
inn at Nantucket Beach was among the
other stationery
People who were intimate with Kavanagh
here tell of his open-hearted, free and easy
ways. 1t is related of him that on one oc-
casion ne was IN company WITH two young ms,
ether wore garments that were neither new
nor elegant The girl remarked to Kav-
anagh, in an apologize way. that her per-
sonal appearance was not attractive as
that of her friend. Kavanagh promptly put
his hand in his pocket, drew forth great
roll of bills, and remarked he extended
the roll: Take what you need and buy
new dress. The girl drew back halfway
offended, and declined to accept assistance.
The assignee says that Kavanagh scarcely
made a pretense at keeping books 1t is al
most impossible to tell what is his indebted
ness from the books, so careless and indif
ferent was his method of keeping them.
1t was rumored yesterday that there was
a woman in the Kavanagh case. Assignee
Carbon, who before his appointment had
some experience in a legal way with
Kavanagh, says that a few days before his
client made an assignment a fine appear
ing, middle-aged woman came in the law
office and introduced herself as a Mrs.
Britts'' of Rochester, N. Y. She said she
had come on to Indianapolis to see about
Kavanaghs financial condition. She told
the attorney she had been advancing
Kavanagh money and she wanted to protect
her interests. She asked Mr.. Carton to do
everything in his power to prevent a col