The Topeka state journal., 1900-04-12
S. B. Isenhart, Trustee, Claims
Property for Creditors.
ILLEGAL TRANSFERS.
Claims That Mortgages and
Sales We're Fraudulent.
John r. MulYane Named as One
of Interested Parties.
All With Whom Dealings Were
Had Made Defendants.

A suit was fled in the United States
district court today by s. 3. Isenhart.
as trustee in the bankruptcy case of L
NJ. Crawford, asking that a receiver be
appointed for the Crawford Opera
House here, that q large number Of al
legged deeds and mortgages be set aside
and declared null and void, and the
property formerly owned by Mr.. Craw-
ford which such deeds and mortgages
covered be declared to still be his and
be turned over to the trustee for the
benefit of Mr. CraWf0rd'S creditors.
The principal defendants in the suit
are L NJ. Crawford. John r Mulvane,
the Amusement Syndicate company As
Incidental defendants there are named
Mrs. E NJ Crawford. Mrs John R. Null
Eane, the Bank of Topeka, the North
western Mutual Life Insurance COM
pany. W. H Green, Mrs w Il Green.
the Central National bank, tEe Omaha
National bank. Mary X QuIutOn as ad-
miniSlratrix of the estate of L B. Ken
dali, deceased; Lewis Sells and Mrs
Lewis Sells. The pet;tion alleges 4 large
number Of fraudulent transactions
Introductory 10 its allegations the Pc
titiOn recites the facts that Mr.. Craw-
ford has made application to be de-
cIared bankrupt in the federal court.
and the plaintiff, S Isenhart, has been
/ appointed trustee in the case; that Mr.
I Crawford owned lots 194 and 196 on
( Kansas avenue, the opera house pro-
perty, valued at $50. .0o0 and bill boards
/ in topeka valued at SO. 600. which he
/ has managed and from which he has re-
/ ceived the income for many years; that
/ he built and owned an opera house and
/ hiIlboards at St. Joseph, Mo, valued at
/ $4,000; that he owned lots 139, IA and
143. Monroe street, Topeka. valued at
/ 10000; that he owned bilIbOards IN
/ Wichita valued at $1,000
/ It IS the various mortgages and deeds
on all this property that Judge Hook
i -1-E-r- rea- a-frz n f-.
property may go to satisfy the creditors
| of Mr.. Crawford
It IS also alleged that Mr.. Crawford
/ operates an opera house at Lincoln, ,Neb
and at various other places not named
| It is also claimed that Mr.. Crawford re-
ceived as net profits from his system OF
| opera houses from 1892 to January L
1895. the sum OF S57.75441-
Coming TO the direct charges in tbs
petition. It alleges that in 1895 Mr.. .Craw-
| ford for the purpose of placing his
! property beyond the reach Of his credi-
| tors, transferred to Mr.. John r. Null
! yane for a merely nominal sum. tbs
/ precise amount of which is unknown
! all his billbOarCls in Topeka St JOSEPH
and Wichita, but that Mr.. Crawford has
/ continued to use them. while Mr. Null
| Vane has never used them or even LISTED
them for taxation; that in 1891 Mr.
Crawford pretended to sell to his son
CHESTER P Crawford. then minor O
only Il years. the Crawford Opera
\
was made without any real cOnsidera-
ton; that one week later Chester P
Crawford transferred the property Il
his mother
Another allegation IS that in Decem
Der, 1896. a mortgage was given on th'
opera house for $4,000 to John R. MuI
vane, the mortgage being dated Feb
ruary I, 1896 In 1888 this mortgage wa,
assigned by Mr.. Mulvane to the BanI
of Topeka but It is claimed that ther,
was no real consideration for the mort
gage or for the assignment and the
were executed in pursuance of the in
tention and fraudulent scheme of tn
said l. II Crawford, assisted by tn
said John R Nulvane-
Another allegation is that the operi
house was transferred in the latter par
/ Of Feb. to W H. Green. to secure debt
due to Mr. Green by Mr.. Crawford Tn
amount was claimed to be S51 600. but /
is claimed that il had all been satisfie-
except 81 600 The petition alleges tha
when the debt was cancelled Mr.. Craw
ford still left the property in Afr-Green'
name in order that the records wOul
show that the incumbrance still hun
over it. IN September. 1898, it is claim
ed. Mr. Crawford caused Green to dee
the opera house TO Mr.. MuIvane 70
800.
Still another allegation is that Nj
Crawford organized a corporation whic
he called the Missouri, Kansas and Ne