The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-04-25
. 4 Merchant Disnpprars.

Mr.. j. W. Howard. mclcilantat Dean,
$. c., Of the firm of Howard x pruitt,
skipped Sunday, 18th inst, leaving Mr..
II. w. Pruitt holding the bag for about
81 900, and the store ut Dean is Il thing
of the past
Mr.. Prutt is one of the most success
fnI farmers of Anderson County, and,
while scarcely beyond the meridian Of
life. has amasscd considerable proper
ty by intelligent farming. His credit
is high and his integrity bcyOn. Que, I
ton.
siThrrr years ago this J. w. lIo ward
came To Mr.. Pruitt's farm in company
with another man and bcggr., i".' work.
1t was soon discovered that they were
tramps and latest from birmingham.
Ala. Through characteristic goodness
of heart, Mr.. pruitt gave them shelter
and food and offered them IN OppOrtu-
nifty of earning IL livelihood. One,
being wcll-tillcd, sncakcd away and
was never heard Of again; the other, j.
w. Howard, rcmaincdti till ten days ago,
to M. Prlitt's sorrow.
Howard was about 30, of good adj
dress and well educated, and Mr..
Pruitt found him Il valuable man in
keeping his books, drawing notes and
mortg cages and looking after his bust
ness in his absence, and in Il short time
lie took the young man into his conf
lcncc and treated him rs one Of his
family, even providing celebrations for
in the family and allowed arcspcctable
salary per month. He was respected,
honOred and loved, and in September
last, the opportunity presenting. MIR.
Pruitt decided to give him Il better
chance to advance himself. The stock
of goods Of Mr.. j. w. Mattison, mcr-
chant ut Dean, was for sale. Howard
wanted Mr. Pruitt to buy the stock of
goods and let him run the business.
Pruitt consented, and the stock was
bought last September and Howard
given fnli charge, Mr.. Pruitt paying
for the stock, and advancing from time
to time cash to add to the stock. Mat
tcrs went smoothly till January last
ESQ Mr.. Pruitt thought), and upon re-
quest of Howard, Pruitt endorsed
notes for the firm to the amount of
about $500. Shortly afterwards, how
ever, Pruitt discovered through his
friends that Howard was dissipated,
drinking heavily and spending money
with lavish hand, while his deposits
in bank to credit Of firm were almost
nothing. He demonstrated, und asked
to be shown the books with amount Of
stock, but was put off from time to
time until the end came by Howard
skipping.
The cost of stock and cash advances
and endorsements by Mr.. Pruitt for
the firm amounted to about 81 ,A8O, and
since Howard's departure bills against
the firm have come in to the amount of
$693.03. This shows atotalinvestment
by Mr.. Pruitt of about $2,115. When
stock was taken after Howard's de-
parture and the books hunted up, mat
ters stood ns follows: Stock, e. ,0z5;;
cash in bank, 925; books destroyed, but
about $1O0 of accounts due the firm
were entered on a little blottcr. .HIThis
aggregated about 81 300. which was all
Howard accounted for out of tho
amount advanced by Mr.. Pruitt. From
Augusta Howard wrote to Mr.. Pruitt
stating that he left because of Pruitt's
lack Of confidence and certain rumors,
and that he was going 70 Cuba, and .ie
enclosed $50 in the letter. The letter
is neither dated nor signed. This 500
reduced the shortage of Howard to
about 5000, which MI. Pruitt will be
forced to pay.
Thisstatementis is made by Mr.. pruitt,
and he goes further, and says that he
treated Howard as his brother, did not
question his honor, advanced d money
and he endorsed for him whenever he
requested it, and now finds himself not
less than 5000 loser, with possibly
moro bills against the firm to come in.