The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1901-05-02
CREAMERY MAN FLEES.
u. Z. Horton Leaves Under Questionable Cir
eumstances for Parts Unknown.

recently organized to do business at Yak
ina City, was given a setback last week
by the disappearance of one of the menu
bers of the firm under suspicious circum-
stances. Whether the report concerning
the party in question is true remains for
those directly concerned with the COM
pany to say, but from all rumors gath
cred on the outside it appears that there
is something to the report.
This firm was incorporated last March
by o. w. Stoner, J. w. Thomas and n.
G. Horton as the stockholders. The first
two men are well known here and stand
well among the men of business and far.
mers of the community. They, it APP
pears, put up the money to start the
plant. The other member OF thesfrm.
Horton, came here last January direct
from the agricultural college OF the state
OF Wisconsin and took charge OF the
lockwood creamery. He was held to be
a first-class butter maker, as are turned
out by those schools, and exhibited, to
substantiate his own word, recommends
tions from prominent dairymen OF the
east. He worked for the lockwood
creamery till March when he was taken
into the new company, principally on
account of his knowledge of the business.
He was given liberal powers in the mat
ter of making purchases OF the necessary
machinery for the plant, and also in
making contracts with the farmers for
milk. He made business trip to Seat
tie and Portland, purchased the machin-
cry, had it sent on to Yakima City, and
also made some dealings of various kinds
with the people in and about Yakima
City and the farmers of the surrounding
country.
In this respect his dealings seemed to
have been fair enough at the beginning,
but number of people of Yakima City
are telling strange tales that do not
speak well for Mr.. Horton. He is re-
ported to have been implicated in
number of transactions that will not
bear close investigation without reveal
ing questionable methods. Aside from
these business deals, it is also reported
that he has been playing the tickle lover,
and the two combined caused his sudden
disappearance for parts unknown. The
| woman in question is an estimable lady
living near North Yakima, to whom, it
is said, he became engaged and they
were to have been married some time
this month, so the story goes.
| Mr.. Thomas, one of the members of
the firm, was asked about the matter
and confirmed the report of Horton S dis
appearance, but would not confirm the
story that he had done anything out OF
the way in handling the funds OF the
company, aside from saying that che
got away with few dollars" Besides
the allegations set forth above, the re-
port comes from Yakima City that Hor-
ton skipped his board bill and left some
other unpaid bills, including numerous
debts contracted with farmers for cream,
which was shipped to the Sound and for
which Horton got the money.
That Mr.. Thomas and Mr. Stoner were
'roped" in there is no doubt, bat both
of these gentlemen are very reticent on
the matter. But Notwithstanding these
reports, Mr.. Stoner will go right along
and complete arrangements for the es-
Enlistment of his fruit and vegetable
dryer in the old wooden mill at Yakima
City. He is too well known in this coun.
ty as square business man to allow the
wrong-doings of stranger to shake his
faith in his plans for establishing the
largest drying house in Central Wash
ington.
that an information had been made be-
fore Justice MacCrimmon against John
| W. Thomas by Alex McAllister, charg-
ing him with larceny. Mr.. Thomas
was arrested but was let out ON bail
for hearing at p. M. Friday. Meal
lister alleges that he gave Thomas $500
to be used in the establishment of the
creamery plant above mentioned and
that when the company was organized,
stock was to be issued to him in that
sum. He claims that the organization
was never perfected and that the pro-
motors have dropped the matter, there
fore he brings suit to recover the money.
ThisSis part of the money, it is alleged,
that Horton got away with, and now
Mr.. Thomas must bear the burden of it..