The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1902-05-15
nAp s2s, OWED 90. 900, ooo.
fright Of Druxgist's Clerk Who Oblig.
ingly Signed Some Papera.

fright Of DruxRist's Clerk Who Oblig
| inGly Signed Some Papcrs.
! Ordinarily men see no occasion for re-
joicing in bankruptcy proceedings. Not
SO ArnOt X. HOusekeeper, says the
Philadelphia Times. Until recentlS
Housekeeper was drug clerk. and hal
1t not been for the bankruptcy proceed
ings he might have continued to be 6
clerk for the remainder Of his cnyA
With his hands thrust deep in his i,ock-
cts and little wreaths of smiles sprin-
killed. over his face, he told the story to
reporter, interrupting the narrative
occasionally to attend to the wants Of
customers.
about thirteen years ago." he b.
gan. "a erienu Of mine. who Is q coz
veyancer. came TO me and asked me te
sign my name to some mortgage bonds
He said it was q mere matter of fOr-
nality. and us did not think my sig
nature could create such q rumpus as
followed | complied with his request
How many Of the bonds l signed
don't knew. but they Kept coming In
with great frequency. l have since
learned that they made me what is
known as straw mana sort Of cat
paw to pull other peoples chestnues
out Of the fire. At that time I was only
q years old. and hadn't q cent in tho
world except the salary l made in the
drug store.
"Well, 1t wasn't long before the
trouble began. The creditors started
to call upon the straw man t. make
good. and suddenly discovered that
owned half the houses in West Phila-
delphia. to say nothing Of -four or five
hundred properties ia small towns up
the State. When l learned what a
bl.ated bondholder and legal scamp l
had become unbeknown to myself, l
was frightened. My name tegan to
appear In the sheriff's ADVERT sements.
and was billed to be sold out almost
every week. For some reason the sale
uerer took place. probably because
they found out beforehand that there
was nothing t. sell.
II figured up my assets one day and
made them $25.3I. counting a pair of
old trousers and . four-bladed pocket
knife with one blcde broken. which
valued at Is cents. Then l added up
my liabilities and they amounted to
$z.S91 ,O93.43. Even IL the trousers has
been new and the point hadn't b.ef
broken of the knife, l could nvt 1av<
begun to satisfy such . thirsty lot OK
creditors as these.
Il was afraid to buy . suit Of cirtkea
because I didn't know what mlcate il
would he attached. l waa e. nervous
that my fears were magn.fed beyond
reason. imagined that II l were to
walk down town dressed in dne clothes
! would lie set upon Immediately by
creditors and sent back home In q gsrk
That would make Adam blush.
"YOu know it's fearful responsible
ity to owe $3.OOO.OOO. 1t isn't every
man who can owe SO much. Things
got worse and worse, and l was in q
state bordering on nervous prostration.
Finally couldr'. stand it any longer.
ard consulted a lawyer who lived
across the street from me. He asked II
l knew who my creditors were, and
said he must think I was human di.
rectory, for l owed a thousand or two
to pretty nearly every man in Phila.
delphia. Mr.. gilbert said that, under
the circumstances, 1t was no use tr...
ing to get releases from all of the N.
He suggested the bankruptcy proceed
ings. and now, thank heaven. Pm Z free
man once more. have this little store
and can wear a silk hat and q frOck
coat II l want to. Oh. tell you it's Q
bully thing to be bankrupt"