The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-08
SILVERBERG'S WILL
LEFT a COMMUNICATION AD-
DRESSED TO JOHN sCREVEN, JR.
BEoUEATRED HIM HIS ALL.
OFFICERS PUZZLED TO KNOW
WHAT HAS BECOME OF HIM.

The Instrument PurportinE 10 BE n
Will Is Not Properly Executed
There Being No sworn Witnesses.
Mr.. Screven Made Reference "a It
shortly Before His Denth-Mr.
Screven said to Have Left $1,000
Life Insurance-The Rice Mill
Company and l. SiIVerberg a Co.
Heavily Involved.
The question which is worrying the
officers Of the Savannah Rice Mil Com
pany and perplexing those who have
read OF the recent developments at
that Institution. which eliminated IN
the suicide Of its principal officer, is.
What has become OF Isidore silver
berg?
The principal development in the case
yesterday was the nndiug Of what pur-
ported u be the will Of Mr.. SilVerbers.
The instrument. which was executed
several months age. was found
in tie SAFE at the company's office,
in an envelope addressed TO John
Screveu- r.. 10 whom was left the
property q che JeSt2tor.
A few hours before his death Mr.
Screven alluded 10 this writing. saying
10 friend tn4t Silverberg had essay
ed Il protect him b making him
Will Il which his property was
left 70 him M. Screven then said that
as complicated as things were he
thought with SAverberg back in town
matters might again be arranged.
Is Not "a VIII.
The instrument which purports TO be
a will is IN reality no Will at all since
it is not properly executed. There are
10 sworn witnesses to the instrument.
II was made about four months ago,
shortly after an illness. Even were
the instrument properly executed the
officers are not apprised of the testa-
tors death. To the contrary, they be-
lieve that he is alive, and main
tain that the suicide theory is untena-
BILE.
1t is stated that Mr.. Screven left In
the neighborhood of $1,000 life insur-
ance. He had one policy for $4,000, and
some smaller policies.
The fact that all of the rice for which
receipts were issued was brought to
the mill and left there has been clearly
established, and the idea Of any pink
ticket" transa actions is emphatically de-
MED by the officers of the mill. The
receipts were made out by Mr.. Theo-
dore NJ. Freeman, the companys book
keeper, and countersigned by Mr..
Screven as manager. Mr.. ScreVen's
irregularity consisted in allowing the
rice to be taken from the mill without
first requiring the surrender of the re-
ceipt.
investigation OF Books.
The books are now being audited
by Mr.. W. G. Tyson, expert account
ant, engaged by the company for the
purpose. The object of the inVestiga-
tion is to ascertain exactly the amount
of outstanding receipts and special re-
ceipts. and the amount of rice on hand.
AS soon as this investigation is COM
pleted the officers win be. able to give
some figures.
Mr.. 7. NJ. Cunningham, president of
the company, and its other officers, de-
cline TO give any figures. saying that
they do not know themselves to what
extent they are involved. The figures
published are. they say. incorrect.
The capital stock of the mill is $24,-
500. there being but four stockholders,
Messrs. T. NJ. Cunningham, f. S. Lath-
rop. John Screven, Jr.. and Isidore
Silverberg Each owned one fourth
The stock Of both Mr.. ,Screven and Mr.
Silverberg had been pledged by them
for debts. 1t is stated that the amount
of shortage will exceed the amount of
capital stock of the company. The mill
has suspended operations.
The special committee, consisting of
Messrs. T. NJ. Cunningham. Jr., w w.
Gordon, Jr., and H. Z. Wilson, which
was appointed for the purpose of in
quifing into and making report on the
financial status of 1. Siverbeg & Co
made its report yesterday. The report
showed that the company is heavily
involved. The members of the COM
mittee steadfastly refused to give any
Information for publication. While
the amounts are not known, it is said
tnat the company was involved to an
extent that surprised it's creditors
spent Good Deal OF Money.
The officers OF the min are informed
that Mr.. Silberberg spent about SIG. 900
recently in the eXtinguishment of Ger
tain debts, the idea being to take up as
many of the Oldest special receipts as
possible and TO esta blish and maintain
his credit so far as he could. They are
also informed that he spent a consid-
cradle sum in gambling and speculat-
ing, about $4,000 being said TO have
been squandered during the last week
that he was in the city.
The officers OF the mill are entirely
in the dark as to his whereabouts. The
last heard of him so far as they are
now informed, is that he left Savannah
on Sunday morning, June rs, on the
Seaboard Air Line, aVowedly for his
Satilla river plantation. Two Savannah
men, who were on the train with him.
state that he told them that he was
going to leave the train at Woodbine.
en- route to his plantation. They say
he was in the best of spirits and that
there was nothing in his manner to in
dictate that he was attempting to de-
camp.
Since that time as late as last Sat
urday night, he is reported to have been
in the city, but the officers do not be-
1ieve the report.