The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-04
NOT YET DONE.
L. NJ. Crawford Is Still in
Bankruptcy.
Motion for Discharge Denied
This Morning.
THAT OPERA HOUSE.
Question of Who Is Owner of
the Crawford.
Judge Hook Says Matter Is Too
HAY.

United States Judge Pollock this
morning set aside the report of Special
Master in Chancery J. B. Slonecker in
the case of L. NJ. Crawford. who asked
for discharge from bankruptcy To
bring the matter down to plain English,
the court wants to know who owns
Crawford theater here in Topeka, and
the one at St. Joseph, Mo.
''Discharging bankruptcy proceed
ings," said Judge Pollock, lis a matter
of grace. To get such benefit from a
court certain conditions must be agreed
TO by the person who enters the request
He must schedule everything he has
produce the books of his business, and
completely lay bare everything that the
law does not exempt. No books have
been shown in this case. That is not
the way to do business. Take big con-
Germs like the opera house here, the one
at st. Joe and Others-certainly they
are run differently than that. Asper-
sions in this law suit are cast against
several parties who are in the suit The
question of ownership is not settled.
shall appoint new master in chancery
to take further testimony in this mat
ter within a short time"
Back of this case lies a world of
underbrush history which would tan
gle the feet of Sherlock Holmes. More
than year ago, Judge Slonecker re-
turned a report as master in the mo-
ton to have CraWford's bankruptcy
discharged. Judge Hook who appoint
ed him, did not sit on the matter. Just
about that time he was transferred to
the United States circuit court. The
matter has been lying around since
that time, not dormant by any means,
but unable to be taken before the
court because some of the interested
parties were holding back. 1t came up
this morning, and Judge Pollock prac-
| tically asks for a new deal.
The question of ownership is the
7la1f ~ 1.-- 81
more trouble than anything else Ac-
4 Cording to Eugene Quinton, one of the
! attorneys in the case for a creditor,
Lester NJ. Crawford, stated in the tes-
1 timOny taken before the master, that
the property belong to Louis Sells.
/ Mr.. Sells denied that he owned It,
/ when put upon the stand. Then Mr.
i Crawford. at another time, stated that
/ John r. Mulvane, or the Bank of To-
peka owned it. Mr. 1Iulvane also en-
| tered a denial against its ownership.
1 Mr.. Crawford denies that he owns it.
/ And that is a question which the court
must have settled before it can listen
/ to an appeal for a discharge. 1t was
/ not brought out under Mr.. SlOnecker.
/ So far as the legal phase of the mat
ter is concerned it is absolutely out of
| the question for any court to dis
charge the petitioner from bankruptcy
with such q hazy condition of facts.
Judge Pollock declared emphatically
| this morning that "a discharge is a
matter of grace. and the complainant
must do some things before he can be
granted his request" Judge Pollock s
review of the matter was just a little
lsharp. He showed plainly that the
case must be brought right down to
thread-bare. facts before his court will
take any action one way or the other
in the matter of releasing Mr.. Craw-
ford from bankruptcy.
D. r. Hite appeared for Mr.. Charles
Gault who is Me-. Mulvane's represen-
tative in matters pertaining to the
Crawford houses. Eugene Quinton,
who represents some of the creditors,
was also present. Mr.. Hite offered