Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-10
DELAY OF FIVE YEARS
Waggaman Creditors Will
Wait Long for Returns.
OPINION OF REFEREE:
MIR. BRADLEY REFERS TO APPAR-
EMIT LACK OF INTEREST.
Attorneys Slow in the Matter of Sign
ing Certifcation of Trus-
tees Election.

Five years will be required Tor
the full and final settlement OF the
bankrupt estate of Thomas E. Wag-
gaman, according to conservative
estimate made today by MIR. Andrew
Y. Bradley, referee in bankruptcy IN
the Waggaman case. Mr.. Bradley
also charged that the delay III the
bankruptcy proceedings was due to
a lack of interest on the part of the
creditors and their attorneys.
Complaint has been made by several OF
the creditors of Thomas E. Waggaman at
the delay in bringing about the certicatfon
of the election of Mr.. H. Rozier Dulany
as trustee in order that the unraveling of
the tangled affairs of the bankrupt may be-
gin. Most of the complaints come from the
small creditors who invested their all
with Mr.. Waggaman and who find them
selves at the beginning of severe winter
weather with but little money to provide
the necessaries of life for themselves and
families
One of the creditors in a communication
to The Star today says:
viii you kindly inform me about the
Waggaman case? l. as well as many Others
are tired with those poStponements and 1t
is only natural that should get our
honest and hard-eaPned money
This correspondent concludes that the
Waggaman failure has caused many
broken hearts among people in needy cir
cumStances.''
Mr.. Bradley's Statement.
When Mr.. Andrew Y. Bradley, referee in
bankruptcy in the Waggaman case, was
asked about the alleged delays by a Star
reporter today he said they were due to the
fact that the attorneys in the matter do not
comply with the requests of the referee. and
that the creditors have not taken enough
interest In the case to attend the meet
ings, and that those creditors who are rep
resented by attorneys are not showing suffi-
Client interest to see that their attorneys
meet the requirements of the referee.
There are now approximately one thou
sand claims fled said Mr.. Bradley land
out of that number only 81 were represented
or participated in the last meeting of the
creditors, at which Mr. Dulany was elected
trustee. stated distinctly at that time
that l would be in the grand Jury room at
the city hall on the following Tuesday af-
ternoon for the purpose of affording the at
torneys an opportunity of signing the certi-
hcate of the appointment Of Mr.. Dulany
as trustee.
election showed enough interest to be pres
ent and sign the certificate. One of these
was an Irishman. more than sixty years of
age. should judge. whose claim amounted
to only about $23. The other was a man
who came all the way from Rockville. The
following day I sent out notices to the
creditors and attorneys who voted for Mr..
! Dulany requesting them to, call at my Of
flee and sign the certificate"
Effort to Secure Signatures.
AS an indication of Mr.. Bradley's desire to
| facilitate the settlement of the Waggaman
estate, it is known that today he sent his
clerk out in the snow storm with the cleo
| ton certificate, with instructions to visit
| those attorneys who have not signed the
| paper and secure their signatures to 1t, In
| order that the election of Mr.. Dulany may
| be certified as quickly possible to Judge
Anderson, who is presiding over the court
/ in bankruptcy, for his verifcation.
| The second delay in the Waggaman pro-
| ceedings, Referee Bradley stated, was due
| to the declnation of Mr.. Truesdel to ac-
| cept the trusteeship after his election. In
conclusion Mr.. Bradley gave utterance te
| this significant statement:
| After all, what will a few weeks OIL
| months delay amount to. Such delay will
| be absolutely unnoticeable in comparison tc
| the length of time that Will be required &c
| settle up the Waggaman estate
| What is your estimate of the length o.
time necessary" asked the reporter.
| Making a conservative estimate, re
| piled the referee, Il should say 1t VIII re-
| quire at least five years to wind up the en-
| tire estate
Attorney Expresses Surprise.
| One of the attorneys in the Wagganar
litigation, when Informed by a Star reporter
| this afternoon of the estimate of Referee
Bradley that 1t will probably require five
| years to fully settle up the Waggaman es
| tate. said the prediction of the referee
| would cause not only surprise among some
| of the smaller creditors, but dismay as well
1T was my opinion" said the attorney
| that the settlement would require year
or perhaps a little more. l knew the at
fairs of Waggaman were in a badly tangled
condition. but not as bad as is indicated by
Mr. Rradleys statement. However, IL there
is any man in this city who knows the exac
| conditions of the estate, besides the bank
rupt himself, that man Is Mr.. Andrew Y
Bradley, who has delved deeply into the
case If he says it is his conservative est
mate that five years will be required to un
ravel the tangle, then you can set it down
as pretty nearly the gospel truth. Mr.
Bradley is a conservative man, and no
given to making up-in-the-air statements.
Other interested persons expressed sur
prise and regret at the outlook and woult
not attempt to foretell the outcome of sucl
| a long delay before final settlement