The San Francisco call., 1909-06-04
CALKINS "GUFSSES"
ADOUTHISBUSINFSS
Head of Wrecked Newspaper
Syndicate Fails to Treat
Hearing Seriously
Referee Finds That $4,000
Worth of Stock Has Not
Been Scheduled

Willard p Cslkins. wearing super
cIious smile and guessing at most of
his answers. until he was requested by
counsel to treat the proceedings seri-
ously. occupied the witness stand in the
bankruptcy proceedings Of the Calkins
newspaper syndicate yesterday after
noon before Referee in Bankruptcy Mil
ton J. Green.
The hearing was commenced by an
inquiry as to who were the stock own
ers and officers in the various publish
ing enterprises created the length and
breadth Of the state by Calkins. 1t
was ascertained that 100000 shares of
stock were owned by him and his rela-
tives and that SEQ shares actually be-
Ionged 10 Calkins.
Celkins had a hszy notion that his
business had q head book keeper. He
said he had paid but little attention TO
the books. and, as near as he could
recollect, A Miss Heubner. whose given
name or initials he did not know. had
charge Of the books. This position had
been given her because the other book
keeper married.
CALKINS KEEPS GUESSING
Can you be a little more accurate in
your statements?" inquired Attorney
Osgood Putnam. who represented a
number OF creditors.
This request went. apparently. un-
needed. as the witness continued in the
same Il guess so" way that had char
acterized his examination from the first.
The afternoon wore away. until the
matter OF borrowing S150.00O on one
note and 325,0o0 on another from the
Union trust company was reached. The
first amount was borrowed to purchase
the Sscra mento Record Union. With
the second amount he purchased from
The paper $4,000 in outstanding debts;
$4,000 was paid on machinery. leaving a
balance OF $4,000 as yet unaccounted
for. Stock was given in various pub
fishing ventures 10 secure these loans.
Whether any other security was given,
Cslkins was unable TO say. AS far as
] know" he continued. 4 was borrow
ing the Union trust company's money
BORROWED THROUGH ATTORNEY
In securing these loans, CaIkins
stated that he dealt with E s Heller.
attorney for the Union trust company.
He guessed Heller was the only man
he had seen. At first he was certain
that be had not seen any OF the bank
took a second guess. This time he
guessed he had seen l. ". Hellman Jr.
first and that he had sent him to Heller.
However, he was not oversure about
that. How II was that he had trans
acted all his business with the attorney
for the bank instead of the officers of
the institution Calkins could not say.
Then he had another fash Of memory
and recalled that he had some transac-
tions with Charles J. Deering, cashier
OF the trust company.
I guess" said Calkins with a
snicker.
This is a serious matter" inter-
rupted Attorney Putnam. try and
charge your mind with its Importance. .
Who told you 10 go TO the Union
TRUST company for this money!" in
ouired Attorney Putnam.
I don't know" replied CaIkins
STOCK MISSING FROM LIST
Considerable time was spent in trying
10 refresh the witness mind on this
point. but without avail. According to
Calkins, the trust company wanted
more securities than he offered, but he
talked them out Of IT,"
Referee Green discovered that 1,249
shares Of the Sacramento Publishing
company's stock had not been sched-
uleo- II securing the Union trust COM
psny Cslkins had given the bank 1881
shares Of this stock. valued at 81 600.
What has become OF $4,000 worth Of
stock will be one OF the problems to be
taken up at 10 o'clock Thursday morn
ing next During the short time the
matter was under consideration Calkins
offered a number OF guesses to explain
the shortage.
Representatives of the Martinez
Standard. one of Calkins' papers, ap-
peared before the referee to correct an
alleged mistake in the bankrupt sched-
ule. The Standard people say that in
stead OF Calkins owning the paper he is
indebted 70 the owners to the extent OF
81 900.
Attorneys o. 4. Cushing and /. II.
Brownstone represented other creditors,
but left the examination of Calkins to
Attorney Putnam