Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-28
Chicago Bankruptcy Case Reveals
Startling Story of Confidence
Game With Huntsville Art
treasures as a Lure for the
Riches of Millionaire Patrons.
thousands Of Dollars Spent on
OId CaIhOun-Meredith CoIIec-
ton That Remained Almost
Forgotten in Home After the
Close of the Civil War.

HUNTSVILLE, ALA. Sept. 81
Monster profits made from the con-
tents Of an old trunk that remained
IN Huntsville home for years, well
nigh forgotten. have been revealed
in the Tomlinson- Humes bankruptcy
proceedings. now in progress in Chi
cago, and these same proceedings
have also shown that pretty, much
the same method is used by the con-
fidence man, though he be selling a
rustic customer green goods" or his
millionaire patrons art treasures"
This is shown by the contracts
yielded up by this Huntsville Trunk
Of Inner Secrets" BY skillfuI appeal
to the artistic tastes" as we'll as to
the Itching pockets" of millionaires,
the sellers of the de luxe books and
art treasures were able to tie their
customer w in o partnership through
the form of a contract by which he
was to retain the real gems of the
collection. but still make a profit
through the sale to someone less
gifted in artistic lore with the spuri-
Gus works in the collection,
Enormous Profits Yielded.
The enormous profits yielded to the
men conducting this endless chain OF
art sales increase as the investiga-
tors deIve deeper into the wonderful
trunk. Sets of pictures. books and
bronzes were sold time and time
again.
And it was here in Huntsville that
the fourdation for the scheme origi-
mated for it was here that the origi-
nal collection was purchased.
Some 80 years ago scion of the
famous Calhoun family in Alabama
whose tastes ran to art. married
daughter of the Meredith family.
There was art in the Calhoun home
ond art in the Meredith home, OF
which the bride of Calhoun was the
chatelaine and on their bridal trip
20 paris Calhoun added a number OF
works TO the joint collection.
Art Left to Widow.
Then came the war and the ruin OF
tho fortunes of the houses of Cal
,,orr and of Meredith, and finally the
disrantIing of the mansions. But
,.,or,en never sold their works OF
srt and until his death Colonel Cal
boun held to his treasures. Then his
,,.;do,,. held them until her death, and
.,,o,. ma ssed with other effects, into
Tho hands of a lawyer named Humes,
tho family counsellor and chief credi-
.or of the Calhouns. Humes never
o..on,nted TO dispose of the collec-
ton and it passed to his widow at
his death. 1t was tine chief part OF
her legacy. -. ~, u,,,oroo
tI,,noes in the first days OF her WldoW-
nood her nephew from chicago W. J;
e Humes who had oeeh ass0ciale u
~, Herbert o. TomlinsOn in the sale
oditions of the favorite authors.
49, rT,as in the year 1910. The
Ia ll,b learned of his aunt's legacy
ny nod an opportunity to view the
HTeredith Calhoun collection. lie
No.. mat his aunt wished to dispose
- collection and he asked an OPP
% o., This was granted and Mr..
IJJ,roee was privileged to purchase the
.hjrty. paintings, marbles and bronzes
o., toO 200. He told his aunt that ne
I'D have to share any profit and
sbe was glad to know that he could
S.. tba collection and make prott.
$4,000 Paid for Collection.
,r..,,os returned to Chicago and in
n utlS TomIinson, and they both
te "a Los Angeles and interested
ven We p clark the multi-millionaire ART
IN i,.or The three then went to
II5G,,etsviIle. Ala. and while there en-
nun nun t,to the remarkable agreement
sbown by copy of contract aug Ip
49, 80 he seemingly ineXhaustible
LII, rIU,,i and dated at Huntsville October
"a. 1910. Nv c,a,d. he-
,a the purchaser Of tue Meredith
C,lii'o,,r collection at the sum of 500
20 ,,1bich was a first raise of 200
w. oent above the option price OBJ
p PEI from his aunt by Mr.. Humes.
~ as hut the first step in the
llI M however. for such a slign'
nTafit was not 10 be Thought OF as q
e. o.ord in the disposal OF the col
IeC To- .ama the endless chain
..berne and its nnal arrival in the
hsnSruptcy court