Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-18
INDICTED BANKERS
/ GIVE $4,000 BONDS
]. w. Henry and B. W. Wood
ruff Insure Appearance. +.
for Trial.
LATTER REQUESTS PUBLIC
TO SUSPEND JUDGMENT
Creditors of Lewis Johnson & Co.
Claim Liabilities Will Greatly
Exceed Assets.

j. William Henry and Benjamin W
Woodruff of the. bankrupt firm OIL
Lewis johnson & Co. gave bonds OF
$4,000 each late yesterday afternoon
to insure their appearance for trial on
two indictments charging them jointly
with embezzIement and larceny after
trust 1t is claimed the brokers ny
pothecated notes and securities in
trusted to them without the consent
of the owners.
Former Justice Wright accompanied
Mr.. Henry to court. With Mr.. Wood
ruff were his lawyers. Wade H. Ellis
and r. Golden Donaldson.
Woodruff Issues Statement.
Mr.. Woodruff. through his counsel.
has issued a statement asking the pub
lie to suspend judgment He says;
II ask my friends and the people of
Washington, where 1 have lived since
earliest manhood, to withhold any un-
favorable judgment against me in con-
nection with the charges in which ]
am unfortunately involved until the
trial of my case. j want to say at once.
however, that neither a member of
the firm nor as an employe OF Lewis
johnson & Co. have l ever converted
OF misapprOpriated the stocks, bonds
or securities of anybody whatsoever"
The schedules filed by counsel for
the bankrupt firm yesterday afternoon
indicate an apparent excess of assets
over liabilities of more than 100000.
Counsel for creditors are authority for
the statement that careful eNamina-
ton of the supposed assets will not
only wipe out the apparent excess, but
Will leave a decided deficit.
An item of the assets. it is pointed
out, is S791, 563.S5, nearly half the re-
ported resources of the firm. being
debts due on open account Doubt is
expressed as to the amount of these
accounts that are co1lectible.
Special Accounts Listed.
Among the items shown on the sched-
ule as making up the total of 1871 .563.-
SIS is j. W. Henri, special account,
s4o.551.63; W. A. Mearns. s45.7oO: w. A.
Mearns. special account. s5S,7OO;
Mrs. E. B. Sanger. $4,000: Charles
p. Williams. sss,sss.55; Charles P.
Williams, loan account. $4,52s42:
Wilson &, Andrews CMearns & Will
tionalJ. ss2.4O414: W. A. Mearns lad
ditionaD, s70,131.97: National Capital
horse show, s1,s9S.09; University Club
banquet committee, W. A. Mearns,
chairman, s1.104.sO; c. P. Williams.
ruff, trustee. s2,2S3.44, and W. a
Mearns, checks, 100000
Another item is called railroad stocks
and bonds. -$264.S04 but no explana-
ton appears as to the persons from
whom this amount is expected to be
collected.
statement is. contained in the
schedules that January Is, 1913, writ
ing was signed by ]. William Henry,
Charles p. Williams and William A.
Mearns. providing for a withdrawal of
Charles p. Williams from the partner
ship Of Lewis johnson & Co. and
f6Ar
signed byJ. William Henry. William a
Mearns and Benjamin Woodruff for the
withdrawal Of William A. Mearns
from the firm
The court Ia advised that the items
In the schedule in the names of the
two former members of the firm are
entered as shown on the books Of
Lewis johnson & Co.