The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-12-28
1snecia1 to rhe Farrner.l )

.agog over an impending business aIaange in the management of the NenTbown Inn which has aroused the interest of that part of the public not in on how this bi-headed concern has been run People believe the htiga- ton which will necessarily follow the first act in unfolding. will disclose all the ins and outs of the Hale Corpora fion which for over a year has looked after the various interests owned by Mrs. Laura Leonard and WllllaIn A Iseonard, her son. The first act in tl1e. uIvdnding of this Inudd1e of inter woven Interests began Thursday after noon when William A. Leonard, acting for his mother and himself paid vdsdt to his tenant, and denandedE the 1,ayune ent of certain moneys due This, 2 Landlord w. F. Hale sadd he was un- able to do; whereupon MT. Leonard demanded the keys of the Inn, bar, < and stable MT. Hale snihngly com piled. Then as he bowed himself out he took fnorn the cash register the re- ceir,fe of the bar and handed Mr. Leonard what he called an inventory rf f11e stock on hand. The latter re- fused to take this, declaring new supply Of wet goods was now on the way from Bridgeport
 Landlord Hale smilingly withdrew and Leonard sunnaonfng all the ern-' ployes to his presence told them to go on as before, only to look to him and not Hale for their pay from that moment forward So far 1t looked ike arrangement, and there was .a nodse1ess move to the whole trans Then the employees began cIaInor- ing for their back pay, and the mer-i chants and farmers who have SUD- yllied the Inn with neceSsa1des during the past dull season. got on to the fact that the sole revenue earning de partr1nent the bar of the hostelry, had passed away from the Hale Corpora E tion Then there was something do- ing but the strang geness of what was disclosed took away thedr wind.
 From the naeager reports in the town clerks office it was learned that ia November, 1915 the Hale Corpora ton was formed with a capital stock of S7.5OO and the following incor- porators, William F. Hales Anna Hale, and A. Kutscher, but nothing to show i low much. if any money had been raid into the treasury of which Mrs Hale is the treasurer and secreta ry, and w. F. Hale, president TEie cor poration never filed a report with the town clerk in either year, as by law required.
 Further inquiry disclosed this anomaly: The license from the coun- s 4y corn 1a1issi oners under which the Hale Corporation sold intoxicants, is Issued in the name of w. A. Leonard; :; the star mail carrying contract with the government which employees of the Hale Corporation served, is also in the name of w. A. Leonard. One of the horses in the stable is also the property of the latter, all which he was allowed to take peaceao1e pos session of Thursday afternoon
 Of tangible assets for the payment Of creditors there appeared to be none Landlord Hale, had, of course, the unexpiFed lease of the Inn prop erty, but if this was not put intA the Hale Corporation as an asset there is very little hope for its creditors But some of these are not willing to lose, or compromise their claims, and but for the intervening holiday there would undoubtedly have been legal action taken to force Landlord Hale Into insolvency Saturday, these creditors who were on the warpafh transfer of possession was made, were no longer in an aggressive mood
 This change of front aroused sJ1s- picfon in the minds of those who were for concerted action of all creditors and insinuations and protestations were heard all day Saturday.
 Landlord Hale had secluded him self in the family rooms of the Inn and the new proprietor. w. A. Leon ard,s said it was no use cEowding hin as he was the principal mourner al the dissolution Of the Hale Corpora. ton which seemed to have died abornfng.
 Today your correspondent inter viewed both ". A, Leonard and the late landlord. The form CT endorsed the foregoing as to the actual occur rences in the matter of transfer oi possession of the payment depart ments of the Newtown Inn, but coult give no information as to the fnancia ability of the Hale Cooperation t6 meet it's liabilities. He simply tool possession peaceably to look out fol his own and shis mother,s property Asked as to whether the Inn would reopen and how soons he replied thaj he was negotiating with a party tc take possession at once. Though, -ht did not say it that way the presurnp ton was that the Hale lease is nov null and void by HaIe's peacea blt Xacating and turning over the keys tc Leonard.
 The late landlord was found in hi apartments thawing out froze1 water pipe. Shown the foregoins statement of fact he admitted the. were correct, but opposed the infer ences placed upon his actions b. Leonard. He said he had sunk $5, ,00 in trying to make the Inn pay, ant held on as long as possible He turn ed over the keys cheerfuIly and eel he. had transferred only whit elephant to those who held the a-bso lite title to it.
 Asked whether he had taken coun seI, replied in the affirmative, statin that his lawyer in all his proceeding is Attorney Merritt of Bridgeport. Tn Hale Corporation was bona fide, o which he held over 90 per cent.
 Asked if this was paid in. he re fused to answer as also vFhether tn unexpired lease of nearly two year to the Inn property was entered a asset of the corp oratio4l. He said h expected to project all creditors equal iy and was playing no favorites. H expected his counsel to come on t legal action a was necessary to pro