The Detroit times., 1915-12-15
Creditors Meet to Con-
slider Course of
Procedure
KNOWS LITTLE OF
HIS BUSINESS
Detroit News, In Which
He Advertised Large
ly, Is Creditor

ulHerent tlnes OF the fFlr store,
fur establishment known as the An
mex" OIL Woodward-ave., and one
other store, was the central figure
IN rather warm examination by
creditors in the bankruptcy court.
Wedne esday morning
The preliminary hearing was for
the purpose Of determining whether
the creditors desire to accept an of
fer made on Barnes behalf OF 80
cents OH the dollar IN settlement OF
the Indebtedness, @ preferred to
push bankruptcy proceedings.
Barnes testimony about his own
affairs was marked mostly by the
things he testified he did not know
about his own business. He could
not remember names or dates or i'm
portant happenings in the business
to any great extent. he knew his
stenographer's first name, but not
her last name or where she lived.
On the other hand he knew his
bookkeepers last name, but not his
first name, and knew that the book
keeper lived in Highland Park. al
though he could not fix the length
of his employment within couple
of months.
Il. B Selling and Adolph Sloman
appeared for Barnes, and a whole
flock of attorneys for different cred
itors. One attorney. who did not ap-
pear. used to represent Barnes, ac'
cording to Barnes testimony-had
represented him for six years, in
fact, and had never got any money
out of his services until short
time ago, when Barnes wanted him
to defend a suit and had to pay him
$4,000 In two paymnts for past ser
vices to get him to do anything.
Barnes was born in Poland, he tes-
tilted, and has lived in this country
for upwards Of 25 years. He said.
however, that he could only spell
out little English print but could
not read English writing at all and
could not write English.
"You have signed notes in the
course OF your business career?'
asked Attorney Henry NJ. Butzel.
who represents some $4,000 worth
of claims.
"Yes."
"How could you tell what was in
them II you could not read?'
81 couldn't. only as they were
read TO me- was the startling re
ply
Barnes further declared that he
had signed checks. knowing onl,
What the amounts were because he
could read figures, but having nc
idea whether the names OF the pay
ees were right or not. and that he
Lad signed bank statements and
statements 10 commercial agencies
and creditors without knowing what
was in them.
81 knew that IL man was doing
what was right they would be like
tho books" he explained naively.
Al that, Barnes testified, he never
looked at the books because he
wouldn't know what was in them Il
he did.
\ large part OF the examination
by Mr.. Butzel hinged on real esta
held In the joint names OF Barnes
and his wife, and merchandise
known to have been purchased
which attorneys for the creditors
could not find on the books. Mr.
Selling declared that he was famil
lar enough with Barnes affairs tc
explain everything. The real estate
he declared, was all purchased more
than a year ago. although there had
been $4,000 paid on II within the last
four months, which might be consid
cred preference and stand as 2
lien against the property.
On Mr.. Settings assurance that hs
could explain things, even II Barne:
could not, the other attorney,
agreed to go on with the examina
tion until they could decide whether
they wanted to recommend the &C
ceptance OF the settlement.
The Detroit News, in whicl
Barnes did much advertising, is on,
OF the creditors.