The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-10-08
Morris G. Levison Makes
Accusation Against A. M.
Meade, Bankrupt.
SEEKS TO ANNUL
MEADE REALTY DEAL
Wants to Reopen Case in Kne.
hams Court and Scene
Results.

Attorney Morris G. Levison yester-
day afternoon before U. S. Referee in
Bankruptcy Oscar A. Knehans openly
accused A. NJ. Meade, bankrupt store
keeper of Randles, Mo-, of swearing to
false testimony in the trial of a suit to
set aside a real estate transfer made
by Meade prior to his bankruptcy petit
tion.
The situation arose when Levison at
tempted to introduce new testimony
after the case once had been closed
and Senator Thomas E. Lane, counsel
for Justice of the Peace Levi o. Crosse
close, against whom the suit was
brought, had made his argument be-
fore Knehans.
Meade last February sold a store
building and three quarters Of an acre
of land at Randles to Judge Groseclose
for $1,000. According to testimony in
the court yesterday, Meade told Grose-
close he wanted to make the sale to get
money to pay off some of his creditors
Groseclose paid for the property
with personal notes. The notes were
made out directly to some of Meade's
creditors, one of whom was his wife.
The notes were negotiable and passed
in some instances into the hands of
innoncent parties to the transaction.
Within less than four months later
Meade filed his bankruptcy petition,
giving a schedule of his assets and liza
bilities. He listed his debts at about
$2,800.
Edw. F. Regenhardt was appointed
trustee for the Meade estate and he
brought suit in the U. S. district court
before Federal Judge Dyer to have the
transfer of the store property to
Groseclose set aside so that it may be
sold to satisfy claims of all the credi-
tors.
The suit was referred by Judge Dyer
to Knehans as special master. Kne-
hans will submit his opinion in the
case with the records to Judge Dyer at
the next term Of court.
The questions involved in the case
were as to whether Groseclose gave a
fair consideration for the property
and whether it was bona fide.
In the testimony that was introduc-
ed. by both sides, the appraisal of the
property ranged from 5000 to $4,000
Councilman Arthur Bowman and
Samuel Boutin testified as realty ex-
perts and declared the place in ques-
tion was worth from $500 to $4,000,
as a market value.
Judge John A. Snider Of Jackson,
and C. N. eyers of Randles, testified
for the defendant that it was worth
81 500 at the outside.
Judge Knehans declared alst night
he realized that the fact that there
is absolutely no demand for property
at Randles and he declared his inten-
ton was to hold that the market value
of a property is just whatever the
seller can get for it.
Knehans declared he was satisfied
the sale was bona fide and in good
faith, although Levison attempted to
bring out by inference that it was not.
When Senator Lane made his argu-
ment he brought out the point that
no testimony had been adduced to
show that Meade owed his $4,000
debts at the time he transferred the
property to Groseclose.
Levison attempted to reopen the
case and question Meade once more on
that point. Senator Lane objected to
the action and after sharp colloquyr
Levison was permitted to ask Meade
if he was oweing of s2,S00 debts al
the time he made the deal with Crosse
close.
Meade replied that he did not know
whereupon Levison made the accusa'
tion that he had not testified accu'
rately.
Knehans last night announced that
he will be unable to give an opinion il
the case till the first Of next week.