Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-08-26
SHARP INQUIRY
INTO PRACTICES
OF A BANKRUPT
Grocer Nathan KohIer Accused
of concealing Assets and Deal
ing With Relatives.

concealment of assets and ques-
tionable deals with relatives shortly
before his failure, were some of the
charges made against Nathan Kohler,
grocer, of 440 Springfield avenue, at
a hearing in Bankruptcy Court yes
terday afternoon. Referee Charles
M. Mason ordered Kohler TO return
to court next Wednesday with sew
eral relatives and give further testi-
mony.
David Booker, counsel for creditors,
who is conducting the investigation,
produced four witnesses who had seen
large quantities of stock removed
from Kohler's store. Jacob Andrews,
who conducts a delicatessen store at
A37 Springfield avenue, testified he
had an excellent view of Kohler' S
place at all times. Andrews also
swore that in the latter part of June
ne saw two wagons in front OF
%ohlers store at 8 o'clock one morn
Jg. Many crates of eggs were placed
In the wagons, said the witness, and
the load driven east.
Miss Sadie Andrews, daughter of
the first witness, also saw crates OF
eggs taken away from Kohler's place
on June 23. Carl Giesse, of OILS Grove
street, rvington, said he was the
driver of one of the trucks which
took goods from the store. His
brother, Christian Giesse, owner of
the trucking concern, told how three
loads of goods were taken from koh-
ler's place
Admitted Making shipments.
ny nh ~
axNnitted having made the shipments
which the witnesses described. He
had been excluded from the court
room while the other witnesses testi-
fed. Kohler said he shipped about
fifty crates of eggs TO his brother-in-
law, Sol Albaeh, also a grocer, of Sgl
, fremont avenue, New York city The
bankrupt insisted, however, that these
shipments represented legitimate
sales.
why did your brother-in-law come
to Newark to buy these things instead
of buying in New York; asked
Referee Mason.
He bought from me to acoommo-
date me-" said Kohler. He would
come over to see me sometimes, and,
as it hapuened in June, was short of
funds l asked him to buy some stuff
from me so that l could get some
money"
Did you sell the eggs and butter
TO him at cost?"
II made half cent per dozen on
these sales
1t appeared the Albach shipments
were made between June 2S and June
IS. Kohler testified that $400 of the
amount he received from Albach he
gave to another brother-in-law,
Cahl ln1ifa nf philoHnInhin
The bankrupt denied having told
creditors he paid his father, obediah
Kohler, of Philadelphia, $500 a few
weeks ago.
Meeting of Creditors July T.
The meeting of creditors was held
in q downtown cafe on July last.
Creditors rejected an offer of settle
ment. On June 21 the store was
closed and Kohler matte an assign
mont, naming Louis Lichtenberg. his
counsel, of New York city, as as
signee.
Kohier said the piano and all other
furnishings at his home belong to his
wife, Mrs. Tessie Kohler. The wit
ness insisted he never bought a
stick of furniture for the place" He
also told of some building and loan
association shares held by himself
and his wife in several associations.
Most of the shares have little equity
in them, he explained, or else are
pledged with creditor as security
for a loan.
Mr. Booker, who also represents
Receiver Samuel M. Hollander. de-
clared he intended to get some in
formation about Kohler's failure be-
fore the investigation is dropped
Kohler said he believed his total
debts to merchandise creditors would
amount to $2,So0. Only a few hundred
dollars worth of goods wdre found
in the place when the receiver took
possession.