The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-28
WON'T RESIGN, BURR & KNAPP
 TRUSTEE SAYS Hasn't Done Anything Open to Criticism, Declares J.
 c. Chamberlain. CHARGES UNTRUE,
 HE TELLS PUBLIC Says He Has Accomplished More For Creditors Than
 Anyone Else Could.

A long conference between Referee John w. Banks and John c. Chamber lain, trustee of Burr & Knapp, this morning was followed by positive statements from MT. Chamberlain to the effect that he would not resign from the office of trust imposed upon him by the creditors.
 T have not done one thing in my custody of Burr & Knapp's affairs which is open to criticism" said MT. Chamberlain in statement issued to the press today in refutation of IA charges filed against him by creditors ing for his removal
 Continuing, he added: And I do believe that have done more for the creditors than any other man in the city of Bridgeport could have done. l do not say this with egotism but because of my familiarity with the business.''
 MT. Chamberlain has retained At torney John H. Pullman to prepare an answer to the allegations recited in the application for his removal which will be submitted to the court as soon as opportunity permits.
 Spotswood H. Bowers, who prepar- ed the charges for the petitioning creditors and is counsel of record in the United States court intimated this morning that if the contentious now before the court were sustained, additional suits at law might be brought for the recovery of such moneys as might be determined right fully to belong to the creditors of Burr & Knapp rIo definite time will be set for the hear ing on the application, nor will undue advantage be taken of the fact that MT. Chamberlain's attorneys did not put in appearance in court on Sept 26, the day set by Judge Howe of Vermont for the hearing. ''The case will be fought strictly on its merits" said Attorney Bowers today.
 While the opposing side asserts that many of the allegations set forth in the application arc the direct result of testimony taken before Referee in Bankruptcy Banks when examina- tions of Herbert M Knapp and John c. Chamberlain were made, MT. Chamberlain emphatica11y asserts that there is not word of essential truth in these allegations
 Commenting generally upon the complaint following conference with Judge Banks. MT. Chamberlain Assert ed that every act mentioned as direct 1y connected with his trusteeship had been passed upon by the referee in person.
 Of other acts he specifically denied the first allegation, as untrue" "1t Is not true," he said. "that was acting for Burr & Knapp for upwards of four years. Every suit brouSh in their name was at the instfgatfon or for the benefit of somebody else. Such a one was brought at the instance of one of the sgners of this petition and to serve her interest
 '~The second statement is not true in any essential detail. bought Fairview Lawn out and out and paid for it with s10,000 note.
 '~The third allegation likewise is untrue for the note mentioned was dis counted by MT. Knapp for his own accommodation with the express un- derstanding that we should furnish the security for it and he did furnish that security himself and had the money derived from the discount of the note."
 Mir. Chamberlain likewise charac- terized the other statements as untrue in their essential particulars stating with emphasis about the sale of the Trust Co. assets that he had offered these for sale three separate times, having gone back to the referee that many times fer instructions. He said that $4,0O0 was a large sum of money for the business and the largest ever received for sale of an insurance busi-