The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-27
ROWLAND DRY GOODS co.

sets referred to in the preceding para graphs, and, especially, those funds which 1t is claimed are owing by Chamberlain to the estate, but Cham berlain has refused, and still refuses to resign. Petitioners aver that by reason ot the facts aforesaid, John c. Chamber lain is "an unfit and improper person to continue as trustees of said estate.' Wherefore" the petition concludes "the creditors pray that notice be served upon said John c. Chamberlain should not be made, removing him from said trus.'s
 Burr & Knapp, Q firm that had done banking business in this city for nearly a quarter of a century went into bankruptcy three years ago this month. At the first meeting of cred ttors there was opposition to the ap- pointment of John c. Chamberlain upon the ground that he was closely connected in the business dealings of the firm. The minority creditors headed by Attorney Lawrence Finkel- stone were not sufficiently strong to carry their point and Chamberlain was elected trustee by a large majority of the votes.
 One of his first steps was to move the defunct concern to other quarters in the Beers building, having adver- tised and sold the assets of the com- pany at public auction. The insur- ence business of the company though considered among the principal assets got few bidders at the auction and was afterwards sold, for between $2,- 900 and 5000.
 A question of possession of S150, 900 securities known to rest in the vaults Of the First Bridgeport National bank arose in January, 1914, Chamber lain as trustee entered suit against that institution claiming that the amount should be returned to the estate, This suit is still pending in the superior court,
 Threats of criminal action against Herbert M: Knapp by various credit DTS crystalised in August, 1915, with the result that the banker was charged with having nisaHpropriated s4.000 of the Hungarian Sick Benefit society funds and awaiting trial. was released upon ball:
 A 0lS8hddS6 1F6Hi bdHhTuptCy was fought by creditors in the United States District court before Referee John W. Banks, last November, upon the ground that Knapp gave false tes- timony at a former hearing;
 Sudt was entered during the early months of this year to get t16,006 posted by the National Surety Co. for Burr & Knapp with the state of Con- necttcut.
 States Attorney Homer s. Cum mings began investigation of the conn pany's books in February through special investigator SpottswOod D. Bowers.
 As result of the investigations Herbert M. Knapp, Hervie Burr, John C. Chamberlain and others were cal}- ed before the referee in bankruptcy to testify in detail as to various trans actions. 1t appeared that Burr & Knapp lost big amounts of money for many years while those on the inside reaped wealth. Chamberlain testi- fled concerning many acts of himself and the officers of Burr & Knapp prior to and at the time of the bank ruptcy-
 John c. Chamberlain is one of the oldest members in the Fairfield Coun- ty Bar association in point of service His appearance in many noted cases has given him wide reputation as an astute legal expert and the present action to retire him from the position