The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-05
STATES ATTORNEY LOCATES BURR & KNAPP RECORDS IN
 OLD BARN NEAR TRUMBULL

ing the Charles S. MeIlen trial for manslaughter, and the Roosevelt Barnes libel case in New York state, has been detailed by States Attorney Cummings to investigate every phase of the legal tangle for the state. He has also Been commissioned by sev. era1 individual clients to investigate possible criminality in the conduct of the business, which has caused them large financial loss. His investiga- ttons have further been aided by Ref cree in Bankruptcy John w. Banks ot this city, to whom he has applied for permission to inspect all books of the defunct company.
 While am not in a position today to disclose the result of my investiga- tions into thes books of the company or to say that any crininal acts have been unearthed in the investigation I can say without hesitancy that many of the transactions at least appear to be shady and there is little doubt but that we shall have to ask MT. Knapp to appear on the witness stand and explain them fully.
 Before am able to make public the exact nature of our examination of the Burr SS krspp bookstI shall of cours, fhave to report my findings to States Attorney Cummings who has detailed me to make the inquiry.
 There is nc question, however, in
 
 transaction will be aired in the bank ruptcY court here, for it will be before Referee Banks that the examination of the bankrupt will have to be con- ducted."
 Asked if criminal acts were indi- cated in the 1edgers of the company and. whether other than the Burr 6. Knapp officials would be incrimfnated MT. Bowers said: s'If there should be any criminalfty-and have not so stated-and it could be shown that the heads of other companies partici- the transaction, then they would na- tura1ly would be crinainally responsi- b1e.''
 The status of the Burr & Knapp case in the bankruptcy court is that "a discharge is pending
 An application in Bankruptcy was filed on Oct. 22, 1914. Burr & Knapp were then in the banking business at 915-917 Main street, now occupied as a piano store. The. closing of the doors was most unexpected and it was asserted at the time that money was taken over the counter up to within a few hours of the time the doors were finally shut.
 A first meeting Of creditors was held on Nov. g. 1914. which owing tos the number of persons to be heard and the battle which ragged over the appointment of a trustee was ad. journed, until Nov. IT, when John c. Chamberlain, against the protests of the minority creditors was elected. Chanberlain had been closely con nected with the affairs of the com pany and was characterized by At torney Lawrence F'inkelstone, repre- senting many of the creditors an un- wise choice. The preponderance of creditors petitioning for his incun- bency prevailed. The appraisers ap- pointed were Frank T. Sta pIes. Adolph Sherman and D. F'airchiId Wheeler.
 Suit was soon filed against the First Bridgeport National bank for $15OO00. which amount, it was claimed, should not b ecome preferred claim against the company. Suit was instituted also against Louise F,axon Knapp of Herbert M Knapp,to recover the home of the Knapps on Park place Anoth- CT suit for $1O,o0O was instituted to recover $10,00O from the company bonding the Burr G Knapp bank, ac- cording to state law. These suits have not been settled, and they may swell the assests of the company and pro- duce material dividends.
 An attempt to secure the discharge of Knapp from bankruptcy was wig orousdy. contested and later Knapp was arrested an 3, fraud writ August 8, 1915.
 AS 01ScloSeQs DeIOre Referee John w. Banks in a report by the Trustee the firm. of Burr & Knapp which was a partnership had done business under the banking laws of Connec. ticut for many years. It was founded by Ebenezer Burr who died in 1904
 Those who participated in the sala- ries at an average rate of $16,9s6.os per year from 1904 to the time of failure were Ebenezer Burr's widow; Mary H. Burr, who received $61- 439.O1, Herbert M. Knapp. who re. ceiVed $S2,7O7 and Mrs. B. l.. F. Knapp, wife of H. M. Knapp, who re- ceived $34, 4,785.34.
 Previous investigation showed that for Il years the firm did business at a loss of 27,431.O9 per year, a total of $315.457.56, during which time the partners drew salaries totaling $196,- S39.