The sun., 1918-12-25
ARMISTICE FORCES
BOOKSHOP FAILURE
Henry Malkan Was Over
stocked on Works Deal
ing With War.

As a result Of a short conversation
between man named Foch and
man named Erzberger that took place
at a crossing on the La Capelle road
in France some six weeks ago to-day
some millions of Americans arose this
morning to enjoy the happiest Christ
mas of their lives. So what happened
to Henry Malkan because Ferdinand
Foch pointed to dotted line and
Matthias Erzberger put his name there
doesn't matter a whole lot In the great
scheme OF things but
Henry Malkan, 1t may be recalled
by an Older generation Of New York
ers. used to sell papers down under
the elevated structure in Hanover
Square twenty-seven years ago.
There may be somebody in New York
to-day who recalls his stand. for he
sold a lot Of papers. Henry did, and
grew yearly more prosperous.
FINALLY there was a new boy under
the H." for Henry, out of his pennies.
had set himself up in modest way In
the booksellers trade. Prosperity
went into partnership with him, SO 1t
seemed, and II was not long before
Malkan's was one Of the largest book
stalls in all the city, and the news
boy OF other years was one OF the
solid figures of the New York bust
ness world with stable publishing in
terests as we'll as his big retail book
store under the sidewalk at az Broad
way. Perhaps every bookworm in
New York has browsed at one time
or another among the thousands OF
volumes on the shelves OF this sub
terranean shop.
There were lot OF them in there yes
terday buying Christmas books when
Gustav c. Wedekind walked in and
took charge of the place. Mr.. Wede-
kind. through his frequent appear
ances as a receiver in the bankruptcies
of book makers, has come to be known
in the publishing world as a sort OF
business surgeon. His Intervention in
the affairs Of Henry Malkan was due
TO an order signed earlier in the day
by Judge Learned Hand in the United
States District Court, where an in
voluntary petition in bankruptcy had
been filed against Henry Malkan by
company of creditors, including the
Zincograph Company. d. Appleton &
Co, and Frederick A. Stokes.
It was Mr. wedekind who divulged
the part Foch and Erzberger and their
armistice had in his coming. Henry
Malkan. in the face OF a tremendous
demand for books on the war, had laid
in a tremendous stock OF them by
November II of this year. A contract
with one printer alone for more than
5000 900 worth of books Of this char
acter was one Of the burdens the sud
den coming OF peace found on his
hands.
The day after the armistice was
signed Malkan sold hardly a single
book on the war. He found that he
hardly could give one away. much less
persuade the retail trade to buy the
thousands he had contracted for with
the printers.
the court Henry Malkan owes 800, 900
and has assets OF only $4,000.
Mr.. wedekind pointed out that the
schedule didn't tell everything.
Take the item Of $4,000 assets, for
instance" he said. "As the nominee Of
his creditors and the representative of
! their interests, I consider this item a
small part Of the assets Henry NAL
kan can muster TO pu. hina on his
business feet. But of course you can't
list on bankruptcy petition the kind
of assets that made a Hanover Square
newsboy big figure in the book world
although they're there lust the same u