Connecticut western news., 1919-12-04
DRUG STORE CASE
 CONTINUED NEXT WEEK
Mir. Farnum Seems But Little
 Worried Over Situation

The case of E. A. Benjamin Of Stockbridge, Mass, vs. R. T. Farnum was on trial before Judge Hinman of Willimantic last Wednesday in the superior court at Winsted. The plaintiff claims about S15,000 dam ages and also that the total amount drawn by Farnum from the partner ship funds was $19,395.62.
 The following is an account of the trial as it appeared in the Winsted Citizen:
 "Mr. Benjamin testified that dur ing the winter of 1918, when MT. Farnum went to Bridgeport to a convention, the plaintiff went down to Canaan to help out in the store He found Mrs. Farnum and boy in charge, but the account books of the partnership were all locked up in the safe so that he could not get at them MT. Benjamin testified that Farnum totld him that he had taken money from the partnership funds to pay hihs personal bills and deposited the same in his wife's name in the bank so that he could not get ahold of it.
 "A letter dated March 16, 1918, was introduced, in which MT. Farnum wrote MT. Benjamin that if he wished him to continue in business with him he wanted a weekly salary of $3e and a bonus of $500 per year, there by hquidating the funds that he had previously paid out of partnership account and shown on the cashbook- MT. Farnum's salary had been $25 a week. On March 20, 1918, Farnum again wrote Benjamin stating that he had changed his mind about selling out and said he would not do so if MT. Benjamin was willing to allow him bonus of $500 a year and any thing above that, whether it showed up on the books or not, that he had taken out of the partnership and didn't belong to him he would pay back in cash. MT. Farnum had off, cred to sell his interest in the Canaan store for S6,000, and he wanted $2,500 for his interest in the Shelf field (Mass.) store of T. F. Morris Co.,, or grant him bonus of $500 a year for six years service and accept the difference in cash over and above the $500 year for what he had had
 It was testified that Messrs. Nor ris, Benjamin and aFrnum each put 800 into the Sheffield store, that Farnum to pay for his share drew n check for $100 from the Canaan partnership and gave bank note for $1, TOO, which MT. Benjamin endorsed for him.
 Most of the testimony was m re- gard to entries made in cashbools and checkbooks. There is great discrepancy in the amounts of checks drawn and the amount entered on the cashbooks. Many of the checks occurring frequently which MT. Far mum drew for his personal account were drawn in favor of England Bros, Pittsfeld, Mass; K. P. Hunt Co.,, Great Harrington, Mass; Best & Co.,, New York; Abraham A Strauss, Brooklyn, N. Y; Sage, AL len & Co.,, Hartford; H. Wellner, tailor, Canaan; Boston Post for daily newspaper; Metropolitan Life Ins. Co.,, as premium for his own and wife's insurance policies; Lord & Taylor, New York; Ward Cream Co.,. Vermont; monthly check for butter for his personal use; Ware, Pratt Co.,, shoe concern of Worcester, Mass, for his own and wife's shoes, Rice & Kelly, furniture dealers, Pittsfield, etc. One item of interest was a check in favor of s. Cocraft, who advertises extensively to reduce weight and remove wrinkles.
 "The sales at the Canaan sotre av- eraged around $50 or $40 a day and ranged from $2S to SIPS.
 "There are some items tkat will show an offset, but the plaintiff claims that Farnum has overdrawn around $15,000.
 "Mr. Farnum seems to enjcy the situation and he made a request that he wanted the public to continue reading reports of the trial until it closes, to which a reporter replied that the public undoubtedly would do so.
 Messrs. Roraback and Mum are being assisted in conducting the plaintiffs case by P. J. Ashe of North Adams, president of the Berkshire county bar. The plaintiff, MT. Ben jamin, conducts a large store at Stockbridge, opposite the Red Lion inn"
 The trial will continue next week Wednesday at Winsted.