Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 73, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1914 — KOFFMAN STOCK TIED UP. [ARTICLE]

KOFFMAN STOCK TIED UP.

Rensselaer Creditors Levy on Goods of Alleged Bankrupt Israelite. The attempt to ship out the goods of the Chicago Bargain House, the drygoods store conducted by I. Koffman In the Makeever bank block, was halted Wednesday morning by the stern hand of the law here, when The Democrat, Republican and County Treasurer Fell joined Issues and brought attachment procedings for their claims. Koffman owed the Democrat a $69 advertising bill; the Republican $49, and Jasper county, for taxes, $60.60. As stated in Wednesday’s Democrat, this store was closed Saturday evening about 7 o’clock by a young man who came in on the milk train and claimed to represent the Central Trust Company of Illinois, 125 West Monroe St., who, so a notice posted on the door stated, had been appointed receivers by the United States district court of Illinois. This young man gave the name of J. C. Felker, and while he may be all that he represents himself to be, he did not give one the impression as the sort of a man who would be sent out to take charge of such a case, but seemed rather, to use a slang expression, a “roughneck” and a “bulldozer.” He admitted that he was not a court bailiff, a U. S. marshal of deputy U. S. marshal, but said that he had been sent down by the receivers to take possession of the place.

Learning Wednesday morning that the stock had all been boxed up ready for shipment, The Democrat man hunted up one of the proprietors of the Republican, and together they saw County Treasurer Fell, who had a claim of $00.60 against the stock for the 1914 taxes. Before going to see Mr. Fell, however, they called at the store and asked Felker to show his authority for shipping: the goods He pulled back lapel of his coat and displayed a “tin star” with the air that this would capse the two newspaper men to fade away. In this he had the matter sized up erroneously, for they demanded some ad ditional authority than a cheap star, and he then pulled a few worn letters from his pocket, but did not offer to show them, and almost immediately put them back in his pocket and said he would not show any more authority, that he didn’t have to, and ordered the two creditors from the store.

They went out but told him they would return with an officer, to which Felker, bombastically declared that he would not permit any officer to enter the store. ~ ? It was then that Mr. Fell was seen and a writ of attachment issued and Sheriff Hoover was soon in possession of the store, fastening up the rear doors from the inside and placing a padlock on the front door. In the meantime Felker gpt in communication-with his alleged principals in Chicago and they told him to consult a lawyer here, so he stated. He saw Attorney Parkison and to him showed all the authority he had in the matter at all, which was merely a type-written letter on the Central Trust Company’s stationery, and directed to “Israel Koffman or his representative,” and stating that the

undersigned had been appointed by the U. S. district court as receiver"' £pr Koffman, etc., and purpgrting to be signed for the bank by a Mr. Powell. He had no order of court whatever in his possesison to either take .charge of the goods or to ship them out of the tsate, but claimed that the bank had instructed him to ship them.

Now U? S. district court of Illinois has no jurisdiction in Indiana, except that it secure same through Judge Anderson of Indianapolis, and this it had not done, and it would appear that the whole thing was simply a bold attempt on the part of the receivers-—if the few facts thus far disclosed sufficient to so designate them—to seize this stock and ship it out of a state where the court appointing them had no jurisdiction. There are some other matters in connection with- this affair which may possibly be yet aired in court, that would cause one to infer that there is something very rotten about this deal. But, in any event, whether the printers get their money or not, Jasper county is sure to get the $00.60 taxes, for it is an old saying that there is no escaping death and taxes, and even a U. S. district court cannot defeat the county of its just dues.

It is reported that the alleged receivers will now go at the matter legally and proceed through Judge Anderson to have an auxilliary receiver—this is not quite the legal term for the office —appointed to take charge of the assets in this state.

Young Felker may succeed as a bulldozer for his alleged employers in some places, but he did not make it work in Rensselaer. If he is really an employe of the alleged receivers, and they have been appointed by the tederal court, The Democrat would suggest to Judge Landis that he investigate some of Felker’s acts while here. Sould he do so, that worthy might possibly be hunting another job or have one provided for him.

Yesterday’s market: Corn, 57c; oats, 45c; wheat, $1,05; rye, 75c.

We have now on display the greatest line of useful Xmas presents for the man and boy. Be sure and see them.—€. EARL DUVALL.

Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Wells of Barkley tp., returned Wednesday from a visit with their son, P. D. Wells, ana family, in Morocco,, and with relatives and friends in Illinois.

Mrs. Len Lefler, accompanied by Miss Della Davis and Mrs. J. W. Townsend, came up from Lafayett* Tuesday to visit her sister, Mr.» Thorston Otterburg, and brother Vern Jacks, and family.

The following new officers were elected at the regular meeting of the Modern Woodmen, Wednesday evening, for the coming year: C. W. Platt, Consul; Frank Tobias, Banker; J. R. Merritt, Clerk; Ernest Ramey, Escort; Parker Childers, Watchman; ager.

The three-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Mclntyre of Dunn, Benlon county, was killed Sunday morning by the accidental discharge of a rifle in the hands of his brother, Thomas, aged 13. The latter had picked up the rifle, a 22-caliber weapon, to go out rabbit hunting. He had slipped a cartridge in the gun and was pulling on his gloves when the weapc|n was accidently discharged and the bullet struck his younger brother in the side of the nqck, piercing the jugular vein.

Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Bender of San Francisco, Calif., came Thursday to visit Mr. and Mrs. .1. L. Hagins, Mrs, Render being a neice of Mrs. Hagins. all will go to Wolcott to Xisil ifefetives there. Mr. Bender is an 014 resident of the Golden Gate city and is an enthusiastic boostei for the big exposition to be opened there in February. He states that the daily admissions to the exposition now, in its yet incomplete state, are 25,000, mostly tourists passing through there. The admission fee now ,is 25 cents. . y ■ [7*V- ” —f , The Jasper County Medical Society has recently taken in the Newton county doctors in its organization and it will be known hereafter as the Jasper-Newton Medical Society. The new, officers are: Dr. Besser of Remington, Pres.; Dr. J. G. Kinneman of Gbodland, VicePres.; Dr. M. D. Gwin of Rensselaer, Sec.; Dr. E. X. Loy, also of Rensselaer, Treasurer. The medical fraternity, like the editors of country newspapers, have to contend with a class of dead-beats, and it is the in tention of the organization to blacklist these fellows, it is understood.