All Extraordinary Bankruptcy Case.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5424, 14 January 1889, Page 2

All Extraordinary Bankruptcy Case.

The public examination of Mrs. Alice Stewart-Browne was proceeded with at tho Court of Bankruptcy yestorday, beforo Mr. Registrar Gitfard. Tho statement of affairs showed liabilities £35C0, assets £16. Mr. Reid appeared for a creditor, and Mr. Maynard for tho bankrupt. Tho debtor, a fashionably dressed young person, was uocommodated with a sent during hor examination. In reply to Mr. Reid, she said sho was a widow, and lived at 21 Saokvillo street. She had also two furnished houses at Rumsgnte. Her lute husband, George Browne, went out to Melbourne, Australia, shortly beforo his death ; and as sho declined to accompany him, ho settled on her a sum of £5000. She had heard that ho was dead, and believed suoh wns the case.

The £5000 was invested for tor by a Mr. Boaumont, whom her husband had requested to look after her affairs: but she "got rid of it" last year. She had since boon livingupon an annual allowanco of £501) made to her by hor stepson, who resided in Australia. Tho money was paid to her through an agent in London ; butt sho declined to mention his name. It, Wttß true that the sum given her t>y her late husband was £10,000. She did not owe some thousands of pounds i;n 1887. l She did not got tho bills for those debts till tho beginning of 1888, ami did not consider that sho owed for goods -until the bills wore, sent in. She knew, however, at the time that some £5-17 was duo to Mossfs Hampton for the furniture of hor houso in SaokviU© street, and a "small matter" of £136t0. Mr. Ecklin for a picture. There was. ''another small matter" of £378; due toMessrs Boattic, and a sum of £20 to tk jeweller in Bond street. In a letter written to Mr. Husband, another creditor, about this timo sho stated that she then only owed £125. Tho letter continued: "Mrs. Stewart-Browne wishes to explain that it is not from any pressiuir need that sho has given a bill of sale on hor furniture, but in order to be sure of having no annoyance, from unscrupulous tradesmen." Mr Reid : [ observe that yon stylo yourself "Mrs Stewart-Browne." May I ask the reason for tho compound, name ?. The debtor: Oh, my first husband was called Stewart, so I suppose my full mime would bo Stewart-Browne. (A laugh.) Mr Reid: Oh, I see. It is your mode of keeping alive the memory of your first. husband and at the same time rufioving the plainness of the Burnamo of the second. (Laughter.) Examination continued: She incurred a debt of £150 for jewellery last winter, hut she had just before won £500 at Monte - Carlo, aud therefore thought she could afford it. Sho gave the bill of salo aotbcoauso sho wanted money, but that shewhs going uway to the Riviera for Lor health, and therefore could not be on the spot to defend her property if anyone attempted to seize it. Mr Reid : In short, you loft tbe bill of sale as carotakor while you were away? (Laughter.) J J The debtor : Precisely. (More laughter.). Examination continued: She realised ±500 by tho bill of sale, and she had also £300 of other money at tho timo. Mr Reid: So that last winter you bad this £800 and also tho £500 which you won at Monte Carlo ?

The debtor: Yes, and lost sixain (Laughter.) The debtor nddcd that out of this money she had to pay £200 for rent of the villa which B ho took fur tho season tit Monte Carlo, and her "other expenses" were rather heavy at this time. Did you ever buy a carriage of Mosktk Thomo .-Oh, yes; but that is a W , £, ago. (Moro laughter.) ■ U <> tlmo Yes ; it is so long that it is unit, timo it Then you will admit that yon owe for il Did you already own T.?~L £121h-oh, certainly. ln ° sonKJ Examination continued • Tl■« was afterwards deposited J_n, T r m S 6 ' Hooper, of Queen vW - bK

care of," and eventually sold to a pawnbroker for £45. She had a year ago a considerable amount of jewellery ,_ among other articles a dressing case, which cost 700 guineas. This she pledged about a year ago to Mr Richardson, a pawnbroker, for £150, and it was afterwards sold. Tho Mdme. Regnier, who appeared on the statement of affairs as a creditor to the extent of .£l2O good snpplied was not a dress maker, but a. jeweller. As a matter of fact no goods were supplied,but Mdme. Regnierlonther money at 35 per cent, interest, and put it down as for goods supplied. __ . ~ Mr Reid, addressing the Registrar, said that his clients had been unablo to obtain any full information from the debtor as to her income or affairs, and they had therefore applied for a private sitting m order that they might examine certain persons who could throw light on the subject. This would be held on the 23rd inst., and he should therefore ask for an adjournment until after that date. MrMaynard: My client leaves England on tho Ist of December. (A laugh). Mr Reid remarked that he was very loth to interfere with a lady's annual visit to tho Riviera, especially when undertaken for the beuefit of her health ; but it, was usually considered tbo fir*t duty of a bankrupt to remain at home aud a-ive the creditors some little information as to what had been done with their money, instead of announcing that ho would leave England " peremptorily" on such and such a date (Laughter). After some further discussion the examination was adjourned to the 2Gth mst.-St. James.i Gazette, 15th November. j