The Bankrupt Lange.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 189, 30 August 1888, Page 2

The Bankrupt Lange.

WHITEWASHING A 43-POUNDER. A meeting of creditors in the estate of Theodore Cail Lange was held yesterdey afternoon. The following creditors were present:—M s Hird, and Messrs Lewis, Good, Score, P. Lange and J. Robb. The debtor stated he had filed on account of pressure from Henry Lewis for £5 9s. He attributed his present position to a mate he had living with him clearing out and leaving him to pay the debts. They had been bachelorising together for about two years. About £24 had been incurred for expenses of living; of which Lee should have paid half. During the last seven months he had worked about three months. Earned 8s per day. In answer to Mr Lewis, debtor said he had sold a horse, and the proceeds bad gone to pay grazing expenses. Mr Lewis said Lee came to him the night before he left Gisborne and paid him 30s. He did not believe that Lee had acted, iu any shape or form, dishonestly. Mrs Hird disagreed with Mr Lewis. Debtor said Lee went away about the 24th May. He (debtor) was at the ball that night. Mr Good: You seemed to be enjoying yourselves. Mr Score: You have been enjoying yourself lately, haven’t you ? Mr Lewis : You have been to the theatre lately ? Debtor : Yes. Mr Lewis: Don’t you think it a shame

that you should go and enjoy yourself, aud leave your creditors to pay for themselves. You also got a coat and other things from me, and you blame another man for it. Mr Score said debtor was the person he held responsible for payment. Becau e. Lee cleared out and owed debtor £lO, the debtor filed to evade payment of £43 In answer to a question debtor said he d d not promise to pay. He expected his creditors to run after him. No oue pressed him but Mr Lewis. He promised to pay Mr Lewis money on several occasions before the bankruptcy. Mr Lewis said he sent his boy to ask for money, and debtor told him that he (Mr Lewis) could do as he liked. The debtor said his brother had gone to the creditors and offered to pay 10s in the pound. Mr Lewis said, as a proof of debtor’s honesty, he had come to him early in May and got a coat, promising to pay on the following Saturday, and ths amount had not yet been paid. In answer to Mr Lewis, debtor admitted lie had earnt aboued £3O during the last seven months. Mr Score asked what had been done with the money. The debtor said he had to live. Mr Lewis thought lhe creditors had found the living for him. Loe had told him it would not pay him to baohelorise with debtor any longer, because he lived at such a rate. He (Mr Lewis) thought debtor had the best of the bargain with Lee. Mr Score thought it was disgraceful for a young man to go bankrupt. The Assignee said it was the worst case that had come before him. The whole of the liabilities amounted to only £43. £8 of which was for money lent to enable debtor to file. Mr Score : Mr Lewis was the only one who pressed the debtor. Mr Lewis said he would sooner lose the lot than let a young man get out of paying 20s in the pound. Boys thought it a great thing to go bankrupt, and that it was not a stain on their character. They went to dances here and dances there, made presents to girls, and all the rest of it, and then could not pay their just debts. Mrs Hird : You did that yourself one time. Mr Lewis : I paid my way. Mr Score (to debtor): You even boasled in the street of what a grand thing you had done. The debtor, in reply to a creditor, stated that Mr Good’s account was for a clock, which he had made a present to someone. Mr Lewis: I think you could be put on the road for that. Mr Score: I would not mind waiting five years for the money, but I would not take less than the full amount. The debtor said he had no ofier to make. The Assignee said the only asset was furniture, valued at £4, and that could not be touched. On some remarks being made about debtor presenting a clock to someone, Mrs Hird said : I have got the clock if any of you want it. (Laughter.) I seized it as security for the rent. Debtor: That was another clock you seized. You know nothing about this clock. Mr Lewis said he had been dealing with Lee for three years, and always found him honest. Debtor: I have always found Les a blooming rogue. The meeting then broke up, as nothing further could be done.