A Seattle Merchant Sold His Stock, Then Vanished — and His Creditors Want Him Back

The mysterious disappearance of Simon Rumpf, the well-known merchant, and the subsequent proceedings in court in which J. K. Basye & Co., the purchasers of his stock, were accused by his creditors of conspiracy with Rumpf to defraud them, have made all parties interested anxious that Rumpf shall be found and brought back to the city. It has leaked out that detectives have been at work for about two weeks in trying to find some trace of the missing man, but up to date have learned nothing positive that will lead toward discovering his whereabouts. Investigation has revealed the fact that his parents live in Nuremberg, Germany, and some of his friends think he has gone there. Others are laboring under the belief that he is either on his way or has arrived at Honolulu.

Up to the present time the general opinion from what has become public property through the courts has been that Rumpf left the city owing to shady transactions. This opinion is not shared by many who know Rumpf, because they think that a man who was so well known in business circles and who stood so well with wholesale houses would be a fool to sell himself for a few thousand dollars when he had been accustomed to deal with larger amounts. In this connection a new theory is advanced as to Rumpf's disappearance by his friends. After he sold his stock to Basye & Co. his creditors came down upon him through his attorneys like a hailstorm, made him desperate, and it is presumed that he lost his head and got out of the city without regard for consequences. On the other hand, it is claimed that Rumpf acted in good faith when he sold his stock to Basye & Co., but previous to that time had surreptitiously taken a large amount of goods that he held for sale on commission or for purchase by memorandum, across the line into British Columbia, thinking he would be able to dispose of them at a large profit, meet his liabilities and still retain his business standing. The sudden demands of his creditors upset his plans and he was in a fix. If he tried to deliver the goods he would be compelled to bring them back across the line, which would involve smuggling or the payment of a large sum for duties. Rather than pay the duties he skipped to parts unknown and may have either left the goods concealed at Victoria or Vancouver or possibly taken them with him. There are those who have a good insight into the case who think that the missing goods are concealed in this city, their reasons being that much that is missing was in large boxes and could not have been carried away conveniently. No matter what the proceedings in court may be as against Mr. Basye, the investigations of a Post-Intelligencer reporter led to the belief that he is taking as much interest in having Rumpf brought back as the other interested parties.

Attorney John H. Elder, representing Phelps & Miller, wholesale jewelers of San Francisco, will file in the superior court today a complaint in intervention against Simon Rumpf, Joseph Mayer and J. K. Basye & Co., in which the court is requested to order Arthur Griffo, receiver of the Diamond Palace, to deliver over $1,125.87, value of goods that Phelps claims to have sent to Rumpf for selection. It is also asked that, if the full amount of the goods is not found, the amount of the deficit be declared a valid claim against J. K. Basye & Co. and Rumpf. In his petition Phelps claims that August 1, 1894, Simon Rumpf requested him to send memorandum goods from which Rumpf might select such as he desired to purchase, but with the express understanding that there should be no sale or delivery until Phelps approve the selections. On this basis, the petitioner says, he sent $1,125.87 worth of goods to Rumpf August 7, and that immediately after their arrival Rumpf entered into a conspiracy with J. K. Basye & Co., by which Rumpf pretended to sell the goods to them, and did deliver them at night. Immediately after this Rumpf absconded from the city and has not communicated with Phelps about the consignment of goods.

The petition in intervention of the Fairpoint Manufacturing Company and seventeen other creditors of Rumpf was filed yesterday in the superior court. There was also filed a complaint by the Kent & Stanley Company, of Rhode Island, on a claim for goods sold since July 25. Yesterday there was a consultation of the attorneys representing Rumpf's creditors for the purpose of settling on some plan that would bring the tangle to a speedy and just settlement.