The Missing Ledger: Tacoma Grocery's Books Vanish Before Receivership
A court examiner presses Charles E. Hale about account books that disappeared just before a receiver took over the Tacoma Grocery Company.
Charles E. Hale was on the stand yesterday in Judge Stallcup's court for examination as to his knowledge of the affairs of the Tacoma Grocery Company and the disposition made of the account books just before Receiver Josb took possession of the concern. The attorneys for Mr. Hale were Crowley, Sullivan & Grosscup, O'Brien & Robertson, Snell & Bedford, A. R. Heilig and C. S. Bates, and for Receiver Josb and the creditors, Sharpstein & Blattner, Easterday & Easterday, A. R. Titlow, and Bogle & Richardson.
The case occupied Judge Stallcup all day and will be continued probably the most of the week. The room was filled during the entire hearing.
In the morning the contest opened by attorneys for Mr. Hale asking for a jury trial, claiming that the points involved did not constitute a case in equity. The motion was argued at great length. The attorney for the receiver maintained that it was a case in equity. The judge overruled the motion at 2:30, and the trial proceeded.
Mr. Hale was the only witness examined, and his testimony was only partially taken. Mr. Titlow conducted the examination on the part of plaintiffs. Mr. Hale testified that he knew nothing of the whereabouts of the Tacoma Grocery Company's books. The company had sold them to J. D. Stacy & Co., but he did not know for what consideration or who Stacy & Co. were.
“Mr. Hale testified that he knew nothing of the whereabouts of the Tacoma Grocery Company's books.”
Corporate records vanishing before a receivership is a story as old as insolvency law. Modern bankruptcy courts still wrestle with missing books, asset shuffles, and executives who claim they don't know where the paperwork went.
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