SNARLING AT SEARL.

NZ Truth, Issue 128, 30 November 1907, Page 5

SNARLING AT SEARL.

A STABLEMAN OUT 0F PLACE.

Lyons Declares He's No

Cannibal.

The Baakrupt's Unsavoury Retort.

Edward John Sear], who runs a restaurant m Willis-street, is probably the most habitual bankrupt m the colony. Insolvency is his normal condition, and if he isn't bankrupt he is just recovering from that condition, or is just about to seek the protection of the Official Assignee. It stands, to reason that when a man's credit is rotten he can't make ado of it m a thriving centre that exists largely on paper, audit must be an< uphill game when one has to pay spot cash for everything. Yet Searl seems to have the capacity for inspiring confidence into people, and of using their credit to run his business. A stableman named Lyons left his legitimate occupation to join Searl m the hash-shop business m Willis-street, and lost about £400 over the deal. The ill-assorted partners have bitter altercations at the meetings of creditors, of which there have been two, and Ssarl has been assailed by other people to whota he owes money. These are Searl's private creditors and the joint creditors of the firm of Searl and ' Lyons, and while Searl's own particular creditors want him to continue m the business, the joint creditors want him to get out of it and allow Lyons, who has GOT SOME CREDIT LEFT, to run the show. On Wednesday Assignee Ashcroft asked Searl if it was a fact that on the previous Saturday he had asked the girls at the restaurant to go out on strike. Searl : No, I did not ; I tried to prevent it.

Lyons : It's a lie ; you came over at 9 o'clock and tried to get them to strike at 11. You shoved them out of the shop and they all went. Lyons further said that Searl had lied when he denied having any silver at the previous meeting, and the victimised partner mentioned various articles ; also three large cases on the premises, purchased when the little Duke was hereabouts. "A gentleman came to me," pursued the irate Lyons, "and told me Searl asked him to take a bogus" mortgage over the firm. He absolutely refused, and (significantly) we know where that mortgage went to."

A private creditor named Jupp. here arose to say something, but Lyons talked him down. "I've had to put my hand m my pocket to give him a meal," he said, indicating Jupp.

"You're a liar !" said Jupp

Turning Ms attention once more to the miserable Searl, the now-thor-oughly-roused Lyons said, "He's blackmniled me and robbed me ever since I went m, and the books show him £100 nhort now. He served me tlv> way he served Mr Weston."

It appears that Searl practically assie-nc-r! his right to the biz m July last, when he gave a hill of sale over the effects, and borrowed £36 lo pay the rent. When Lyons went m la+er he was ignorant of ' .this. The business was worth £500, and Lyons put down £150 and gave two bills for the balance of his share. Searl borrowed money on these bills until the amount they represented was exhausted. Lyons claimed that Searl old him, he hadn't discounted those hi'ls ; m fact, Lyons advanced moneys when the firm sot into difficulties on the understanding that thebills wouldn't he presented. Searl : No, you did riot. Lyons : Answer the truth for once ; didn't you ring up the' solicitor and ask him to return the bills ? Searl : I didn't come here .to answer questions from a man of your calibre. Lyons : YOU CALL ME A CANNIBAL, do you ? Well, my name doesn't stink m the streets like yours does. Searl : Your manure does, and that's where you ought to be. Searl further ' cast aspersions on Lyons's antecedents, whom he accused of being familiar with gaol, and several creditors appealed to the Assignee to' stop the unseemly scene.

The first meeting of creditors was adjourned to permit Searl to make a guaranteed offer of 10s m the £. iSearl was quite willing to make the offer, but couldn't guarantee payment. Lillie Searl, his wife, put m a tender of £1 for SeaiTs share of the business and liabilities. This was of course Searl. Lyons then offered to buy Searl out for £1 ss, and take over the liabilities of the joint partnership, and there was a "tug-'.-i'-war between Lyons's friends, who were mostly joint creditors, and the private creditors. The former wanted a public examination, and Mr Taylor, supported by Mr Hannah, moved m that direction. They were swamped, however, by Searl's friends, who didn't have much to say but who outvoted his enemies by reason of the enhanced value of the claims. In spite of this the Assignee, who betrayed considerable hostility to Searl, expressed his intention ofi holding a public examination, if the creditors would furnish the three or four guineas expenses. Boot manufacturer Hannah guaranteed that the cash would be forthcoming. Mr Cook, who appeared for a creditor, attempted to have a resolution to the effect that the meeting should recommend the discharge of Senile if ho consented to judgment .being entered up against him of 10s m the £ on all proved private defets, but the assignee refused to take the motion, which Mr Herdman and others representing joint creditors characterised

AS A GROSS IMPERTINENCE. Appealed to by the Assignee Mr Herdman said he was afraid that that official couldn't refuse to put the motion, but Mr Ashcroft did evade accepting the motion by simply adjourning the meeting for legal artvice. The motion would have been carried, for Searle's friends were m a majority nn value. Private crerlitors only were voting, hut the Assignee (who said he knew Srarle too well and wouldn't nrive lfls for his sovereign, and made other insulting remarks about the bankrupt") <'isevered Hint inint nnrtnersHn rrpf'itors co"ld nlso vote, and it wos r^olml to acqtiaint them with the glad tidings.