Jonas Reis & Co Bullion Dealer

This page contains newspapers stories involving Jonas Reis & Co Bullion Dealer of Liverpool. It also includes articles on his suicide. For biographical details on Jonas please view this page.

Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser – Tuesday 03 June 1851
DARING RORERRY

Joseph Brown was yesterday committed to the sessions for felony under the following daring circumstances :—Mr. Jonas Reis, the proprietor of a bullion and exchange office in Waterloo-road, stated that he was sitting in the private office behind his shop, about a quarter past five o’clock on Saturday afternoon, when he was alarmed by a sudden crash, and running out, he saw that the shop window, which consists of large squares of plate glass, was smashed ; and, upon a hasty examination, he ascertained that a £1 Irish provincial note had been abstracted. A lad named Richard Hughes saw the act committed just as he was leaving the shop, and he pointed the prisoner out to Mr. Reis’s shopman, who went after him. The man did not appear to be very anxious to escape, as he merely walked off, and was taken about fifty yards from the shop. When asked by the magistrate’s clerk whether he had anything to say, he replied he wanted to be sent to Australia.

Liverpool Shipping Telegraph and Daily Commercial Advertiser – Friday 27 July 1860
JONAS REIS ADVERTISEMENT

Liverpool Daily Post – Monday 22 October 1860
ADVERTISEMENT

To be LET, a Double OFFICE in Lord-street, on the first landing – Apply J. Reis and Co, Bullion and Exchange office, 21, Lord-street.

Liverpool Mail – Saturday 23 November 1861
CONVICTION FOR STEALING BANK NOTES

A few weeks ago, Patrick Ryan, Johanna Ryan, alias Fitzgibbon, and Mary Ryan, were apprehended in Liverpool under the following circumstances: — On the 25th October the male prisoner entered the office of Mr. Jonas Reis, money dealer, Lord-street, and requested change for a £100 note. In reply to an inquiry made by Mr. Reis, Ryan said his father had given him the note. The reply not being satisfactory to the inquirer, Ryan was handed over to the police. The same day the female prisoners entered the shop of Mr. Samuels, clothier. Great Howard-street and offered to give the proprietor £30 if he would change £100 note. They also were given into custody, and it was then ascertained by the police that the male and female prisoners were connected, and that the money formed part of £305 which had been stolen from Mrs. Tighe, of Merrion-square, Dublin. The prisoners were transferred to the custody of the Irish police, and on Tuesday they were tried at the Dublin city sessions. Johanna Ryan, being the wife of Patrick Ryan, and supposed, in point of law, to have acted under his control, was acquitted. The other prisoners were sentenced to be severally kept in penal servitude for five years. All the prisoners are old offenders.

Liverpool Daily Post — Saturday, April 05, 1862
JONAS REIS LETTER

Liverpool Daily Post — Saturday, 16 July, 1864
JONAS REIS ADVERTISEMENT

TO WHOLESALE WINE AND SPIRIT DEALERS AND EXPORTERS  —  To be Sold a bargain, to close an account, several lots of Brandy and Wine in Bond. – Apply to Messrs. J. Reis and Co., 21, Lord-street.

Liverpool Daily Post · Tuesday, 26 September 1865
ADVERTISEMENT

Liverpool Weekly Courier – Saturday 20 April 1867
FORGING A BILL OF EXCHANGE.

A respectable-looking man, named Joseph Barnabas Armroyd, was brought up on remand charged with having forged and uttered a bill of exchange for £72. 10s. 6d. The bill was dated the 13th December, 1866, payable in three months, and was drawn by Thomas Gorman upon Messrs. J. Martin and Co., merchants, Liverpool, payable at the City Bank, London. Mr. T. E. Stephens, from the office of Mr. A. S. Samuell, prosecuted. Mr. Jonas Reis, bill merchant, 21, Lord-street, said that on the 15th or 16th December last, the prisoner went to him and presented the bill of exchange produced to have it discounted. Witness declined to discount, saying that he (the prisoner) was not known to him and was not introduced. On the 22nd December the prisoner again went to the shop and asked for an advance of £23 upon the bill, saying he had some money to pay for wages. He accounted for his possession of the bill by saying that he had received it from Mr. E. Moore, cotton dealer, Glasgow-street. In consequence of the statement witness advanced £23, and received from the prisoner an I.O.U. On the 19th January the prisoner again called and asked for an advance [ … NOT CLEAR … ] prisoner applied for, saying that he was going to Manchester, where he had to receive £300, and that he would pay the £50 he had received the next day when he returned. As the prisoner did not call. Again, witness sent the bill up to London to his agents, and it was returned to him dishonoured.  Detective Smith said he apprehended the prisoner on the 31^st March in a public house in Great Howard-street, and charged him with forging and uttering the bill of exchange. In answer to the charge the prisoner said “It is all in my handwriting except Mr Reis’s signature. I must have been mad at the time. The prisoner was committed for trial at the assizes.

Liverpool Weekly Courier – Saturday 13 April 1867
A COTTON DEALER CHARGED WITH FORGERY.

Joseph B. Armroyd, a cotton dealer, lately carrying on business in Dale-street, was placed at the bar on the charge of having uttered a forged bill for £72. 10s, with intent to defraud Mr. Jonas Reis, bullion merchant, 21, Lord-street. The name of the drawer on the bill was Mr. Thomas German, the acceptors being alleged to be Messrs. J. Martin and Co., and it was endorsed by Mr. E. Moore, cotton dealer. These gentlemen were called and proved the falsity of the signatures, and the prisoner was then remanded for seven days.

[There is a record of a burial on 20 August 1867 at Kirkby Chapel, in Walton, Lancs. of a Joseph Barnabas Armroyd – aged 25 years. His ‘abode’ is given as being at Melling. A marriage record for Joseph has also been found]

County of Lancaster: Return of all Persons Committed, or Bailed to appear for Trial, or Indicted at the Assizes on the 11th day of December 1867, shewing the nature of their Offences and the Proceedings in each case.

Joseph Barnabus Armroyd  Indicted at the last Liverpool Assizes for forging an acceptance of a Bill of Exchange and uttering the same knowing it to be forged but being ill was postponed to these assizes. Died before the commencement of these Assizes.

Liverpool Daily Post – Saturday 30 January 1869
THE BANKRUPTCY ACT. 1861.
NOTICE OF SITTING FOR THE LAST EXAMINATION
AND ORDER OF DISCHARGE.

JONAS REIS, of Lord-street, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster. Bullion Merchant, trading under the firm of “J. Reis and Co,” having been adjudged Bankrupt under a petition for adjudication of bankruptcy filed in the Court of Bankruptcy for the Liverpool District, at Liverpool, on the Twelfth day of January, 1869, a Public Sitting for the said Bankrupt to pass his last examination and make application for his discharge will be held before Henry James Perry, Esquire, the Commissioner of the said Court, on the Fifteenth day of February, 1869, at Liverpool in the county of Lancaster. Eleven o’clock in the Forenoon precisely the day last aforesaid being the day limited for the said Bankrupt surrender. Charles Turner, Esquire, of Central-chambers. South Castle-street, Liverpool) is the Official Assignee; and Mr. A. S. Samuell No. 14, Cook-street. Liverpool, Solicitor acting in the bankruptcy. The first meeting creditors has been duly held in each of said Bankruptcies, and at the several public sittings above-mentioned, proofs of debts of creditors who have not proved will be received, and the said several bankrupts will be required respectively to surrender themselves to the said Court, and submit themselves to be examined, and to make a full disclosure and discovery of all their estate and effects, and to finish their examination.

Liverpool Albion – Monday 01 February 1869
SITTINGS FOR LAST EXAMINATION

Feb 15, J. Reis, Liverpool, Bullion Merchant

Liverpool Daily Post – Tuesday 16 February 1869
BANKRUPTCY COURT, MONDAY.

(Before Commissioner Mr Perry.) In re-Jonas Reis. — The bankrupt, bullion merchant in Lord-street, who came to the court on his own petition, in January last, now appeared to make application for his order of discharge.—Mr. Preston, from the office of Mr. Alfred Samuel stated that in this case the creditors had accented to the bankrupt’s proposal to pay them a composition of 1s 6d in the pound conditionally on his being allowed to retain his estate and therefore it was unnecessary for the bankrupt to make any discovery of his estate to the court, but simply to make application for order of discharge.— His Honour, in the absence of opposition, said the bankrupt might take the desired discharge.

Liverpool Weekly Courier – Saturday 12 June 1869
THEFT OF A DIAMOND RING.

Ann Hamilton, a well-dressed young woman, was charged with having stolen a gold diamond ring, the property of a gentleman named Reis, at whose house in Newbie-terrace, Belmont-road, she was a servant. The ring was missed from a dressing table in the bedroom on Friday morning. Detective Cozens was sent for on Saturday, and after making inquiries satisfied himself that the prisoner was the thief. He then charged her with having stolen the ring, and she admitted the offence, and said she had pawned the ring at Mr. Syred’s pawnshop, Park-lane, for 15s. Some of the money, which she had in her box, she gave up to the officer. Mr. Cobb, who appeared on behalf of the prisoner, said she had hitherto borne a good character, and this was her first offence. Mr. Reis, the prosecutor, said he did not wish to press the charge, and the prisoner was then remanded for a week.

Liverpool Daily Post — Saturday, January 27, 1872
JONAS REIS ADVERTISEMENT

To be sold, 200 shares in the Bampfylde Copper Mining Company (Limited). – Apply to J. Reis and Co., 21, Lord-street.

Glasgow Daily · Saturday, 23 May 1874

Liverpool Weekly Courier – Saturday 23 May 1874
CHARGE OF FORGERY ON A SCOTCH BANK.

At Liverpool, on Thursday. Inspector Cozens and Detective officer Grubb apprehended a young man named James Brown Armstrong, formerly a bookkeeper in the employ of Messrs. Robertson I and M’Callum, accountants, 116, St. Vincent-street, Glasgow. It appears that. the prisoner clandestinely left service of his employers on the 11th instant, having previously abstracted a leaf from their cheque-book, which he filled up for the sum of £4O, and to which he forged the signature of Messrs. Robertson and M’Callum. He then endorsed the cheque with the name of John H. M’Callum, and left it with Messrs. Reis and Co., of Lord-street, Liverpool, on Saturday. The conduct of Armstrong appeared so plausible and straightforward that Messrs. Reis did not doubt the bona fides of the transaction and forwarded the cheque to the Glasgow City Bank in the usual way. On Monday they received a telegram intimating that the cheque was a forgery. Messrs. Reis immediately communicated with the Liverpool detective police, which resulted in the apprehension of Armstrong. We understand that the authorities in Glasgow were immediately communicated with, and the prisoner will be brought before the magistrate in Liverpool yesterday with a view to his removal to Glasgow. The prisoner was brought before Mr. Raffles yesterday, and evidence having been given in proof of the forgery, was ordered to be given up to the Glasgow police.

Liverpool Journal of Commerce – Monday 26 March 1877
SUICIDE OF A BANKER.

On Saturday night. Mr. Jonas Reis, a banker and moneychanger of Lord-street. Liverpool, and residing in Newbie-terrace, Everton, went to the North Western Hotel, Liverpool, and engaged a bedroom. The next morning Mr. Reis’s family received a note from him, stating that in consequence of heavy losses on the Stock Exchange he had resolved to destroy himself. Several members of the family at once proceeded to the hotel, where they were horrified to find that the unfortunate gentleman had fulfilled his intention, having taken a quantity of laudanum. He was found in bed in an insensible state, and did not recover consciousness. He died about noon yesterday, in spite of the efforts of Dr. Long and Dr. Gee, who were summoned as soon as the painful fact was made known. The deceased gentleman was a German and of the Jewish religion, and was highly respected and widely known.

Liverpool Weekly Courier – Saturday 31 March 1877
SUICIDE OF A LIVERPOOL BANKER.

The death has taken place at the Northwestern Hotel, Lime-street, of Mr. Jonas Reis, banker and bullion merchant, of Lord-street. Liverpool, under melancholy circumstances. The deceased, who was about 55, and a member of the Hebrew sect, had at midnight on Saturday gone to the hotel taken a bed for the night. Nothing occurred to arouse suspicion till shortly after eight o’clock on Sunday morning, when attention was called to his bedroom, and then Mr. Reis was found by the servants of the hotel in a semi-unconscious state. Medical aid was at once sent for, and in a short time Dr. Gee and Dr Long were in attendance. They found that Mr. Reis was suffering from the effects of laudanum, of which a large quantity appeared to have been taken. Antidotes were administered, but notwithstanding the remedies applied, the patient only lived some three hours after his danger was discovered. Mr. Reis had been in business a long time, formerly in Bath-street, and for the last twenty years or so in Lord-street and was a well-known member of the Jewish persuasion. On Tuesday an inquest was held on the body. Arthur Montagu Reis, living at deceased’s house, 24, Newby-terrace, Belmont-road, said his father left on Saturday night, and on Sunday morning he received a letter by post from his father saying that there was something the matter, and he went to the Northwestern Hotel, from whence the letter was addressed. The deceased was found insensible. He had been “a little curious in his manner’ of late’.

Adolph Breslau, shipping and insurance agent of this town, said he knew the deceased well, and saw him at the hotel on Sunday morning insensible, and he died three hours afterwards. He had been depressed and disturbed lately. Mr. Aspinall (the coroner).—Can you attribute that to anything? Witness: I should think to his heavy losses in business. The Son.—Very likely it was the effects of the very heavy losses he had suffered on the Stock Exchange. The Coroner (to the son). — Did he speak to you about these things? I knew about it, for I was with him in his business. Annie Langler, bookkeeper at the Northwestern Hotel, deposed to the deceased coming to the hotel Saturday night, between 11.15 and 11.30, and asking for a bed. He wanted nothing to eat or drink. In conversation with him she asked him if he had come by train. He seemed disinclined to converse, but said no to that question. When she asked him if he wanted a fire in his bedroom, he said, emphatically, ” No, certainly not.” but returning to the office shortly he said, “Let me have a fire.” Catherine Evans, chambermaid at the hotel, who showed the deceased his room, said he looked rather queer, but in answer to the Coroner admitted that she might not have thought so except for the fatal occurrence. Deceased asked for a key for his room door, as the keys in the doors were fixed ones, only to be used from the inside. She told him he might get an independent key at the bar, but he said nothing more about it. It was further given in evidence that when in consequence of the letters sent to his son the room in which the deceased lay was entered the door was not locked. He was lying on the bed with only his boots off in a comatose state. Three medical men (Drs. Irving, Long, and Gee) were sent for, but in spite of their skill deceased never rallied, but died. There were all the symptoms of poisoning, and three small bottles which had contained laudanum were found beside him, and the contents had evidently been emptied into a tumbler. After the coroner summed up, the jury found that deceased committed suicide by taking laudanum whilst in a state of temporary insanity.

Liverpool Daily Post – Wednesday 28 March 1877
THE SUICIDE OF A LIVERPOOL BANKER.
HEAVY LOSSES THE STOCK EXCHANGE.

Mr. C. Aspinall, the coroner, held an inquest yesterday afternoon on the body of Jonas Reis, fifty-six years of age, bullion dealer and banker, Lord street, who resided at 24, Newbie-terrace, Belmont road. Arthur M. Reis, the son of the deceased, said that his father did not return home on Saturday night last, and on Sunday morning they received through the post a pencil note. It stated: “My room is in the North-Western. No.144. On the receipt of the note a friend of the family went down to the hotel. Lately, the witness had noticed that his father did not talk, and was rather curious. He had recently had large losses on the Stock Exchange. The deceased was never in the habit of taking laudanum; and had had good health. The deceased’s losses had been going on for the last few months. He had been very much put out of the way, and constantly had his difficulties on his mind, but his family never thought of his doing such a thing as he had done. Mr. Adolphe Breslauer, shipping and insurance agent, friend of the deceased, said that he was at the house of Mr. Reis Sunday morning when the note arrived, and at once went to the hotel. He found the deceased in bed, insensible. He lived three hours, and expired in the presence of witness, he was never able speak during that time. Witness had remarked that during the last six months be had been unusually quiet. He had frequently complained of the dullness of business, and witness supposed the change in his condition was due to his having incurred some very great losses on the Stock Exchange. Mr. A. M. Reis said that it was very likely that the heavy losses he had sustained had made him distressed. Miss Annie Langler, bookkeeper at the hotel, said deceased went there about a quarter-past eleven on Saturday night, and asked for a bed. A few words of ordinary conversation passed between them, but the deceased seemed disinclined to talk. He remarked that it was very cold, and she advised him to have a fire in his room. He replied, emphatically, “No,” but afterwards he returned and asked that a fire should be lit in the room. Catherine Evans, chambermaid, said that she thought deceased looked rather queer. She might not have thought so had it not been for the subsequent fatal occurrence. Deceased asked for a key for his room door, the keys in the doors were fixed ones, only to be used from the inside. She told him he might get an independent key at the bar, but he said nothing more about it. Mary Ann Robertson, another chambermaid, stated that she found the deceased lying on his bed at about half-past eight in the morning, with all his clothes on except the boots, evidently very ill. The door was not locked. There were bottles and a glass beside the bed.

Dr. Gee gave evidence to the effect that he was called to attend the deceased, in conjunction with Drs. Long and Irwin. They found him in a perfectly comatose state, from which they were unable to rouse him. It was evident that had died from the effects of laudanum. The Coroner summed up. He said that if the jury were of opinion that the deceased died from poison administered by his own hand, it would be for them to consider his state of mind. It was argued by some people that all acts of self-destruction indicated mental derangement; but he did not subscribe to that doctrine, nor did the law recognize such a theory. The law distinctly recognized that there was such a thing as willful self-murder, and it provided consequences for murders of that sort. The mere fact that a man took his own life, intending to take it, was not proof, by any manner of means, that he had reason enough to deliberate in a really sane way what he was about, because, of course, the intention to take life might be clear enough, and yet there might be present a large amount of mental irresponsibility which marked the man as a person in unsound mind. Minds were subject to temporary derangements. He could not give the jury any very defined or accurate reason why it should be so in this case or in any other case, and why one man should be affected one way and one another; but, still, minds were, deranged from time to time by a variety of causes, and one man’s mind would be overbalanced by small things, another not without very great pressure. It was very difficult to tell what kind of pressure a man had been subject to. Reticence might indicate a large amount of suffering, and anxiety and trouble might be all the more acute because of such reticence. The more you kept a real trouble, or even an imaginary trouble, to yourself, the more it acted upon your system and led to evil results. So that one really could not tell what this poor gentleman had suffered, what led to his suffering, although they were told that transactions in business, not having been at all successful, were preying upon him a good deal; and it might be that it was not so much an avaricious love of money that disturbed him as a thoroughly honourable and upright dislike to being put into a position not to act by his friends as he would wish to in engagements that he had entered into with them. He could quite understand that a man of great integrity of purpose would be more disturbed in his mind if he understood was going to involve other people in losses than he would be by any amount of loss which he would suffer for alone. Was it a case of mental derangement? The jury were quite aware that the amount of mental derangement which ought to be betrayed at assize trial in order to save a person in whose behalf a plea of insanity was put forth, should very definitely be considered, but in a court of this kind they naturally felt that if they had any definite, tangible, clear proof, though there might not be any  excess of it, that the mind had been unduly strained or disturbed, the feeling would be to give on open verdict, and so not to grieve, but rather to mitigate, if they justly and honourably could, the painful consideration of persons interested in what they had to do. The jury, after few minutes’ consideration, found that the deceased had committed suicide while labouring under temporary insanity.

Liverpool Albion – Saturday 14 April 1877
POLICE COURTS. DALE-STREET—SATURDAY. •
A FELONIOUS BODY WATCHER

A young man, named Mark Jacob Simbery, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for stealing some gold studs which had been taken from the clothing of Mr. Reis the bullion merchant, who had committed suicide at the Northwestern Hotel. The prisoner had been employed to watch the body pending the holding of the inquest.

Liverpool Weekly Courier – Saturday 14 April 1877
ROBBING THE DEAD.

At the Police on Saturday, before Mr. Rides, Mark Jacob Sunberg [Simbery?] was charged with stealing a pair of studs, value £2. the property of the executors of the late Mr. Reis bullion merchant, of this town. It will be remembered that on Sunday, the 27th ult., Mr. Reis died at the London and Northwestern Hotel, in Lime-street. On the following morning the head-porter of the hotel took the studs out of the shirt front of the deceased gentleman, and Dr. Gee put them into the deceased’s trousers pocket and placed them into a drawer. The prisoner, with two other men, were engaged to watch by the body according to the custom of the Jews, of which community the deceased was a member; and they saw what was done with the studs. After an inquest which was held on the body it was discovered that the studs were gone. This was the 27th ult., and on the 28th Detective Chadwick found that the studs had been pledged by the prisoner, who is a glazier, and also a Jew, at the pawnshop of John Little, 61, Brownlow-hill, for 17s. 6d. He arrested the man and charged him. He said he had found them lying about the room, and if he hadn’t taken them someone else would. The pawn ticket relating to the studs was found upon him. It appeared from the evidence of the pawnbroker that the prisoner brought the studs to his shop and asked the value of them, saying that he wanted to buy them. The pawnbroker having told him they would be cheap at 30s., he returned with them in an hour’s time and asked and obtained 17s. 6d. loan on them. Mr. Raffles sentenced the prisoner, who pleaded guilty, to three months’ imprisonment, remarking that the circumstances surrounding the case aggravated the nature of the offence.

Liverpool Daily Post – Monday 10 December 1877
THE LATE MR. JONAS REIS.

For a great number of years, the late Mr. Jonas Reis was well known Liverpool banker and man of high integrity. When his death occurred some time ago there was general regret, but the loss was specially felt in the Jewish community, of which he was a prominent though unostentatious member. Yesterday a splendid polished granite monument, which has been erected his memory in the Deane-road Jewish Cemetery, by his widow and children, was unveiled by the Rev. Dr. Prag, in the presence of a large assemblage. Amongst those at the cemetery were the Rev. Morris Joseph, Dr. Lewis, the Rev. G. M. Patler, Messrs. Ranger, Newgass. Champion, A. M. Reis (second son of the deceased), Schoepples, A. Samuel, K. Pagano, W. Newton. A. Dresiauer, S. A. Romaine, T. Woodburn, W. S. Pricker, A. Ott. W. Bettison, C. Ashton. AC. Owing to unavoidable circumstances, Mr. C. L. Reis, Dublin, the eldest son of the deceased gentleman, was unable to be present. The monument, which is in obelisk form, is one of the handsomest in the cemetery, and bears, in Hebrew and English, the following inscription:—”Sacred to the memory Jonas Reis, who departed this life March 25, 1877. A devotedly attached, kind, and loving husband; affectionate, indulgent father; a sincere and true friend; charitable and noble-hearted to all who needed; renowned for his talents, highly cultivated mind, and refined soul. In the midst health and happiness snatched from the home and hearts of his sorrowing wife and children. May his soul rest in peace.”

The Rev. Dr. Praag, after offering some prayers in Hebrew over the grave, said that they were assembled to pay a last tribute of respect to a brother in faith who by his sterling qualities, his modest walk through life, his straightforwardness, and exemplary moral honest character, had endeared himself to his family and large circle of friends. Whatever was good and noble, whatever the Lord required of man, whatever claim the world laid upon humanity, and society demanded of its members, their departed friend had endeavoured to accomplish. He was a devoted husband, loving father, and a friend to the poor and needy. He had departed from the scenes of earthly turmoil in the height of life, but he had left to the world sons, who, since the day of his departure, had not omitted to appear before God morning and evening to pour out their hearts in fervent prayer in His temple. He hoped that God would pour the balm of consolation into the hearts of the widow and the children, and that when they repaired from the noisy scenes of world to that sacred spot, the monument might remind them that there was a holy bond between the living and the dead—a secret cord that united time with eternity.—The son of the deceased then offered a prayer in Hebrew over his father’s tomb, and those who had gathered together under heavy downpour rain to show their respect to the memory of the deceased, dispersed.

The company of J. Reis & Co. was continued after the death of Jonas Reis by his son Arthur Montagu Reis; but the company failed.

Dundee Evening Telegraph – Wednesday 18 August 1880
FAILURE OF LIVERPOOL MERCHANTS.

Messrs. J. Reis & Co., Liverpool merchants and bankers, have suspended payment owing to severe loses, non-receipt of remittances from abroad, and other causes.

Liverpool Echo – Friday 03 September 1880
THE AFFAIRS MESSRS. REIS AND CO.

The first meeting of creditors of Messrs. J. Reis and Co., of Lord-street and south Castle-street, Liverpool, who have been established for many years bankers, bullion dealers, and money changers, was held yesterday at the offices of Mr. Steinforth, solicitor, York-buildings, and afterwards, in consequence of the large number of creditors present, by adjournment to the Law Association-rooms, M. Bradstock Lockett, Mr. Steinforth, Messrs. Whitley and Maddock, Messrs. Earle, Son, Orford, and Co. (Manchester), with Mr. Eastwood, Mr. Rogers, and Mr. Bolland, represented the creditors. A large number of proofs of debt were tendered, the principal ones being that for the purchase money of the goodwill the business for £3,000, and the other by Messrs. Nair and Greenhow for £1,280. Mr. Bolland, the receiver, produced a statement of affairs showing liabilities £10,500, and net assets £2,300, consisting almost entirely of debts due by traders on the West Coast of Africa, to whom goods had been consigned, amounting to £5,300. The debtor, Mr. A. Reis, it appeared, had only been in business for the last eighteen months, having taken it over from his late father’s executors for the sum of £3,003. Mr. Steinforth explained that the debtor had filed his petition in consequence of pressure from one of the principal creditors, who wanted a preference over the rest, and thus the assets, although they showed 5s in the pound, could only be realised by the estate being kept out of liquidation or bankruptcy, as the solitary mode of collecting debts due by traders in Africa was to continue to give them credit as an inducement to discharge their old liabilities, and hence the debtor did not see a way to offer more than a shilling in the pound. The chairman and several creditors expressed their strong dissent to such a proposal, and the meeting separated without pressing any resolution.

Eager to distance himself from his brother’s failure another of Jonas’ sons, Charles Lionel Reis, published the following:

The Freeman’s Journal   19 September 1880
LETTER