In re Haley

By a certificate of a referee in bankruptcy, it is represented that, in a bankruptcy matter referred to him for administration, one George W. Haley, the bankrupt therein, has committed a contempt of this court and of its process, and, after a finding to that effect, the referee recommends that his finding be confirmed by the court and that Haley be punished for contempt of court.

The matter was set for hearing after notice to Haley, who appeared with counsel and filed a motion to dismiss the contempt proceedings and also filed an answer to the certificate of the referee.

Without reciting the findings set out in the certificate, the substance of them is that Haley has filed four voluntary petitions in bankruptcy in this court in the period from 1921 to December 26, 1929; that at no time has he paid the referee’s indemnity according to law; that each time when he filed said voluntary petition in bankruptcy he had pending against him in the state courts certain actions for the recovery of debt, and that his purpose in filing such successive voluntary petitions in bankruptcy was to obtain the benefits of the National Bankruptcy Act (11 USCA), and that in each instance he obtained…