HOMER E. RHUEBOTTOM AND CORTLAND CORSET MFG. CO.

This image, copied from Grip's Historical Souvenir of Cortland, shows the Gillette Skirt factory in 1899. A wood frame building used to be located on this same lot and housed the Cortland Corset Mfg. Co. A few years after the corset company failed, the Gillette Skirt Co. purchased the property and began operations. When the wood frame building was destroyed by fire, the factory was rebuilt with stone. 

Cortland Semi-Weekly Standard, Tuesday, February 23, 1897.

HOMER E. RHEUBOTTOM.

JOINS THE CHAIN GANG TO WORK ON THE CORPORATION.

Once Lived in Cortland, Where He Wrecked the Cortland Corset Co.—Sketch of His Career Here and Elsewhere.

   The Atlanta Constitution of Tuesday, Feb. 16, contains a two-column cut of Homer E. Rhuebottom, formerly of Cortland, and the following article:

“RHUEBOTTOM IN THE CHAIN GANG.”

   H. E. Rhuebottom left the jail in which he has been confined for over twelve months, yesterday morning, to work his sentence in the chain gang with that of the other county convicts. He has six months to serve in the county chain gang and served the first day yesterday. It is the first time he has been out of jail for any length of time in some months. He was placed in a gang in charge of Capt. Donaldson and began work yesterday morning. He will be kept at hard labor for six months.

   The consigning of Rhuebottom to the county chain gang ends his case which has so long been before the public. He awaited trial for a long time, and when he finally obtained a hearing, the case ended adversely for him.

    It will be remembered that on Jan. 25, 1897, The STANDARD published the following United Press dispatch send out from Atlanta:

   ATLANTA, Ga., Jan. 25—The jail holds and the taxpayers are supporting a curious prisoner. H. E. Rhuebottom has been confined for fourteen months. During this time he has never been heard to grumble about his imprisonment. The other prisoners at the jail have given him the title of the “silent prisoner.” Repeated efforts have been made to have the case tried and a decision rendered. It has been placed on the docket fruitlessly three or four times, yet it has never been tried.

   It is a case of out of the frying pan into the fire. If he is dismissed on the charge of cheating and swindling he will be immediately arrested by a deputy marshal of the United States for violating the postal laws. If he is sentenced to the state camps it will only be for a few years. When his term expires a representative of the United States will be on hand to again conduct him to prison, and a long time in the penitentiary awaits him. Rhuebottom, then, is aware of the fact that he lets his case come before the state court, it matters not what the decision may be, he seals his future fate.

   It seems that the recent prisoner of Fulton county jail prefers to spend the rest of his days there than to spend the rest of his days there than to be the prisoner of Uncle Sam for a stated term of years. On each of the days set for trial a deputy United States marshall has been in the courtroom with a warrant in his pocket. Rhuebottom, still languishing in jail, is a heavy expense on the county. For fourteen months he has been eating from the jail larder, and he continues to eat. Rhuebottom was formerly a wholesale merchant in New York.

   Rhuebottom is well remembered in Cortland, and there are a number of people here who wish they did not remember him so well. He came to Cortland in February, 1891, from Weedsport, N. Y. He represented himself as an expert and experienced manufacturer of corsets, and desired to get up a company here for their manufacture. He roused the interest of Samuel E. Welch, who was then a prosperous dry goods merchant, and of Byron H. Bierce. A company was formed under the title of the Cortland Corset Manufacturing Co., and was capitalized at $19,000. Messrs. Welch and Bierce took all the stock except $2,000 which was purchased by Mrs. Rhuebottom, who appeared to have the money in the family. It was not known then, but it appeared later that Rhuebottom did not dare to hold any property in his own name, as he was then under indictment for swindling at Weedsport. His father had been a manufacturer of corsets at Weedsport and the son had learned the business there, but he had swamped the concern by swindling the stockholders.

   Rhuebottom was about the smoothest and most plausible fellow who ever came to Cortland. He identified himself prominently with the Congregational church. He attended all services and took part in religious and social work. He became a member of a number of social organizations in town and made himself highly popular.

   The company obtained possession of the plant of the old corset company on Homer-ave. and began operations March 1, 1891. Rhuebottom was superintendent and manager and had charge of the books. From Mr. Welch we learn that about forty hands were employed at first and for a considerable time as many as 160. The first year the company sold over $49,000 of finished work and seemed in a highly prosperous condition. It was in operation for a year and a half. Before the end of that time it appeared that Rhuebottom had disposed of all the money realized and had borrowed largely from many sources in the company’s name. The creditors pressed hard and the concern was terribly embarrassed. Rhuebottom attempted to explain his books and made a plausible statement. The other stockholders trusted him.

   About this time he went to New York and formed a new company which was incorporated under the laws of the state of New Jersey which was to buy all the goods of the Cortland company and sell them. For a few months the Cortland company sent goods to New York, hoping to get out of its difficulties in that way rather than to close up at once. But matters kept getting worse and the end came. The New Jersey company proved no good and Rhuebottom only took this means to get more goods into his possession to sell. Rhuebottom carried off nearly all the books of the Cortland company and they could never be found. Steps were taken to get possession of the books, but to no purpose. The liabilities of the company exceeded $70,000 and the assets were trifling. The result was that in paying the debts of the company Messrs. Welch and Bierce lost almost all they had of the savings of a lifetime of honorable business. The most important thing of all—their own good name—they did not lose. The matter was well understood by the people at large, and the two gentlemen who had always been known here were held in the same high respect and esteem as before. They did all in their power to pay the debts of the company and secure their creditors. They were and are honored by all and they also have the sympathy of all.

   Rhuebottom never came back to Cortland. Some people have kept track of him from time to time and at last he turned up in Atlanta jail, where for a time he kept his identity concealed. All will learn with interest of his conviction in Georgia. Apparently he hasn’t the smoothest patch in the world before him, for it would appear from the Atlanta dispatch that after the county gets through with him the state will take him in hand.

A Pharmacist and a Physician.

   Dr. Paul Tracy Carpenter has just received notice that he is one of the successful candidates who took the medical examination before the state board of regents at Buffalo recently. He already held a pharmacist’s certificate and is thus now the only person in Cortland holding both certificates. He can practice either branch in the state of New York and, owing to the high standard required to pass these examinations in this state, the certificates are recognized in nearly every state in the Union. P. T. Carpenter, M. D., is to be congratulated.

Operation in the Hospital.

   Augustus Tyrrel, a middle-aged man who was employed in the trim shop of the Cortland Wagon Co., was operated upon at the hospital Friday by Dr. Dana assisted by Drs. Higgins, Sornberger and Reese. He had a bad abscess in the lower part of the liver and was in a very dangerous condition. The operation is successful and the patient is doing well.

To Aid Cuba.

   [Cortland Village] President Benton has received a communication from the Cuban league at New York asking for the naming of a committee of prominent citizens who will organize a branch of the Cuban league of the United States. The intention is to create a sentiment that will stand back of the government in taking steps to end the Cuban war. President Benton will be glad to appoint as such committee any one who feels such an interest in the matter as to be ready to do some work for the cause. If they will notify him of their interest and willingness to work he will promptly appoint them and notify the headquarters of their appointment.