The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1857-08-27
Abstract of the Official Report
on
THE TREASURY DEFALCATION.

The Defalcation Documents are quite
voluminous, but contain little fresh in
formation. We have the deposition of
WILLIAM Fl. GIBSON, late Treasurer,
which in its complete form would occu-
py about four of our columns: but we
think we can give the substance there
of in much less space. Mr.. Gibson
states that when he took the Office of
Treasurer, the accounts showed S204,-
9S797 due from his predecessor on rev.
enue accounts, and S94, ,92647, funds to
redeem the bills of the Canal Bank of
Cleveland BREsLIN's receipts, or GER
tificates of deposits, issued to County
Treasurers for money advanced. were
outstanding to the amount of $780,
1870; but of these there was no ac-
count by Mr.. Bresln, and Mr.. Gibson
first became aware of their existence
when they were presented by the Treas
urers, at their annual settlement in
1856. On the day that Gibson took
office, Breslin paid him 1928, 791 O2.-
In answer to the inquiry whether Bres
lin subsequently paid him anything, Mr.
ulDSOn says. q
He paid me s75, ,2OO25, Jan'y 10th.
1856; 81 $50 counterfeit and deprecia-
ted bank bills on the 9th of February.
1856; S2,61645, February 18th, 1856
And on the 9th day of February, 1856,
he paid S737 62; and delivered to me
securities fol debt of $50, 900 due the
State from the Dayton Bank, for which
| gave a receipt, expressing upon its
face, what it was for. For all these
payments l gave official receipts, and
Mr.. Breslin holds none except for
the amounts named. He made no pay
ments for which l did not give receipts
Ireceived $40, 1000 on debt of Dayton
Bank The whole amount paid me by
Mr.. Breslin was S303, 865 "a, to which
may be added the $4,000 paid by Day
ton Bank through Mr.. Beckel.
In answer to the question
"When these certificates issued to
County Treasurers were presented to
you by them, did Mr.. Breslin make any
arrangements with you for their redemp-
ton, and if so, what and why was not
the arrangements fulfilled on his part?''
Gibson replies:
considered that s2OS, ,5S7.26 of the
amount paid me was applicable to the
redemption of these certificates; which
amount remained after deducting the
amount admitted to be due on account
of revenues and Bank, as stated before.
He made no other or further provis-
ions to meet the certificates; nor did he
make or propose to make any arrange
ment in relation to their redemption
except that when I met him he assured
me that he would do so, and never du-
ring my term of office, intimated that he
was unable or unwilling to do so.
Mr. Breslin was absent and | seldom
met him during the time that these GER
tificates were being presented. Doubt
ing the liability of the State, upon the
certificates, advised with the Attorney
General, (KimbalD whow as Of opinion,
that | was compelled to receive them as
cash, according 10 their terms.
But, MIR. Breslin made no arrange
ments, except to make promises, and
why they were not fulfilled, it is impos-
sible for me TO state.
He FIRST admitted his inability to meet
his obligations to the State after re-
signed Office. n
In GIBsoN's conversations with BREs-
LIN, the impression was made on his
mind that he b. was able to meet his
liabilities, but he never said where the
money to do so was to come from. Glib
son never inquired as to that; and Bres-
lin never had anything to say to Gibson
relative to his transactions while in Of
fee OF afterward. In june OF July, '54,
probably later" Gibson borrowed of
Breslin s25, 900 of the currency Of the
Greensboro branch, Maryland, giving
his personal obligation to be redeemed
in the same currency. His object was
Ito pay fifty per cent, on ISL 900 stock