Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1857-09-08

ruary settlements. Mr.. Breslin was not
backward in avaihng himself of the pow
ers conferred upon him by the law. The
County Treasurers were liberal IN their
deposits. In 1855, he refunded to them
Sc 827 40, which they had paid above
the amount of taxes due from their coun-
ties to the State. Atthe annual settlement
in 1856, Mr.. Bresln refunded to them an
excess of $44, 1888 80 which had been
deposited with Mr.. Breslin previous to his
retiring from office.
WHO is THE DEFAULTER y?
The evidence against Mr.. Gibson con-
sists of acknowledgements made by him
to public officers and Committees of The
Legislature in his official character and
under the solemnity of his official oath. =
There is nothing in the testimony Of the
witnesses indicating that he had embezzled
the public funds. Though we have made
dilligent inquiry, we have found no trace
of any investments having been made by
him beyond what his private pecuniary re-
sources would justify.
The books of the Office do not show that
any portion of the balance due to the State
from Mr.. Breslin was ever paid to Mr.. Glib
son, or that any funds were ever placed III
his hands to redeem outstanding certificates
to county Treasurers.
In his settlement with county Treasurers
in 1856, Mr. Gibson received the certiti-
Gates of deposit or receipts issued by Mr.
Breslin, and charged himself with them
as cash in his account with the severa
classes of revenue.
The act of 1916 required the county
.Treasurers to make these deposits with the
State Treasurer. and prescribed the time
and manner of making them.
They had been made in exact conforml
ty with the provisions Of the statute. L
was not therefore competent for him to pro
nounce them Illegal, or refuse to credi
them on the account of the several parties
to whom they bad been issued.
In the settlement Book, these certili
Gates are carefully marked with the initia
letter of Mr.. Brpslin.
Mr.. Gibson has kept his accounts anc
made his reports in a manner which i'm
piled that Mr.. Breslin had paid in full th'
balance due from the State. He has beer
silent about any defalcation on the part o
his predecessor. His silence raises th'
presumption of payment. The Legitimate
inference, under ordinary circumstances
would be that the Indebtedness had beel
fully discharged; but in the financial trans
actions of the Ohio State Treasury, thi
reasoning is altogether illogical. Mr.. Bis
transferred all the balance due from. hi
{ predecessor to his books, yet it is wei
known that Mr.. Whitehill, without au
!. thority of law, retained $4,000 of thos
balances, 1t is true, and justice TO MI
, Whitehill to say, that upon close scrutin
of his accounts, this sum has been toun'
really due, and has been allowed to him,
By the same process Of book keeping
Mr.. Breslin concealed deficit of $65, ,OO
f for his predecessor. He not only conceal
ed it, but, in response to resolution G
the Senate, averred that Mr.. Bliss ha
paid over TO him the balances which ap
! peared on the books of the Department.
1t has been the uniform practice of sue
cessive Treasurers to carry forward tf
balances due from their predecessors, witt
out regard to the fact of payment. III
manner in which the books of the ofic
, have been kept does not, therefore, prov
= that Mr.. Breslin furnished Mr.. Gibson tt
a means with which to redeem outstandin
y certificates, or paid him any portion OF II
' public funds in his hands at the eXpiratlc
b of his official term.
70 STRONG CASE AGAINST GIBSON.
The statements of Mr.. Gibson, made {
:, numerous occasions, in his official ohara
} ter and over his official signature, make
very strong case against him.
- ~ In letter of March 18th, 1856, a.
. dressed to Mr.. Kelley, Chairman of Il
l. Finance Committee of the Senate, he say
"a "My predecessor has provided mean
from time to time, to meet these certit
Gates, and but $3.50, 600 are now outstan
j, ing. When he fails to place me in fund
,,if will refuse to accept these illegal cert
:, Gates" The certificates issued by N
W Breslin in 1856 amounted TO $760,715 :
~ The foregoing statement therefore is equl
= alent to an acknowledgment Of the rece1
:, of $780, 70, at that date.
IL, In an ODlCldl SGdleInellG Vi thO Oohui'i
! of the Treasury (Which has not been pu
70 r. lished, but which is in our possessio
~ furnished to him by the same Committ'
he acknowledges that he had recoiv
:, from his predecessor in office up to
u 18th of February, 1856, the sum
8 $500, ,8O5 10.
a. His letter of the 29th of March, 16t
Oh is more explicit and unequivocal tn
H. either of the preceding statements. 1t
Y perhaps the strongest item OF evider
81 against Mr.. Gibson, which has been 81
,iS mitted to our consideration. 1t is
ne specific, minute and circumstantial, Il
II IN we deem proper to give it in full. 1t is
follows:
Oh STATE TREAstRER's OFFICE,
q Columbus, March 22, 1857
ne Hon. A. KELLEY, Chairman, &c
III Dear Sir Below find statement of
eh gross and several sums Of money paid
wS w by John G. Bresin, Esq, late Treasur
" on account of balances due from him
1856.
'V' Jan. A. 1928, ISL OS
I5---- 24,702 90
10 Z" 16---- 75,20O %
88 " H. 59,977 o8-s$383,672
40 Feb. g. 29,345 80