Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-09-16

'-'Ne-eN0 NiANN VIZ was HShoShe
upon its daily receipts to meet its cur
rent expenses.
The conduct of party is always of
great Importance in determining his guilt
or innocence.
The flight of one accused of crime is
circumstance indicatory of guilt. An
innocent man does not resort TO it. In.
stead of avoiding, he courts inquiry into
his conduct. Mr.. Breslin was requested
by letter, "a copy of which is hereto
attaehed) to furnish us with the receipts
executed by Mr.. Gibson to him and to
be present at the examination of the
witnesses. He has neither complied
with our request nor replied to our letter.
He has fled to a foreign jurisdiction
His flight was accompanied with decla-
rations clearly proving that he resorted
to it in order to avoid inquiry. He said
to one of the witnesses that he would
not be taken his person they should
never have under any circumstances.
If Mr.. Breslin has paid his successor
all the public moneys, which were in his
hands, he must have evidence of the
fact. To the request made of him to
produce the receipts executed by Mr..
Gibson, he has not thought proper to
reply.
Not being able to obtain the best evil
dence of the amounts which he paid
to his successor. a familiar legal prin-
ciple authorized us to resort TO that of
inferior quality. On application to Mr..
Gibson we were furnished with copies cf
the receipts. They confirm his state
ments of the amounts received by him.
They are herewith submitted.
1t appears that Mr.. Breslin had some
interest in the Greensboro Bank of Mary
land, and it is in evidence that he spent
$4,000 in contesting and resisting the
repeal of its charter before the Legisla-
ture of that State. 1t is clear that with
in the last year, he was the holder of
$1,000 of the Cumberland Saving In
stitution of the same State.
He loaned $50, ,OU0 to the Sandusky,
Mansfield and Newark Railroad Com
psny, on which he received but $4,000
and compromised the balance by taking
the bonds of the Company for SO. 500.
payable in 1858, '59 go and '6l.
He also loaned TO the Cleveland,
GAINESVILLE and Cincinnati Railroad Com
pauy a large sum, the original amount
of which we have not been able to learn.
In December last there was due upon it
the sum of S98. $40. SO which was paid
in the bonds of the Company, payable
in November, 1859, with per cent in
terest.
Mr.. Breslin sought interviews with
two of the witnesses whom we have ex-
amined, and in conversations with them
made Acknowledgements which demon
strate that the defalcation occurred dur
ing his administration of the Treasury
In conversation with Col. Schouler
when urged TO make public exposition
of the matter, he replied that sit would
do no good" "that he could not make
the disclosure without involving the
character of others and the happiness of
their families-and that he would not
do" He pronounced the attacks of the
press upon Mr.. Gibson unjust. and said
that his Mr.. G.'s Statements in re-
gard to the defalcation were true
''that if Mr.. Gibson was to.blame one
one part in hundred in regard to the
matter l am to blame, ninety-nine parts
in a hundred"
His conversation with Mr.. Follett,
though evidently more guarded was of
similar import. The material part of it
is so well narrated that we shall not at
tempt an abstract of it but give it in full.
Mr.. Follett, says: "Mr. B. affected to
attach importance to my opinions, and
1 proceeded to test the sincerity of this
profession by recommending that there
should be no loss of time on the part of
Mr.. Gibson and himself in meeting and
writing out statement of facts disclos-
ing the whole process of appropriation.
let the blow fall where it might, regard
less of party or persons. enforced
this recommendation by such arguments
and appeals as the subject naturally
suggested, alluding 10 his family, rela-
tiveS, his obligations 10 the Stale, &c.-|
| drew his attention to the fact that he
could not hide from TIE world the full
amount of his official delinquency, ard
it depended on himself how low his of
fence should sink him morally. To an
extended appeal in this direction he re-
piled by stating case: suppose; (said
Mr.. B. suppose-(m;nd do not say it
is So, but suppose that individuals may
have been concerned with me in the use
Of this money, whose position in society
or whose business might be injured or
destroyed by the revelations you advise
me to make, what then should | do?-
My reply in substance was, that he
should place his duty TO his wife, his
daughter, his family, his friends his OBJ
legations to the Slate, his official oath,