The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1859-03-02

efectual method OF perpetuatng their interest, BY
placing him under personal obligations 10 do 50;
and as a more certain and effectual indueement,
they, without doubt, intimated to him that he
could, at the same time, without risk, or viola
ton Of his official integrity, become partaker
with them in the profits resulting from the pro
posed uses Of the public money. Influenced by
considerations Of o pecuniary character only,
these gentlemen became the sureties Of Mr.. Bliss.
Being men Of unquestioned ability, the bond
found ready acceptance, and was Of itself an
assurance TO the public, to whom the inducement
was unknown, that Mr.. Bliss was entitled to its
confidence and support.
W s Sullivant president Of the Clinton Bank
of Columbus, swears that he became the security
of Mr.. Bliss, with the expectation Of beneftto
accrue therefrom to the Bank by deposits tosbe
made therein by him as Treasurer--that D. W.
Deshler, the Cashier, agreed to share with him
any liability that might arise in consequence of
his becoming such security, and gave him an
instrument in writing TO that effect. That there
were other Banks whose representatives wera
also sureties for the same reason. Michael L.
Sulliyant became one of the sureties, because he
was solicited to do so by Denas Adams ir and
Thomas Noodle, and because he said it would
be an accommodation to the latter. Mr.. Noodle
became surety, not because there was any agree
ment or understanding TO that effect, but it was
expected the City Bank of Columbus, which he
represented, would be favored by the Treasurer's
deposits. Mr. Deshler was not one Of the sure.
ties, but he states that Mr. Sullivant the Presi
deut, was one, not so much on his personal ac-
count as the representative of the interest of the
Bank Mr. Atwood was also Banker, and
without doubt Influenced by like considerations
W. s. SuIivant swears that there was, as he sup
poses, an understanding with the Banks, that a
certain amount of interest should be paid to Mr..
Bliss, on his deposit account; and that in the
City Bank of Columbus, there was an amount
due him for interest," at the time he went out of
office, of $4,000 or $4,000, which his sureties
considered as q part of his assets, available to
them to pay the amount due from him to the
State, but the Bank refused to pay it Mr..
Deshler swears that there was no agreement as
Ito interest to be paid Mr.. Bliss, but that there
was interest paid him. Upon deposits for which
certificates were Issued, interest was paid him at
the rate of four per cent. per annum, Such de-
posits were claimed by Mr.. Bliss as his private
funds, but Mr.. Deshler was somewhat suspi-
cious that they were in reality the funds of the
States" These suspicious might have been to
some extent removed, if Mr. Deshler had exam
ined the books of his own Bank for the record of
sume transactions disclosed in the testimony of
| W. g. Deshler. II, t
Mr. Witehill was the predecessor of Mr. Bliss,
and the entire amount ascertained to be due, was
paid by him to his successor ehort time after
his accession to office; except an item of So U0O,
about which there was some dispute, but which
was afterwards settled by the Fund Commis
sioners, by authority of the General Assembly.
The real estate purchased of MIR. Whitehillj to
which reference is hereafter made, formed no part
of the settlement. The whole aurn, $4O5, ,6l2 90,
was paid in cash. M
! Mr.. Hume was the principal clerk Of Mr..
i Whitehill, and was continued throughout the
ftco t1f Mr. a n of pY.
lpectations of Mr.. Bliss, and Of his opinion of
the uses to which the Treasury could be put, and
4 Iforeshadowing his intended operations through
lit, was his inquiry of Mr.. Hume whether Mr..
Whitehill had not made money as Treasurer,
beyond his salary and as to the means by which
he was enabled to do it. Although the reply of
Mr.. Hume, that 'if he intended to make any
money in any way, out Of his position ns Treas
Iurer, he did not want to know anything about
itp did not fully enlighten Mr.. Bliss, it furnish
ed an assurance that there was no probability Of
any disclosure through Mr.. Hume that would
endanger the success of any effort at casual ad
vantages," which might be made. During the
entire official term of Mr.. Bliss, the books were
kept in a manner not highly cFeditable to either
lof these gentlemen, and certainly in no way sat
lsfactory to those who have had occasion subse,
lquently to examine them for the purpose of US
pertaining their correctness. Mr. Hume's testl-
mony will disclose the manner in which the ac-
counts were kept, and the process of payments
into and out of, and Of transacting business gem
orally with the Treasury and also the fact,
which, more than all others, has contributed 10
the defalcation, that large sums of money were
/ paid into The Treasury without the knowledge
of the Auditor, and therefore not charged to the
/, Treasurer. This same error so fruitful of evil
land loss, was continued during the entire term Of
Mr. Breslin. A little legislative correction, prop
erly administered, would have avoided pecua-
iary calamity unparalleled in the history of any
State, and rs disgraceful TO the State that per-
mitted it as it was degrading and ruinous in
Ievery aspect, to those who participated in it,
To the Legislatures which refused or neglected
to apply the remedy when the evil was apparent,
and to which their attention was frequently
called must ever attach a part Of the public
odium.
y It frequently happened that days and weeks
5 would elapse without entries being made in the
+ books, except in the daily cash blotter. In one
instance, to which Mr. Hume's particular atten.
. tion was called, there were no entries from the
: 30th of June 10 the 18th Of November, on which
s last named day, with the vouchers before him, hi
made all the entries from voucher 276 to 1884
# ,fIrepresenting the trausactinps for the period
It named. He assigns as the reason, that hewa
Q the only clerk, and that it was impossible tt
o make up the journals and accounts IN any othe'
b manner 2HsEHtJtt d sts 81 br Il a5iA
r, MIR. Whitehill required, during his time, fire.
l. auent footings and examinations but during tht
h term of Mr.. Bliss, this was seldom done. The
l. books of the Treasury did not show, on any on'
j. day, its true condition and it was only knowI
s. at the time Of making up the annual reports fol
% the fiscal year, ending on the 18th OF November
y Mr. Bliss testifes, that from the nature Of th'
d whole business, and from the manner Of doing
" I;t both Mt the Auditors and Treasurers offices
is il was next to an imposibility TO determine
lie whether the cash on hand agreed with the ac
3, counts on the books oftener than once year,
eIis feared that Mr.. Bliss was too much engrosse'
lsI Iby the casual advantages" Of outside opera
arItons, to give to his office that strict attention
a. (which his own, as we'll as the interests of tn
r State demanded, In this opinion, we are sus
q tanned by the testimony. t5,l.5
N Mr. Follett says, that ''from my intercours
d with hIm, {Mr Blis,) and general knowledge 3
IS his official actions. 1 was impressed with tn
seldea, that he paid less attention to the duties
d his office, than should have done" w. ). Sui
TO liyant says that after he became his security,
ID was not entirely satisfied with Mr., Bhss' man
Il agement Of his Office. He thought him absen
b, too much, and there were other circumstance
Is that excited his suspaions as to his transactions
a., Mr.. Deshler states, that it was rumored tina
O. Mr.. Bliss was connected in some speculation
pIwith Mr.. Chittendep, of New York, and wa
ID Engaged 10 some real estate specnlations, whic
in led him To- suspect Mr.. Bliss was using none
o. belonging to the Treasury,,.s to.,s s,.e5, .
ID The testimony OF w, q Deshler, Mr.. Moodr
ID 10, w. Deshler, and Thomas Heaton, shews the
q Bliss was the recipient of interest on his d.
he posts Of funds Of the Treasury ( and it dot
c-l not appear that he ever accounted 70 the Stat
;lfor any portlon Of iti The amount lie receiyet
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