The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-03-24
RAvEnTNA, OHIO.
The Treasury DefaIcariOn-Rc-
port of the Committee.

The Report OF the committee appointed
to investigate the defslcuton in the Treas
ury, although exhibiting great amount Of
research, does not throw very much add-
tIOnsl light upon the query Of "wbo has the
peoples money" 1t is written mainly in
the sensation style, and we are inclined to
think II is too long to secure an attentive
reading from the masses.
From the Report We CLEAN substantially
the following faets:
Ihe defaication commenced during the
Administration of Albert A. Bliss. Mr..
Bresiin was elected to succeed that gentle.
man. Mr.. Bliss was defaulter, and he CD.
pealed to Mr.. BreSlin to save him from ex-
posure. Unfortunately for Bresln, he cor.
Cealed the Bliss defalcaton, which was rep.
resented TO be about $65 ,o0O, but which nom
proves to be nearer 100000! The secur.
ties OF Bliss promised Bresin to paw up
the amount OF the defalcation in short
time, but after they had secured Breslin's
consent to cover up the Bliss trouble thew
refused to pay over, knowing as they did
that Breslin did not dare to prosecute them
as 1t would expose himself. To carry on
the sffairs of the Treasury, and to conceal
the Bliss defOlcation, he embarked in bust.
ness operations, nte ending by them, no doubt,
to make money enough to carry him through
the embarrassmeDts srddled upon him by
Bliss. and Deshler, Sullivant & Co., his &c.
curities. In using the public money for
speculative purposes, Mr.. Bresin but fol-
lowed the example set before him. Indeed, |
It had long been the fashion for State
Treasurers to use tho State money for pri.
vate operations. Mr.. Breslin proved unfor.
tunats 10 his operations.
The Committee are very severe upon w.
H. Gibson. They claim that Dir. Gibson
was cognizant of Mr.. Bresln's ucts md n
participant in almost all bis operations.
They say:
The third Guty assigned to US, was to in.
vestigate the official accounts, transactions {
and conduct Of William H. Gibson, late :
Treasurer Of State. ,
No part OF the mystery OF the Treasury J.,
detaicotion Is more difficult Of satisfactory l.
solution than that which duplicates Mr., S
Gibson as participator in it. While he ?
had repeatedly in the most solemn official -,
form released Mr.. Bresln from all responsi. "
biiity for it, end acknowledged the receipt, e
IN full, Of ell moneys shown to be due from Il
him ne has sworn upon his solemn oath, ii
that he received only part, and referred to :,
his receipts and the scknowledgemen of
his predecessor to sustain him. While Mr.. q
Breslin 0sseverates in the most emphatic ir
language, that Dir. Gibson was not cognizant =
OF this defa!cation, and in no way implicat- Of
ed In it, the teetimo ony we have intludire j.,
Gibson's own-connects him as on accesso. ~
ry and principal, and proves the declaration pr
to be In part untrue. While they both ask of
to be relieved from the imputation of crime, ay
and the one solicits forbearance and the 9TH .,
er demands justice, they Withhold the evidence ~
which can alone secure either, end clothe P'
their transactions with secrecy TO which nj
the honest and innocent never resort. 7
II Mr. Gibson was not cognizant of Mr. W
Bfesln's illegal conduct wilhelm office, and )"
connected with him in some form in his dep.
relations upon the treasury he has shown
himself by Ills neglect, to make even the
most ordinary prudential inquiries upon his tie
going into the Treasury, and ascertainng it
that the amount appearing to be due from
Mr.. Breslin, was not to be paid to him, to BE-
utterly devoid Of common sense, ard totally n
unit to occupy any position of responsibility n
and trust. The inexplicable conduct Of tr
Breslin and Gibson in regard to all their II,
transactions with each other, is totally in. r,
compatible with every idea we can conceive II
Of official or personal integrity. d'
AS we have shown in that part Of our re- m
port, having special reference to Mr.. Bres. &c,
lin, there was due from him to the State on !,
the 18th OF January, 1856, the day on which III
be went out of Office $S55,e53 81, which NJ
he should have paid to his successor Mr.. D
Gibson. For no part of this sum, had MIR. m
Breslin accounted previously, as having been dc
lost or suspended in unpaid deposits, or IN ~
any other form. This whole amount should 81
therefore, Of right, have been in the Treusu- dt
y, in actual money, ready to be paid over. tn
Mr.. Gibson by law was the only person per. ne
nitted to know, or who could have any on. .
Of knowing whether The money "
Was actually paid. He had just taken and co
Iubscribed on oath, faithfully to discharge ric
he duties of his Office, and had he been hon. ke
ut, or he'd there been no preconcerted or. l.,
angement by which the real condition of ~
he Treasury was to be concealed, he would a'
ave insisted upon the immediate payment CO
y Mr. Breslin of this sum, or of all moneys
0 which he was legally entitled by virtue of ut
s official position or il the money was not "
instantly paid, he would have demanded such fol
n explanation, as to their character and on
heir place OF deposit as would have satisfied be
i'm Of their entire security. This, it was sa,
is sworn duty to do, and anything less than N,
his, was violation Of bis official cath. '
Preliminary to any reference in detail to-
10 transactions and conduct of Mr.. Gibson, nr
fter he became Treasurer, we will more
lily than we have done heretofore, examine a"'
ito his previous relations and transs ctions col
nth Mr.. Breslin. Mr.. Gibson was q resi- vii
On OF Tit6n, in Seneca county-wss attor. sho
ey at law from 1914 to l855-President OF M,
he Tifin Il Fort Wayne Railroad Company Hii
rom 1853 to 1866 /; President of the Seneca gra
'Ounty Bank from 1854 to 1855 and was in
'reasurer of State from January ID, 1856, sen
, June l3, 1867. He was brother-in law ~.
( Mr. Breslin-resident of the same town Ills
-and although differing in politics they
ere c0nfdentially intimate in all their re. y
Itions. A mutually of interests and do. OF
res for success in business and otherwise hea
ad cenented their relations to degree not yes
sually found to exist. Mr.. Gibson was a ia
nIA and unaePn uu1ot,a adHanfupar Il, hDs;