Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-03-10


some at present unknown source.
An investment was made by Mr.. Breshn IN
% shares of $50 each in stock Of the linn and
Fort Wayne Railroad Co. of Sl.OOO when mas
been transferred to the Attorney General the
value being probably nothing.
He also made an investment IN the clinton
Line Extension Railroad OF Sl,OOO the stock
for which has been transferred to the Attorney
General.
He made an entry of 800 acres of land in
Ijv;noston county, Illinois, Town 80 North,
Rance East. through N. L SulIivant, Esq,
for which he paid SLIGO. A description OF
the land is attached to the deposition OF Mr. Sui
livant; and Mr.. BresIin proposes to convey the
land to the State in such manner as may De
designated. This land cost from 81 81 to S2,52
per acre, and has greatly increased IN value
since its purchase, and can be sold, MI SUM
want states, for from S5 to $40 per acre.
The purchase Of 80 lots at Omaha, Nebraska,
for $40 each, was made by MIR. Breslln, OF Geo
Armstrong, amounting to $500. These can be
obtained without difficulty, and probably sold at
an advance.
A small investment was also made in Mime
sota of S4OO in a Land Company-name not
known-but Mr. W. F. Wheeler, formerly OF
Columbus, Ohio, is the Secretary Of the com.
nanv. and the precise character and value OF
this investment, if it has any, can be obtained
from him. The fact of this investment was
made known to US by Mr. Breslin's statement.
Mr.. Breslin has house and lot at linn, be-
inc his former residence, valued at S3,OOO which
can be obtained for the State, and we are told
that measures have already been taken by the
Attorney General TO secure it.
Charles L. johnson obtained from Mr.. Bres-
lin about 500, 900 of the notes of the Newport
Savings Bank, which were loaned by the Sene-
ca County Bank to Mr.. Macarthur, as hereto
fore stated In what manner the Treasury was
reimbursed for this currency, if at all, Is un'
known. We are of the opinion that there is yet
some unsettled account between Breshn and
johnson in regard to it, as well as to other mat
ters, to which we have heretofore particularly
referred. johnson has claim against McAr-
thur, secured by lien on the north west corner
of Main and Third streets, Cincinnati, growing
out of this transaction, and the use OF about 81,
600 of Elkhart County Bank currency, in both
of which we think Breslin has an interest OF
some kind A resort to q Judicial tribunal can
alone obtain from johnson such disclosure OF
their connections as will determine the extent
of the latent interest of Bresn, or of the State,
in Johnson's assets.
The connection of johnson with the Seneca
OOuuLN Ddllk was Al consequence " VIZ
ties it was expected to afford to all parties in In
terest, for extending the sphere of their opera
tions and in this as in Johnson's interest in the
Tiffin and Fort Wayne Railroad, Judicial pro
ceedings alone can determine the respective in
terests of all.
As we have before intimated, the most diff
cult matters for satisfactory solution, are those
in which Breslin, Gibson and Johnson are in
volved. A careful examination of all the testi-
mony will, we believe, convince every unpreJu-
diced man that the interest of Gibson In the
Tiffin and Fort Wayne Railroad Company,
through some devious way, came from the State
Treasury, From this conviction we cannot es-
cape, and there seems no loop or hinge upon
which to hang doubt. In this road Gibson
has invested in stock, and in the two shares of
the "RedfeId Contract" $50, 900 in cash. His
most intimate friends, and his partners in the
contract, all believe the money came from BTes-
lin, because there was no other known source
from whence it could come. Gibson himself
deemed it necessary to ascribe the ownership
of one Of the shares to friend at the East, fear
ing that otherwise his connection with the
Treasury through Breslin might be suspected.
1t is not probable that the money ever went di-
rectly from the Treasury to Gibson, but 1t may
have passed from the hands of Breslin to
'IrleQQ the Last, anu AOLu buC IACAlu db
the East" to Gibson The ingenuity of such
men would be but slightly taxed in devising
ways of making investments by which neither
could possess positive knowledge of the substan-
tial material fact, and yet could easily suspect
the truth,
We cannot but believe that the purchase of
the Seneca County Bank, as we have repeated
ly stated, involved the use of money from the
Treasury Gibson paid in cash into that Bank
S5I coo, and in some manner Breslin must have
had an interest in the institution. That it has |
been, and can be, for time, successfully con- |
cealed, is conceded; but that the day for full |
developement of all the iniquities of that insti-
tuition, as well as every other connected with |
this defAlcation, in the State Treasury, is not |
far distant, we are confident 1t is not in the |
power of erring man to conceal iniquity forev- |
er There is searching far reaching power
in truth and justice wi ich no offender can
eIude. Neither cunning, nor the outward show
Of virtue, can mislead but for a day, and those
who now imagine they are resting in security
unsupported, will soon awaken to full con-
sciousness, that they who participate in great
public wrong cannot avoid detection.
We have stated our belief that Mr Gibson,
btfore he became Treasurer, was responaible for
a part of the defalcation ascribed to Mr.. Bres-
w uOtNcI EpAuS IuC bcSGulOuly We LlluA8
can come to no other conclusion. 1t is true,
Mr.. Breslin, in his statement, seeks to release
Mr.. Gibson from any completely in the defalca-
ion with which he was chargeable. But there
was some powerful incentive to that declara-
ion not yet divulged, but which will some day
De revealed. 1t cannot be, that such sacrifices
Of personal and official integrity and credit and
Juch perfect wreck of future prospects, could
lave been made by Mr.. Gibson in his efforts at
,oncealment, if the defalcation was that of Mr..
Breslin only Neither do we believe the ex-
PRESSED discrimination of Mr.. Breslin to conceal
he names of the three parties who hold, as he
.sserts, $500, 900 of the withheld assets, which
lie acknowledges to be under his control, arises
rom that high sense Of personal honor which
le declares alone controls him. We can see
10 honor in concealing what is acknowledged to
AYE been yrongfully taken, but we can readi-
Y discern pecuniary motive.
Mr. Breslin acknowledges he has yet under
lis control, and in the hands of parties whom
le declines to name, $500, 900 of the abstracted
moneys. It is probable that a part of this sum
S made up of the gatherings of disclosed in
to which we have Just referred. Mr..
3reslin has assigned, at length, the reasons con-
rolling him in his present determination not to
make any further disclosures In regard to this
UNI; but they are, as we have stated, unsatls-
actory to US, and we believe they will be to
he public As this sum Is not IN money, If a
roper watchfulness is observed, it can be in
,art obtained, for it is impossible for Mr.. Bres-
in and his three parties to close all the doors
f observation and discovery.
The only loans made by Mr.. Gibson after he
yas Treasurer, which are proved by the testi-
nony, are those to Mr.. Hamlin and the Lew
stown Reservoir Company, and the deposit, in
be nature of loan, with Kimball d Co. To !
be LewistOwn Ressrycil Company he loaned
be sum of s24,000, none of which has been
aid. The circumstances Of this loan have been
afarrad IN and the renort of the Sneeial Clom /