The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1859-03-24
Mr.. BLISS sPEcULATEs IN REAL Es
TATE.

Franklin county show that he purchased
about seventeen thousand dollars worth
Of real estate, in that vicinity, between
April p, 1848, and April 9, 1850.
This property, although some Of IL
was temporarily mortgaged, was all
paid for by Mr.. Bliss, and subsequently
disposed Of at large advances upon It's
original cost Much Of it was sold for
double the amount which he paid for IT,
he INVESTS LARoELY3IN BANK STOCK
WHERE TIE MONEY WENT.
The Report further states
Besides the real estate, there we're
other transactions Of an alleged private
nature, disclosed by the testimony Of
Mr.. Bliss himself, Mr. Heaton, Mr.. Sill,
and by the books of the banks, involv-
ing the use Of much larger sums Of
money than Mr. Bliss could, with any
expectation Of being believed, call his
own. We think his testimony and The
other evidences zoe hare obtained, fulh
justify as ia the opinion, which Is mhesi.
tatiagy oppressed, that these operations IN
real estate and the purchase Of Janh
stocks, toere made Uhh the funds belong.
ing to The Treasury; and that the deficit
at The expiration Of his term Of office, i0a'
IN consequence of a diUersion Of funds 70,
such spcculahons and Investments, rathe,
Than of any errors IN his books
He purchased, paid for in cash, and
held $4,000 in the stock of the City
Bank of Cincinnati. He bought this
stock of John p. Rcnzor, a man whom
the Committee characterize as "conspic.
uous in nearly every fraud and loss con.
nectcd with the Treasury" and took
two certificates for it, of $4,000 each
not IN his o,Cn name, butin the names of
Sylvester Bagg and Joseph E. Beebe.-
Though Mr.. Bliss, in his testimony, con.
tends that this was an individual tran
saction, in which only his private funds
were used the Committee conclude, from
the evidence before them, that the stock
was purchased with moneys belonging
to the Treasury, and which were not re.
funded until near or after the expiration
of his term of Office Mr. Heaton, the
Cashier of the Bank, gives testimony
corroborating this view, and also states
that Mr.. Bliss kept a running account
with the Bank in his name as Treasu
rcr of State, averaging from $4,000
to $4,000.
Mr.. Bliss also owned S2j 900 in the
full paid stock Of the Summit County
Bank. On the 9th of January, 1851,
he was a stakeholder in the Bank for a
small amount. On the 4th of March
following, the capital stock was S6O,-
600, of which Mr.. Bliss held $4,000
On the 9TH of April he held s25, ,OOO
Mr.. Bliss also held S4,SO0 of the
City Bank Of Columbus; and also $1,000
in the Lorain Bank, which was trans.
ierred to Bartlett & Smith, making an
aggregate Of Bank stock held by him
while Treasurer, and at one time, of
S64, ,3OO-togethcr with real estate for
which he had paid between $4,000
and S15,O ,OOO--aH Accommodations during
his term Of office, with a salary of but
1900 per annum.
What other speculations or invest
ments, if any, Mr.. Bliss may have
had, are unknown to the Commission
ers. With this state of facts, it is not at
all surprising that Mr.. Bliss ascertainod
at the expiration of his term of office
that there was not so much money in
the Treasury as there would have been
had it not been taken out. There was
such a commingling and confusion in
the funds and accounts of his Office
that Mr.. Bliss may not have been aware
he was using the public moneys. His
Ignorance or innocence in this regard
is indicated by his testimony. He says
II did not keep regular books Of my
own personal transactions. intended
and 1 believe I did keep my own pri-
vato funds and dealings separate from
tho Treasury Such was at least my
purpose but toward the close of my
term of Office, it probably did occur
that the two were more OF less mingled
together"
HIS SETTLEMENT WITH Mr., BREsLIN
The settlement of Mr.. Bliss with his
successor, John G. Breslin, is involved
in mystery. The committee, after as
full an investigation Of his accounts as
possible, Gu which they complain
that they found great difficulties
in arriving at definite facts, from
tho careless and imperfect system
Of keeping the books in the Treasurer 5
and Auditors Offices conclude that the
balance which Mr.. Bliss should have
handed over, on retiring from Office,
was S3O434O 85.
Mr. Bliss swnars he paid Mr.. Broslin
about S23O,OOO in cash, and after
wards the amount of his deficit, S65, 600,
altogether, as he says, about $4,000 600
but he has no memorandum, or state
ment, or recollection Of the kind Of
funds, nor of the exact amount, nor
does he specify the source from which
he obtained them.
Was this sum paid by Mr. Bliss to
Mr.. Breslin in money? One Of the in
explicable circumstances in the settle
ment between these gentlemen is, that
no paper, or memorandum, or state
ment, or receipt is found, or known to
exist, exhibiting any mutually satisiac-
tory evidence Of the manner of settle
ment, or Of the amount ascertained to be
due, or Of the money actually paid.
Ho undoubtedly considers himself re.
lieved and tho State preclUded from
further demands, by his receipt from
Mr.. Breslin, Of which the following is q
COPY:
TREAsURY OFFICE ONO, 2
Columbus, Dot. 20. 1859