The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-03-03
LegisIative Proceedings.

The Senate, on Monday, passed Dill sub
hitting the question of calling a constitu-
tional convention to a vote of the people on
the first Monday in April.
In the House the following provision,
prohibiting county and State officers from
loaning any of the public funds, was adopt
ed as an amendment to the appraisement
act passed December; 1853, and the bill Or
dered to be engrossed for a third reading
1t will cut off some of the perquisites of
county treasurers 1t provides .--s<.1
If any officer charged with funds, securi-
ties, and other property belonging to this
State or of any county thereof shall con-
vert the same to his own use by way OF in
vestment or loan of interest, except IS al
lowed by law, he shall be deemed guilty of
embezzlement and imprisoned not less than
one, nor more than 81 years, and lined in
any sum not less than double the amount SO
used. A failure to pay over such money,
&C., when required by law, shall be held as
prima .facie evidence of embezzlement, &c.
A similar punishment for false statement,
false receipt, refusal to pay legal warrant,
and hindrance of authorized inspection OF
public Office. These provisions to be con-
strued as cumulative and not repeating.
The bill finally passed by vote of GO to
Is. +
A bill was passed authorizing the Sink
ing Fund Commissioners to loan out the
funds retained in their hands for the re-
demption of the Bank bonds. A bill had
been passed directing the Sinking Fund to
be distributed to the counties except about
one million of dollars, TO be retained to buy
up or pay off the Bank bonds when due
To avoid having this large fund lie idle, a
law was necessary to authorize the Com
missioners to loan it in the same way they
had loaned the fund in times past. 1t
passed-6S to %.
The bill recognizing the Courts of Com
mon Pleas was passed. ..
EG@ Oscar s. Field, the defaulting bank
teller is about thirty-fve years old and a
native of New Jersey. In South Brooklyn,
especially, where the defaulter is so well
known, the case creates an unusual degree
of excitement, and in the social as well as
the business circle it will be the chief topic
of conversation for many days. An inves-
tigation of Mr. Fields affair at the bank
shows that the sum of fifty-fye thousand
dollars has been distracted. As paying tel
Ter Field had rare opportunity of helping
himself to what sums he pleased without
fear of detection. The Herald says
1t was only within the last few days that
the President and Directors of the bank ever
dreamed of the dishonesty of Mr. Field, al
though they might longisince have discovered
the true character of the man if they had
not been prejudiced in his favor. That Field
was notorious gambler, it is well known,
and that he was the chief support and back
er-up of TIE proprietor of certain public
house in Boerum street, was no secret. In
this saloon Field spent his earnings, gambl-
ing, drinking and carousing. Here it was
that he squandered his money, not by hun
dreds, but by thousands Then there was
a certain fast female to whom Mr.. Field was
| attached, and helped to hurry matters to a
crisis. A passion for fast horses also in
creased the penchant for peculating, and
al CIV az W tliO
door of the exemplary teller. @
Fast men, fast women and fast horses prov
ed the utter ruin of poor Field, and sent him
abroad upon the earth fugitive wanderer.
During the last six years his life has been
one scene of gambling and debauch,
and yet the bank directors-astute men
never suspected that there was any.
thing wrong. Occasionally Field paid a
visit to fashionable gambling saloons in
New York, and on such occasions drew
heavily upon the bank. Fighting the Ii
ger" in the metropolis was an expensive
piece of amusement, and hence it was i'll
dulged in only when he was we'll supplied
with cash.. He Invariably lost, and often
very heavily. During the past winter, es-
pecially, Fields losses amounted to ten or
! fifteen thousand dollars. 1t is not believed
that the defaulter has much money now
most of his stealings have been forfeited by
him to older votaries of the gambling table.
Nor has he left money with his family; it is
understood that his wife and children are
| thrown into a state of absolute restitution
! by his sudden departure for parts unknown.
| ANOTHER FRAUDULENT BANK.-Bills OF
the Farmers and Drovers' Bank of Peters