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

minabIe documents. as well as the most reeklng
of regulations, frauds, and cOrruPtions. 1t is
the Report of Messrs. A. P. Edgerton, Charles |
Reemelin. and VIM. D. Morgan, appointed by
the General Assembly, Commissioners to ex-
anime into the condition of the Treasury OF the
State. the causes of the defaIcation therein, and
other matters particularly mentioned IN the act
of April 10, 1858. 1t fills, within fracton'
fifty newspaper columns To read 1t VIII re-
ouire a man of leisure and patience-to PRINT
it in the Leader in full is out of the question
We can only give some of the most important
parts in pieeemeal.
The heads are-I Albert A. Bliss, six col
umns; II. John G. Breslin, twelve columns;
III. William H. Gibson, eight columns; ~
As to the causes in the Defalcation in the Treas
ury of the State, how and when it occurred
how the public Moneys have been used or IN
vested, and what portion of such investments
if any, can be reached by the public authorizes
of the State, three and half columns; " AS
TO the Canal Bank of Cleveland, three columns
Seneca County Bank, over three columns; VI
AS to the condition of the Securities deposited
by the Seneca County Bank with the Treasur-
er of State, and as to what measures have or
ought to be taken to recover such part OF them
as have been embezzled or misapplied, three
columns; VII. Relating to the Ohio Life and
Trust Company, six and half columns; VIII.
Nature, Condition and Suficiency of Bonds de-
posted by Banks with Auditor and State Treas
urer, one column; TX. Examination into the
late sale of Ohio stocks, the real purchasers
thereof and the causes of their depreciation in
the market at the time of such sale,two columns
We add the instalment of the Report under
head " as to the causes of the defalcation, how
invested, &C., which embraces matters OF in
terestito all the people. The Commissioners say :
The causes of the late defalcation in the
Treasury are, we think, fully explained in the
foregoing part of our report. We have COM
mented at considerable length, and we trust with
not undue severity, upon the State OF public
opinion and the entire absence or Objectionable
character of Legislation in consequence OF 1t,
which induced these defaulting Treasurers to
believe they could use the public moneys for
their own and the benefit of their friends with
| ",
from censure and ultimate loss to themselves
and their suretes in this laxity of public justice
and the absence. in this regard, of correct pub
lie policy.
In our analysis of the testimony under the
three preceding and appropriate heads, is exhib-
| tied the manner and the time of the occurrence
of the defalcation, as far as we have been able
to determine it In tracing its various items
! into certain channels, it by no means follows
that the GUMS speeifeu in every case remained
nermanentlv lodged at the points indicated In
many instances, without doubt they were with
drawn and changed to other hands for invest
ments far when the barrier was once down, and
one sten taken in the wrong direction, and the
monevs diverted from their legitimate uses for
the nnrnose of speculation, It is exceedingly
doubtful if they ever again were returned to the
Treasury. The desire for profit and the neces-
sity for concealment, at once became stronger
than any principal of restitution, and the fortu-
nate or unfortunate termination of an adventure
in one direction was but an incentive for still
Iar5er one in another. One hundred thousand
dollars once abstracted, it may be in several
sums for various purposes, becomes the basis
of enlarged and more diversified operations, not
nerhans originallv intended. and draws after it
for the nrotectiol of what may be already en-
dapeered, or for larger return of profits, still
anofber SIO0 600. in the various shiftings and
changes of which, the whole becomes still more
complicated and difficult of extrication from the
labvrinths in which all has become involved -
Hence in our investigations we occasionally dis
cover either in, or to have been ln' the hands OF
one man. a part of what we have before traced
| into the hands Of another. So various and com
plicated is this Intervening OF Transactions
/ that we doubt much if Bliss, 8reslln, Gibson,
/ Chittenden, McMillen, Bartlett d Smith, john
| son. Noodle, Deshler, Sill, RObt. ReZnor, Bow
en-. Camp, John Thompson and Atwood were to
/ slt down together with their own books and
private memorandum before them, they could
| in weeks evolve O statement of the transactions
| in which the uses of the funds In the Treasury
are involved, which should be truthful and sat
isfaetory to all. The complications and contra
dictions of their testimony foreshadow the diff
culties of such an undertaking. If they would
be unsuccessful in such an effort, how much
more impossible is it for us-not with the books
or the personal knowledge of every movement
to aid us-but with the most persistent and
cunningy devised efforts at tconcealment 10 pre-
vent US, to fully solve all the mysteries OF tnls
great public wrong. We are satisfied, howev-
er that we have opened the way for full and
perfect development, and for the restitution OF
all that is not absolutely lost.
1t appears that Albert a. Bliss one OF the
defaulting Tteasurers, when he went out OF Of
fee on the 18th of January, 1892, did not pay
to his successor, john u. bresllns the amount
at that time supposed to be due from him into
s65. 600.
All the circumstances connected with this
SOS, 900 deficit have been fully oetailed In Uhe
preceding part of this report
II was proved in the investigation BY Mr..
Taylor of the Joint Committee on finance, from
- .,,;dsDcs than Mr.. Breslin's and Mr. Bliss