The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1859-03-31
From the Cincinnati Guzslto.
THE TREASURY ROBBERY.
ABSTRACT OF THE REPORT
or THE
Investigating Committee,
Made to he Legislature, March 8, 1859.
80 gENEcA coUNrY nLNK.
on THE
(C0nOtudsd

In addition 10 his other banking
operations, Breslin was deeply iuteres-
ted in the Seneca County Bank, located
in Tif6n, where he resided The Com
mittee state: -.-.r.
BY the relations Of the President, Mr..
Gibson, aud the Cashier, Mr.. johnson,
to Mr.. Breslin, after this connection
with tho bank through his aid, as we
have heretofore stated, the Treasury
was made available for every conceiva-
bic species of uniustifablo outrage upon
personal and official integrity, and the
laws Of the land There is neither
excuse nor paliation for this conduct
of either the President or Cashier of
the bank, or the Treasurer of State
The bank became, to the extent Of the
wishes and demands of its officers, the
Treasury Of State. It's currency was
received at the Treasury in packages
for circulation, and by the exchanges
of other currency for deposit for pro-
lection II became n part Of that ex-
tended system Of fnanoiering, which
had been resorted to by the Treasurer,
through the various banking institu-
tions in which he was interested, as an
illegal and dishOnorable source Of prof
it, as was expected, but Of disappoiut-
ment, sad misfortune and disgrace, as
it has terminated
So extensive occasionally we're the
transactions between Breslin and the
bank, that even johnson, with all his
boldness, was forced to resort to pecu-
liar expedients in order to give n color
of propriety to them. He would obtain
from Breslin such large amounts of
currency, $4,000 and $50, ,OOOat a time,
that it would take two or three weeks
for him to get it into his bank in such
manner as to justify its use. The mon
ey would be deposited in the name of
bankers and farmers, and business men,
in Tifin or its vicinity, in amounts of
from 81 900 to $4,000, and certificates
issued to Johnson's Order-parties whose
names were used and appeared upon the
books as depositors, being entirely ig-
nOrant of the transaction This was
done that Breslin, who was tho real
depositor, might not appear as such
upon the books of the bank
The Committee believe, from the tes-
timony Of johnson, that intimate rola-
tions still erist between him, Breslin and
Gibson. They also believe that every
cash transaction of Bresln's during or
since his term Of Office, involved direct
! Iy or indirectly the use of the public
money.
Breslin lost about $4,000 Of the
funds of the State, through an invest
ment in the "Ohio Savings Institute, "
also at Tifin, owned by Waggoner,
alluded to above; and $4,000 through
the efforts of this gentleman, to obtain
for the Treasurer of State, from the
"Mechanios' Bank Of Memphis" in
Tennessee, Of which Mr.. WaggOner was
President, in April, 1855, S65, 900 of
its currency, to "enable him to settle
with his SUCCESSOR" but which was, in
fact, obtained, os Mr.. Bresin alleges,
to be used by Mr., Osburn, Of the Mad
River Railroad Company, and others,
for circulation. Fortunately for the
people, the bank failed before this pOr-
ton of its circulation reached them; as
it is now in the possession of Mr.. Bres-
lin, as appears by his statement
Breslin was also connected in Illegal
transactions with the Canal Bank Of
Cleveland, through which the State lost
heavily.
EXTENT OF BEEsLIN's DEFALCATION.
In Breslns last official report he
states that the Treasury had sustained
losses by the failure of banks and bank.
ers selected by him as repositories, to
the amount Of S205, ,636 g. These de-
pOsitors were the
Commercial Bank of Toledo S28,2 ,271 2a
City Bank Of Cincinnati 1881 95
W. W. Cones & Co. 47,769 99
Daniel Beckel 5O,7S5 As
1904, ,636 65
But admitting these losses, the
amount 5liH due from Breslin TO Glib.
son, his successor when Breslin's term
expired, Jan. 18th, 1856 would have
been, so far as the Committee could as
certain, 1855, ,S5337
That the whole Of this sum was not
paid by Mr.. Breslin to his successor
Mr.. Gibson, is fully established by the
testimony before the Committee. That
1855 ,853 30 was not at that time in the
Treasury, is certain: for a portion Of il
had been abstracted, and Invested and
lost in various specuIations, adventures
aud illegal transactions, in which one
or the other Of these Treasurers were
interested or involved.
4he amount for lghicb BresliR obtain
ed the receipt of Gibson loas S303,865 a.
t0kicb If % Ders aH that Gibson actuqLl
received Mould leave Mr.. BrssliR a defQui.
ter for 1851 ,9SS o.
INTERVIEW WITH BREsLN.
The Commissioner, in November last
proceeded 20 theresidenoe Of Mr. Bresliu,
in Hamilton, Canada West, (Whither he
fed to avoid legal punishment after his
defalcation beohme public to induce
him to make full and detailed statement
Of the Treasury operations Of himself
aud his oopfaderates. This be refused
10 doj but made a proposition TO return
90 Ohio, and give bis full testimony
before che Commissioner, Oh the follow.
ing oondid6nt @ 1 vf p
= %