Daily Kennebec journal., 1870-03-29


should either confirm certain damaging
charges again st the collector or exonerate him
irem all blame in the stringent applications OF
his legal functions.
| Solicitor Banfeld was dispatched to this city
last week by the Secretary of the Treasury TO
| take the personal supervision of the case. A
VERY little plain questioning of Bailey by So
/ lictor Banfield and Smith convinced them
that something was rotten in Denmark
| Aware of his self-implicated situation and evil
dent inability to clear himself from his half
implied cupability in most damaging abuse
of his Office and position; the Solicitor was
yet far from suspecting that Bailey was so
deeply entangled as to resort to that last des-
peratc refuge of the hopelessly guity-fight;
but this was the miserable mans only chance
of escaping the punishment he had richly
earned. He did not scruple to take immedi-
ate advantage of the little time left him; and
deserving home, wife. and children, he igno-
minously fed the scene of his crime.
The manner in which the frauds have been
so long and so successfully carried on was
by very simple and easily conducted
method indeed. Bailey constantly made col
lections, which he assiduously appropriated to
his indy idual benefit. These collections were
returned to Washington as uncollected; /;
and, being received outside of his regular
receiving clerk and cashier, they were of
course not entered upon the books OF the
office as collected assessments. In this way
they were carried over from month TO month,
and the fraud perfectly safe from detection
unless the money should chance to be de-
manded of the taxpayer the second time,
who, with his receipt of ackno@ iedged pay
ment, would have speedily brought affairs to
crisis. But this was cleverly obviated by
alternately changing the name of the supposed
delinquent and substituting that of others,
thus avoiding Il collision, and literally robbing
Peter to pay Paul with most consumate care
and tact In this manner the discovery was
avoided, day after day, until Bailey become
hampered and crampcd beyond further con-
cealment.
AT late hour last Saturday night, Chief
Deputy Collector Childs was arrested by Col.
Whitley charged with being directly implicat-
ed with Bailey. For some months their busi-
ness connections have been of the most inti-
mate nature, and aside from this are near
relatives. Chlds confessed that he had aided
and abetted Bailey throughout his career of
crime and treachery, and admitted the fact OF
his having assisted him in his evil doing. The
defalcations first originated in the 4th dis
t-ict by the mysterious disappearance Of some
fftv thousand dollars, which Bailey managed
10 cover up by transferring funds for the pur-
pose from the 32d district, and III this unique
way meeting the deficiency incurred of one
transgression by creating another-conceal-
ing the first evil by perpetrating second; ;
and assisted by his confidential deputy, Childs,
he made rapid strides in the downward road
of crime to the final end that he has reached
in single desperate leap that carried him be-
yond even the poor pity of those who were
once his friends, and beneath the asper-
sions of those who were ALWAYS his enemies.
The practice of such a deception has limits
and cannot always be maintained. Mr.. Bal
leys continued practice of attempting, and
for time carrying out. well-laid plan of
double dealing, and persistent TRANSMISSION of
one persons fraud with that of another, pro-
duced a complicated state of peril to him,
from which it became impossible to extricate
himself with honor, and every effort he made
to free himself only served to plunge him
deeper and deeper in the whirlpool of dark
disgrace, which has at last engulfcd him for
ever, as regards the respect and confidence
of upright men. The calamitous result of
his unlawful deeds proves that they held with
in themselves his future punishment and this
disastrous ending of what was undoubtedly a
fair beginning stands as a warning, and points
a useful moral to those who, elevated to en-
viable positions of trust, are tempted to inn
molRte manhood, truth, and rectitude in their
eagerness to attain speedy wealth, and com
mand the fashionable follies and cxtrava-
gances of the day. 1t has been extensively
reported and published that Bailey fed in
poverty, and left his family al
most destitute. But the statement is incor-
.ect, for it has been discovered that he owns |
'pleudid farm in New Hampshire, valued at
something like ninety thousand dollars.