The Portland daily press., 1881-02-10
SWAN CONFESSES.
HE ADMITS A DMFALCATION TO THE
AMOUNT OF $1,000.

The following is the full text OF T. B. Swans
letter to his father-in-law, Mr.. Hawkes., which
was mentioned in the PRESS despatch of yes
terday:
TOLEDO, Feb 2, 1881.
Father Ha,ckeS:-I am nnder the painful necessity
OF informing you OF the state of my affairs, and am
deserving OF your severest condemnation. Com
meneing at Mechanic Falls with nothing 1 was
The next two years made, above expenses, $1,000
per year, so that 1 got to be worth about $1,000
above all debts. The tide then turned, and began
10 lose everything. kept my money and the towns
money mixed, and in the Casco Bank. SO that in the
spring of 1878 found upon examination that
was about $500 short in town accounts. Matters
grew no better until the fall of 1879 found was
$l70O behind, and should have failed one year ago
thought she was getting town note, when in fact
sne @ was getting my personal note. also received
S25o STS.o from Newton Stowe and $1,000 from W. r.
White, which made my accounts right last spring in
settling with the selectmen On account of the
White matter things grew better. AS my bust
ness mess Iell on being desirous of getting even went
first. finally continued and kept losing until 1
lost $2500. This loss has taken place during the
last three mon hs 1t seems almost impossible that
should have kept up this speculation. Was it the
result of desperation or insanity? am amazed at
am defaulter to the amount of $1G76 or less.
Some cash and coupons may be found in Casco Bank
And to secure You from loss, send you by regis
tered letter. deed of one half the pump shop bill
OF sale OF express wagon, pine timber in Bucknam's
mill, safe, law library, pumps also an assignment
for pay for travelling and attendance member of
the Legislature. think what have sent you will
save you from loss If you have to lose will Ger
combination in this. Get from Millett & Dwinal
note of $1l9 and $136 in money or its equivalent
You will find Dwinas note of $3.50 and Libby's
note in the safe. send in registered letter deed
bill of sale and ORDERS which will j. c. Walker
from loss also send in registered letter draft for
Elva his wife enclosing $50 for her to live until
can send her some more money. only took 5000
with me-
owe MIS-. Cushman ............... rs 300
John Atkinson. ....... ..-................ 1000
stowe. ...."..... ........." 250
W. Dean. ......................... 1880
$3.50
The above money never went into the towns eff
fects. Notes are signed ''Thos. B. Swan Treasurer
towns As the town never had the m onev one or or any
part of it, and as it is my note the town nor you,
as my bondsman, are not held for it. The case is
any good lawyer, will tell you that they only
my private notes; and you can tell the selectmen
not to pay them. shall sometime pay every dol
lar of them You will find in the registered letter
detail OF my standing with the town, which you |
Elva as gently as possible, and give her my letter
TAXI possession of property conveyed at once. 1t |
is paid for, and clear Of incumbrance. Elva owns |
l.
night. There are some notes given to E. P. Lord, |
Anna Stowe and Newton Stowe which are signed, |
"Thos. B. Swan, Treas, for the town of Minot," |
which are entered upon the town books, and credit
gven for these notes all right. As you will
upon examination they are charged to me in my |
OF Minot' is my note. A note signed .'T. b. swan,
Treas for Minot," is a town note. All town notes
are properly entered on the town books.
The following are not town notes:
w. Dean .....,......,.. 400 |
j. Atkinson ...... . 1'OOO |
Anna N. stowe. We........................... 25O |
From your ruined and disgraced son,
T. B. SWAN.
This letter was received last Saturday The |
registered letter to which it refers was re-
ceived on Thursday, two day previous Swans
bondsmen are his father-in-aw and Mr.. J. C.
Walker who stand ready to make good what
ever defalcation may be found. Mr.. Hawkes.
has taken possession of the lumber, pumps
notes, bills and other securities made over to
him by Swan. Swan seems to have carried off
but small sum. When he left home, one
week ago Monday morning, he prepared
kindling wood for the week, and made his
usual arrangements for being gone until the
next Saturday night. His wife noticed that
he didn't eat much breakfast on Monday
morning. He omitted to put in his satchel
change OF linen, his stockings, etc.. which his
His wife supposed he had gone to Augusta to
attend to his legislative duties, as usual, and
not until the cruel news was received from
his own pen could she believe he was a
fugitive from Justice. Swans family relations
had always been very pleasant; he was an
affectionate husband and father.
At the request of Swans bondSmen an in
vestigation OF his books and accounts was
commenced on Tuesday by John Richardson
and George B. Atwood, Selectmen OF the town
of Minot and Gideon Bearce and o. B. Dwinal,
citizens of the town. Swan had been town
treasurer for two years. The investigating
committee commenced with the first year of
Il ,s1o IL
the books carefully They discovered no irre-
gularties beyond few inconsequential errors
in mixing the accounts of the town of Minot
and the Union School District.
They found no record of the notes described
above, amounting to $780, signed by Swan,
and which Swan calls his. The other notes
spoken of in the letter, are found recorded all
right. As the investigation proceeds evidence
of the defalcation which Swan confesses in
his letter will doubtless be discovered.
Mr.. Bradley, clerk in the Mechanic Falls
post Office, denies that he had any guilty
knowledge of Swans transactions. He did
some copying and directed some circulars for
him for which he never received any pay.
ed him, was quite an elaborate machine. He
never saw the scythe sharpener.
An examination of the note which Mr..
Washington Dean holds shows that the line
drawn across the words Treasurer of Minot''
was made by one of the indellble pencils in
common use. 1t is quite distinct now but
Mr.. Dean says when he took the note he did
not see it, AS marks made by these pencils
grow more distinct on exposure to the air and
to moisture it is very probable that the line
when it was fresh was so faint as 70 be easily
overlooked Three more notes similar to the
Dean note have been discovered Mrs
Marsena Cushman of Mechanic Falls holds
one for $500 at per cent; Mr.. John Atkin-
son of Minot, one for $1,000, aud Mrs. Stowe of
Mechanic Falls, one for $250-making total
in notes outstanding against Swan of $3,130, |
for which the holders have no security, what
ever. 1t is rumored at Mechanic Falls that
persons in Norway hold notes of Swans. who |
were victimized in similar manner. No GER
tainty attaches to the rumor. One years in
terest was paid on Mrs. Cushman's note.
The Shepley Tablet.
The tablet to the memory of the late Judge |
George f. SheDlev nrasanted nv the Rar of |