New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-25
THE BARTHOLOMEW CASE.

II Is ALWAYS TO be regretted when man who
hoe bceo trusted and esteemed proves false to
his duty. The example Of such deialcauoh
rs that of G.. NJ. Bartholomew Is mlschlcVous'
But what makes it seriously so Is lar less tio
fact of his dishonesty than the prospect Oh MS
escape from punishment When Frederick inc
Great caused dcfaultng treasurer TO Ne hangei
in front of the office where his crime had oceh
committed, it was thought that the punishment
was unnecessarily severe. But there were 10
mana dcfaulting treasurtrs in that region.
When an English banker who had been knlgh Cd
Inv tho Queen was sent to the penltentiary prac-
tically for life, there were many VINO syinpa-
tbized with Sir John Dean Paul. But INC eneo'
of the punishment was to protect the puoiic'
The failure of the Glasgow Bank brought rum
upon the directors whose carelcssness had fhade
the disaster possible; but the pltllcss annlin's-
trat;on Of the law to those officials undoubtedly
made banking safer and sOunder throughout
the limited Kingdom, and treasured the puplic
nv CON incing them that there was not one law
for the rich and another for the poor.
The worst feature about the Bartholome"
cose is the manifestation OF willingness to leu
the criminal got away scathlcss. VI COURSE
u will be said that this inclination is explained
~, tho prominence of the culprit, by the regard
IN which he has been held and by sympathy Tor
his respectable connections. The mere s'a'c-
mcnt of such considerations. however. indlcates
q confusion of mind not less dangerous IMAM
want of principle. For it should he clear thaU
cvcrv one of these circumstances aggravdtcs the
offences committed, and makes 1t the more
necessary to punish the dcfaultcr. The man
whose
stands high, who possesses competence VINO
is in position to satisfy all rational wants. -
without excuse for the betrayal OF trust. III
he does betray it he is doubly guilty, 1or IL -
evident that in his case there must nave oceh
| y complcte abandonment to unscrupuious lih-
nulses and to an engrossing sellishness which
Deliberately icopardzcd the fortune and welfare
or thousands. Such a man takes the basest
ross;blc advantage of his opportunities. lie
g , mean hypocritc as well as a constituencies
,biof The exposure of his dupclty and dis
hopostv stagcers many lluctuating characters
confirms the downward tending In dangerous
WAYS discourages the wcll-lntentioned suue'
oilers; and spreads suspicion, sccptcism anu
Observation-Disclosures broadcast. to the subsequent
injury of the deserving.
The directors of the Charter Oak Company ha'
no right TO let Bartholomew go away. lhey
violated plain obligation when they rcflalncd
from having him arrested. So gross negll-
ccnce would have been cupablc at any time
Il is especially so now, when complaint Is nlC
hat rich scoundIels are able to laugh at the law
and when it is widely believed that the worst
sucb criminals have to fear is the surrender Of
some part of their ill-gottcn wealth. Already Il
has been rumored that Bartholomew conr wee
10 take with him large sum III Govcrnmcn
securities. Certainly nothing was done to pre-
vent him from thus supplying himself viii
funds. He was allowed 10 go at large as freely
rs though nothing more than an open accouh
WAS in dispute lie is now safe Ill Canada
whence he can negotiate at his ease with IN
victims. Here, however, it is not the law tina
is defective: il is the moral perception oil thos
whose duty it was to set the law IN mouon
Every such successful fraud, moreover, encour
aoes other weak and loose princpcd men II
Offices of trust to 90 and do likewise and s.
long as directors are not personally accountable
for deficits caused by those whom they are asso
cia,cd with or arc supposed to check and super
wise il cannot he expected that the example
{ these officials will produce any but Ill consc
, ouenccs There is urgent need of tonic treat
! ment in these matters.