St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-25
More Prominent Witnesses in
Philadelphia Tell Inside
History.
Secret and Crooked Deals
Were Numerous in Mat
terS of Finance.
Rebates on Advertising Con-
tracts Used to Pay Po-
litical Debts.
A Maine Man PronouneeS Pro-
hibitiOn an All-Round
Fraud.

PHILADELPHIA, July 24.-1ne com
mittce of councils that is inquiring into
ex-City Treasurer John Bardsley'S NAL
feasance in Office and the affairs of the
wrecked keystone National bank met
this afternoon. a number of prominent
witnesses had been SubpGnaed, lnclud-
ing the presidents and cashiers of the
banks that are alleged to have paid in
terest to Bardsley on deposits OF public
money; editors and publishers OF papers
that are alleged to have paid 40 per
cent rebate to Bardsley OH public ad-
vertising. and Auditor General Thomas
McCamant, who is alleged to have re-
ceived a share of the rebate. A letter
from District Attorney Graham was
read suggesting that the bank officials
be not examined for the reason that
they have already testified, and that an
examination of them at this time might
interfere with any action that might be
taken against them IN the future. After
considerable discussion the bank Off
cials were excused for the present.
William H. Kemble and William l..
Elkins, the traction railway magnates,
testified as to their connection with
BardSley in certain transactions i'll trac-
ton stock. They showed that they had
Loaned Money TO Bardsley
with which to buy Philadelphia and
Chicago traction shares, and that he had
closed out the deal at profit. AS far
as they knew he had not used any pub
lie money in his transactions. Thomas
McCamant. auditor general of the state,
who, with Bardsley, had control of the
: 81, I.,n I,i, Of ba
tile appraisers list, to be pub
Philadelphia, testified. The reports
of the experts who examined Bardsley's
books recently showed that check had
apparently been sent TO Mr.. McCament
for 81, ,144.52, being one-haif of the re-
bate of 40 per cent on over S40,O worth
of advertising paid by four newspapers
in 1890. Mr.. McCamant denied EN-
phatically that he ever received direct
" or Indirectly one penny of this money.
He also denied that various sums cred
tied on the stubs of BardSley'S check
book to INC" had ever been received
by him. He stated that the advertising
business had been transacted through
Capt. H. NJ. Graffin. who had for a
number of years been employed in the
auditor generals department, and who
had charge of such matters. Witness had
reason to believe that rebate was paid
for the reason that Capt. Graffin had
intimated to him that certain political
debts had to be paid, and that they were
settled in this way. He also understood
that newspapers that did not get the adj
vertising were taken care of by those
that did get it. Capt. Gratfin died in
1890, and Mr.. McCamant
Expressed His Sorrow
that he was not alive now so that he
could himself explain his connection
with the unpleasant business. After
Mr.. McCamant had left the stand and
the room, Committeeman Etting stated
that. Notwithstanding the auditOrgen-
erals denial, it had been his (Etting's)
| intention to examine him upon certain
| documentary evidence in his possession,
| but that upon advice from the district
attorney that IL would be unwise
| to make public disclosure of the
| contents of the documents at this time,
he had refrained from questioning the
| witness. When the name of eX-State
treasurer William Livesey, who is al
legged to have received money from
Bardsey was called, telegram was
read stating that, because of the Sc
riOus illness of Livesey's daughter, IN
| Milwaukee. that gentleman had to go
| to that city. He saws he will return as
soon as possible, and requests the priYi-
] lege of then appearing before the COM
mittee. J. F. Singer, connected with the
| Fourth Street National bank, related a
| conversation he had with Marsh. the
| fugitive president of the Keystone bank,
| three or four days after that institution
| had been closed by order of the comp
troller of the currency. Marsh, he said,
| told of his enGeavOrS to prevent the
closing of the bank, saying: Il tried to
bluff Wanamaker, but failed" Marsh
| also told him that he had tried to get
| Wanamaker to use his influence to have
| the bank kept open, but that gentleman
| had declined to interfere.
Commissions for Advertising.
Clayton McMichael, of the North
| American; Robert Cook, of the Press !;
| William McCulIy, of the Bulletin: Ed
| ward MorwitZ, of the German Demo
crat; and James Elverson, of the In
| quirer, proprietOrS and managers of
papers alleged to have paid rebates on
| the mercantile appraisers list advertis-
| ing. were sworn, with the exception of
| the last named gentleman, who was too
| i'll to appear, and sent an affidavit in
| stead. Their testimony was to the
effect that they could not get the adver-
| tising without paying a commission of
40 per cent to the person bringing it to
them, and as they could print the
matter and make profit after pay
| ing the commission, they did so
as a matter of business. None of
| them had knowledge that the commits
sion was to go to either Bardsley or the
auditor general. Mr.. McMichael de-
clined to give the name of the person
xuhn aotpH tho coX-in(r tha hQ
was not a public official. and he consid-
cred it private matter. MI. Cook ad-
nptted that Capt. Grafin was the man
to whom he had paid the commission.
When asked who got the commission in
1891, Capt. Graffih having died in 1890,
MI Cook declined to reveal the name,
saying that the person was not public
official, and it would be unfair to make
his name public. Mr.. McCully also
acknowledged that Capt. Graffin was
the man to whom he had paid the COM
roicciop Tho aO1Ornittpn thpn ad-