St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-06-24
BARDSLEY IN COURT.
The Quaker City Ex-Treasurer
Makes His Promised State
ment.
A Plausible Showing as to His
Dealings With the
Banks.
Examiner Drew HarshIy Crit
icised by the Disgraeed
Official.
An Array Of Figures Account
ing for the Lost Mill
ion.

hlbADELFlilA, JUNE E0.-A LOuRu
and malodorous crowd that daily throngs
the court of quarter sessions was sup
plemented to-day by men prominent in
every walk of life. They had come into
the hot and stuffy court room to witness
what they thought was to be the crown
ing degradation of the man whom few
months ago they acknowledged as their
friend-John Bardsley, the faithless
treasurer of the city, and the self-con-
fessed violator of the law. Two weeks
ago, when Bardsley pleaded guilty to
the many charges against him, the court
fixed to-day as the time to pass sentence
upon him. Public expectation had been
wrought up by promise that when he
was brought into court Bardsley would
make full and free confession of his
malfeasance. The confession" was
conduct, and was exceedingly
SpeciOus and Fafr-Seemfng,
giving In detail his various transac-
tions. 1t bristled throughout with fig
ures and showed where every dollar he
has been accused of Incorporating
has gone to. To the charges to which
he has pleaded guilty. of loaning the
public funds at interest and to speculat-
ing with them, he frankly acknowledged.
but he emphaticallY denied that he had
benefited by his transactions to the ex-
tent of dollar. National Bank Exam
iner Drew came in for severe scorching
at the hands of Bardsley and he laid it
the keystone bank. BardSley said that
1t was through Mr.. Drew'S plausible
statements of the banks condition that
he deposited his money there. Ac-
cordiDg to Bardsley's statement his
present plight may be accounted
for by trusting too much in
the statements of others and can be
epItomiZed in his own words on telling
the history of his deposits in the Key
stone bank: 81 did not get the money
and have never gotten any part of it,
and it is still in the bank or should be
there. knew that the closing of the
bank mean great loss to the city and
state and
Personal Destruction
to myself. therefore made every ef-
fort to sustain the bank. The closing
has resulted in my absolute ruin"
Bardsley came from the prison in car
riage, and on entering the court room
was placed in the dock. The rest and
quiet that he has had IN prison has done
him a world of good, and he looked
again like the John BardSley of his hap
pier days. He looked boldly around
the court room, bowed to some acqualnt-
ances and entered into conversation
with his brother-in-law. At the re-
quest of his counsel, the court allowed
Bardsley to leave the dock and take his
seat within the bar. District Attorney
Graham called Taylor Faunce, an ex-
pert accountant, and he testified that
BardSley, in his two years and half
incum bency of the Office of city treas
urer, received $1,000 in interest on the
public funds; that Bardsley had used
S500,000 in speculation, and had loaned
100000 to one banking firm and $780,
900 to another. He also loaned S400 000
to the Bradford Mills company,of which
he was the owner. Bardsley also sold
and converted to his own use $4,000
worth of government bonds that he held
for the city, but this money was subse-
Quently returned. The experts had
found that
BardsIey's Stock Operations
had cost him in the Deighborhood OF
100000. Lawrence Brown, another eX-
pert accountant, was next called. Be-
fore Mr.. Brown finished his testimony,
he was badly riddled by the cross exam
nation to which he was subjected by
Mr.. Alexander, counsel for Bardsley.
Mr.. Brown testified that about 81, ,900,-
600 remained to be accounted for.
Mr.. Alexander then asked: "After
all this investigation and assistance, ]
want you to say has cent gone into
Mr.. Bardsley's pocket?"
sg'Ht hoc
enough to show that" answered the
cannot say it has not"
Under oath can you tell the court
that cent went into Mr.. Bardsley's
private pocket?' persisted Mr.. Alexan.
der"
"Yes, in way, we have traced his
money to his personal accounts in
banks"
Browns examination was continued
at length, and he was forced to acknowl-
edge that there was an actual profit to
the city of about $4,000 between the
money Bardsley received at interest
and the money he lost in stocks, as this
money has been turned over to the city
Mr.. Brown further said that, with the
exception of the school fund, part OF
which was returned to the state BY
Mr.. Alexander then said his client de-
sired to make a statement to the court
MIR. Bards1ey Rose
to make his promised statement. The
statement consumed an hour and &
quarter in reading. AS Bradsley read
his voice was clear, distinct and audible
in every part of the court room. Twice
he faltered and was compelled to cease
reading when he spoke of his family
| but otherwise he read firmly to the end
| A summary of Bardsley's itemiZed
statement shows net balance due the
| city of S191, ,061.64, and net balance due
the state of 81, ,002, 1884, making tota
| due the city and state Of 81, 1914, ,63l. 80
| This balance is accounted for as fol
lows: Clearing house due bills from
keystone bank S925, ZOO; receipt Of
president of Keystone bank for one
| hundred bonds of Baltimore Trac-
ton company $1,000 each, $780,.
B. Haines for cash given him to assis
Keystone, bank, $4,000; 750 shares o1
stock in Farmers and Mechanics bank
| 100000; cash In Farmers and Mechan
| ics' bank, In connection with $50 share!
of stock, sS0S.4S; cash In hands of as
| signee, $1,000; total, LBS, sos. .43; bal
| alice due the city and state. S3S, ,S22.8
| The statement, continuing, says: "Thi
| accounts for all of the money entrusted
to my care except the balance of S3s,
S22.S9. This amount is
Many Times Overcome
by the property and claims have mad
| 0vor Tn nv aSSiunps all 0f which ie Suh