Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-06-24
BARDSLEY'SC
The Philadelphia Ex-Treasurer
Makes an Explanation.
CAUSE OF HONEST JOHNS" RUIN.

Ignorance of the Law and Good Inten-
lions Pleaded in Extenuation, but the
Indictment Conceded To Be Correct
He INSISTS, However, That None of the
stolen Money Went Into His Pocket,
Keystone Bank and That Rascal Marsh
Getting Every Cent A Grewsome Story
of Criminal Error.
PHILADELPHIA, June 24-Ex-C Treas
urer Bardsley was brought into court yes
terday, and the examination of witnesses
TO support the charges against the prisoner
was begun. At the conclusion of the tes-
timony Mr.. Alexander said his client de-
sired to read statement. Mr.. Bardsley
then arose and read a statement to the eff
feet that the balance due the city when the
crash of the Keystone bank came was 81, 1874, :
621.32. On the credit side of the account
were the following items: Due from the
Keystone bank, SOS, 900; bonds of the Bal
timore Traction company, 500, 0o0-depos-
tied in Keystone bank; r. G. Haines' notes
for money 10 assist the bank, SIS, 900; stock
OF Farmers and Mechanics bank, 500. 600;
and other items making total aggregate
of Sl.155, SOS 43; balance, SIS, 500 50, an
amount which he claimed was more than
provided for by property made over to the
assignee. He also admits debt to the
state of 81 ,102, 16964
Relations with the keystone Bank
After setting forth the practice of the
state as to auditing the accounts with the
city treasurer and making a statement OF
his dealings with the state treasurer's
office during 1890 and up to March, 1891,
when his accounts were last audited,
found correct and notification given that
the money in his hands must be paid by
June l Bardsley pRoceeds, referring to
the Keystone bank: II had an account
with this bank for many years and was
well acquainted with the officers This
was the active bank of the city treasurer
who preceded me, and on taking my seat
the first Monday in January 1899, there
was 81, 100000 on deposit, S700 900 in excess
of the law. On the day j took
my seat ! reduced the balance in this
bank to less than the legal limit of $780,
600, and thereafter during the time I was
city treasurer | kept balance within the
legal limit except on two occasions
when 1t could not, he says, be avoided.
The beginning of the Trouble.
Bardsley then goes on to say: in DC
tober or November, 1890, a financial
panic commenced, caused largely by
failure of the Earrings in London, which
panic swept over this city, and in the lat
ter part of November the keystone bank
showed evidence of trouble. ! was applied
to by the bank for assistance, but could
give none. About Nov. 25, however. fear
full there might be further trouble, / de-
posted with the president of the bank 100
bonds Of the Baltimore Traction company
of 81 600 each to enable him to use them at
the clearing house, where he did use them
ard obtained loan for the bank. These
bonds, or their face value, were
TO be returned to me in few
days, but they never were, Before
1889 the business with the bank was en-.
tirely satisfactory. l had deposited with
them during 1889 large sums of state
money, which when wanted by me were
promptly returned"
Proving Up His Deposits.
On this account, he says, when the pres.
ident of the bank applied to him for other
deposits in the spring of 1890, he com
piled, and he gives list of the same, az
gregating S945, 600 from Feb Z to Oct. 6.
The receiver of the bank having refused to
admit the Indebtedness, Bardsley gives
what he considers-and what appears on
its face to be-proof Of the same. Many
OF the items are not properly entered in the
banks accounts, but collateral evidence is
produced of their correctness. He read
letters from Marsh, president of the bank,
dated Sept. and Oct. q, begging him TO
make large deposits, and stating that they
would be of incalculable value to the
bank. Marsh's requests were compli ed
with hot IA times He admits that the han L
paid him interest on the deposits, but
when he wanted the principal he could
not get it.