Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-05
MR.. BARDSLEY'S BOOKS
Found to Disagree With Those of the
Keystone Bank in One Case.
THE CITY'S BALANCE In THE BANK
Larger Than the Figures Given by the
Ex.TreaSurer Indicate.
REPORT BY THE EXPERT ACCOUNTANTS

PHILADELPHIA, June 4.-The report of the
| expert accountants who have been investi-
| eating the accounts of ex-City Treasurer
Bardsley was transmitted to City Councils
/ this afternoon by Mayor Stuart. The work
| of the accountants has embraced the acts of
both the city and State, but the report only
deals with the former, as the investigation
| into the condition of the State funds hasn't
progressed far enough to be made public yet.
The report is an extremely voluminous
| one, and gives in detail Mr.. Bardsley's ac-
| counts with the various banks. Although
4 the work of the experts has been kept a Sc
cret, still enough of it was made public at
| the hearing of Bardsley last week to fore
shadow the report made to-day. The report
shows that on the 2lst of May, according to
| the books of the City Treasurer's Office, there
was on hand $32,3l7,6Os 80 belonging to the
city.
BardsIey's Books and Bank Books Differ.
Of this amount the books OF the City
| Treasurer show that there was on deposit in
| the keystone Bank $437, ,5S 32. This sum is
| claimed by Receiver Yardley and Bank Ex-
| aminer Drew to be wrong and that the
banks books show the actual deposit to
have been $639, 1859 10.
With the exception of this difference be-
| tween the books of the City Treasurer and
the Keystone Bank, the experts found the
funds in the city treasury to represent the
required balance to the credit of the city.
Continuing, the report says that an an
alysis of the Keystone Bank balance,
whether the same be made from the balance
shown in the books of the bank or those of
the city treasury, indicates the true balance
of the city in the Keystone to be $62S,0S5 05.
This balance is shown in the report by
figures to be the correct one.
Bardsley had been carrying as cash in the
city treasury $l96, ,043 10 of worthless checks
drawn on the keystone Bank. In some way,
not yet definitely known, he raised this
amount in cash and substituted it for the
checks.
One of His Attempts Failed.
He then went to Bank Examiner Drew and
asked that this amount be charged TO his ac-
count as City Treasurer in the keystone
Bank and credited to his personal account.
This Mr.. Drew refused to do. EMA57
The only other evidence of any criminal
act of Bardsley with the city money is mis-
appropriation of $39,576. This money be-
longed to contractors under bonds to the
city, and Bardsley withdrew it from the
bank on his personal check and used it to
make up part of the $l96, 900 that he required
Whether Bardsley can be held liable by the
city for the money is disputed question,
many claiming that the city has no vested
right in it. The report states that for the
collected taxes for the State amounting to
81, 242, ,SS7, and that the same was duly depos-
tied as required.
In conclusion the report says: eve fur
ther report that an Investigation is now in
progress which will reveal the disposition
made by John Bardsley of State funds by
him received, the particulars of which will
be embodied in a report at the earliest possi-
BILE moment"
A Delinquent Taxpayer Also.
For some time past the auditors of the
City Controllers office have been at work
preparing a statement of the taxes due the
city by delinquent property owners. The
statement has been completed for the years
1869 to 1850. inclusive, and shows that the
city has been carrying on its
books as assets claims amounting to
millions of dollars, most of which
are absolutely worthless. The report states
that for the years mentioned there are $4l3,-
$40 63 in taxes that are uncollectable, and
$99 1856 66 collectable. Prior tols69 there was
no systematic bookkeeping in vogue, and
the proper returns were not made to the
Controller The last report of the Con-
troller showed 50, $685. 161 30 carried as assets
under the head of "Outstanding taxes for
1868 and prior years"
Among the delinquent taxpayers is ex-
City Treasurer Bardsley. Mr.. Bardsley was
a large property owner, and he figures as
the city's debtor to the amount of $l1 81 49,
This sum is the accumulation of unpaid
taxes since the year 1877. Bardsley's name
never appeared among the list of delinquent
taxpayers.