Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-11
THAT BARDsLEY INrERyIEW.
Editors Of the Philadelphia ledger" Co o,
the stand.


the Stand.
THE INVESTIGATION OF TIE SUBCOMMITTEE OF
tn. FINANCE COMMITTEE OF PHILADELPHIA
crTY coUNcns-PRoM1SESr MEN IMPLICATED
STATEMENT OF THE xx-rREAsURER-NR. wanna
MAKER TEsrIFIEs.
The subcommittee Of the finance committee
Of Philadelphia city councils that il inquiring
into the failure Of the keystone National Bank
and the affairs Of ex-City Treasurer John
Bardsley held . protracted session yesterday
afternoon. The main witnesses were Robert
NJ. Mcwsde. city editor Of the Public LEDGER Of
that city; VIM. v. Mexican, editor-in-chief same
paper, and Postmaster General wanamaker.
The testimony OF Mr.. Mcwade and Mr.. Nc
Kean had reference to two statements obtained
by the former from Bsrdsley on June 10 and
10, four days before the accused city treasurer
made his public statement In court when
brought up for sentence. Mr.. Wanamaker,
after denying emphaticslly statements made by
Bardsley to Mr. Mcwade. which reflected
rather severely on his (Wanamaker 81 actions
In connection with the Keystone Banks
troubles, explained fully his connection with
the 2.625 shares Of Keystone Bank stock which
the stubs in the certificate book showed had
been issued in Mr.. Wanamaker's name.
WHAT BARpsLEY SAID.
In the first interview Bardsley said
$50 far as those due bills are concerned,
can and will prove that they are genuine, every
one Of them. My counsel, Mr.. Alexander, sent
for Cashier Hayes and Mr.. Mcguire of the Key
stone National Bank in reference to them, and
they acknowledged that the signatures they
bore were theirs. At first. before they saw the
due bills. they denied their accuracy, but, sub
sequently, when they were placed before them.
they frankly identified them. Their testimony
will be OF some avail to back up my statement.
But the man Marsh, who could tell the most,
the man who could explain everything the
man who could tell all about where that $780,
600 has gone, has suddenly disappeared. He
mas gone on like coward. despite his protesta-
tons that he would stand by me to the end.
But few days before be left he called on
me and we had brief conversation on the sub
Ject OF facing the consequences Of what had
been done. He said to me: Mr.. Bardsley, l
would go away somewhere, but it would not be
manly to desert you in your extremity. l
alone can explain all about the money that is
missing and all about your deposits and where
they went. fear, however, that when my trial
Is over will be sentenced to nearly one hun
dred years in prison. How on earth could
you get sentence like that?' asked him, add
ing: You know that all your crimes won't cost
you more than several years in prison at the
utmost l then showed him how foolish it
would be to run away. told him that no
matter where he went he would always be sus-
picious Of every one he met and that his life
would be torture to him; that he could never
return to this country, and that being young
man yet his imprisonment would in time be
over and he woull still be able to begin the
battle OF life anew. He mystihed me then by
the remark that 4 did not know all Heaven
help me, / little knew then the meaning of his
words. but too well did / know it afterward
Il questioned him about what was done with
that S90O, 600, and he cooly answered that he
didn't know where it was l exclaimed ex-
citedly: Ny God! You must surely know what
You did with it; where 10 itY He replied: L
don't know, tell you, where il Ia or what did
with it.. Marsh told me three or four days be-
fore the last hearing before the United Stater
commissioner that he was going to take q run
over to New York for day. wanted to know
what WAS bringing him there at that particular
time and was given to understand that he had
some family friends over there and had some
business to settle with. them. OF he started
aud the next thing heard was that he was at
New Rochelle"
'.How was it that Bank Examiner Drew did
not discover the banks condition earlier than
he did?"
Perhaps there was . good reason" replied
Mr. Bardsley, in o significant tone, ''for his
failure to disclose his discovery. For one thing,
he was q heavy borrower from the bank"
Are you sure OF thatI
II am positive Of 1t. He first borrowed from
John @. Lucas, TO whom he gave his promis-
sorry note. When Lucas died Marsh transferred
Drews note to his own drawer. Marsh told me
about that note and could have put my hand
| on it at any time when went to the Keystone
Bank. Lucas had Drew under his thumb all
along, and Marsh kept him in the same posi-
| tion-that know, and SO does Drew and so
does Marsh. Why, it was really owing to Drew
| that put so much Of the city's money into the
Keystone Bank. It occurred in this way:
About one month after was elected city treas
urer Drew came to me with prepared State
ment Of the condition Of the Keystone Bank,
| showing that it was not only perfectly solvent
but had q large amount Of reserved capital II
was largely in consequence of his representa-
tions that placed such confidence in the Key
stone, that made heavy deposits there of both
city and state moneys.
when the bank met my checks promptly
during the first yea, I had ample confidence
in it, and felt when the first furry came that
1t would weather the storm without any trouble
whatever. 1t was but a short time prio- to the
last run on the bank that ascertained any
thing tangible about tie Lucas indebtedness
Marsh first told me that Lucas was short abou,
e2OO, OCO or $500, 600. Then he said it was
nearly $5O0, 0O0 After that he increased the
amount of the shortage or indebtedness to from
1900, 600 to e70O0O0.
ingly held over 2, 500 shares Of our overissue
and had demanded sl0o, 900 for them, although
he had never paid or given any value for them
whatever. Wanamaker's demand was that Mrs.
Lucas was to give xoU,OUU OF tnat amount,
Marsh 81, 900 and the bank the rest of 1.-THE
remaining S25, 600.
The depositors had all this time acted nobly.
Some of the stockholders were mean, and few
really should, from what I know, be in prison,
too. A plan was arranged that the stock was
to be thrown into pool, or given up, in order
to help the rebuilding Of the bank. Every
thing seemed clear for Q speedy and satisfsc-
tory arrangement, when John Wsnamaker up
set all our plans by his remarkable demand, ac-
companied by the threat that unless the sl00.-
600 was paid over to his lawyer, p F. Rother-
MEL he would close the bank. Marsh was fright
ened and did not know what to do. / told him
to engage good lawyers at once, and to instruct
them to demand the overissue from John
Wanamaker, and not to pay him q cent l
showed him that John Wanamaker was know
ingly guilty of Q crime in retaining these over
issued shares, and that he must not be permitted
to bulldoze the bank. Marsh took my advice
and engaged Mayer Sulzberger and John G.
johnson. They demanded the stock, and Wan
amaker reduced his demand to $4,000; but
he and his lawyer we're told that if the stock
were not returned by certain specified date
legal action would be taken against him. Be-
fore that date John Wauamaker weakened
and returned every share of the overissue.
But while this was going on Marsh was still
frightened. and he said to me one day: If
John Wanamaker il going TO tell Lacey. I'll
be ahead OF him and tell the whole business
myself' That afternoon he took train for
Washington and made . clean breast Of