Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-10-14
STARTLING ARRAY OF THEFTS,

r H,rE1spCRG, PA. October 13.-The
Srste chamber presented an animated
53gearance to-day.
All of the Senators have arrived Win
.ts exception Of Senator Nehard, VINO
sick. Senator PenrOse, who Is In the
Rocky Mountains, Senator Harlan, re-
.-red. and Senator Morgan, who IS to
.s married tomorrow.
Lieutenant Governor Watres called
-ls senate 10 order az 1909 p. m. A
,oumittee, consisting Of Senator Grady,
n philadelphia, and Senator Markley,
f Montgomery, was appointed 70 notify
rho Governor that the Senate was In
session. The Governor then sent his
message 20 the Senate, which was read,
as follows:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT OF THE Com
v1NWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA,
OFFICE OF TIE GOVERNOR,
H,RWsBrRG, PA, October l3, 1881.
n. On, senate Of the Commonwealth Of Penn
n'rWiI:
GENTLEMEN: BY virtue of the authority
vested no me. ] have convened YOU in eX-
~s1riiuarv session by proclamation for the
transaction of exeCtive business. In my
r-rveut. conditions exist In the Common
wealth TO warrant and require the exercise
-f this power. The Constitution provides
that all officers elected by the people, other
than some especially excepted, snau be re
moved Oy the Governor for reasonable
cause after due notice and full hearing, on
roe address, Of tWO-thicCs OF the Senate.
For the several months succeeding the
-rremeut Of John Bardsley from his Of
.e various Investigations have Oeen 10
urogress with view TO ascertain the char
.,er and extent OF his malfeaSance, the
a-gUcated transactions in which he was
ENGAGED. using the public moneys for
r-rat- speculation and other unlawful
PERSONAL purposes; and 70 discover, If pos
Stole. the connection and completely Of
rl.r persons, official or private, in his
IA. and criminal acts.
Crmua. prosecutions were begun
lca.1s. John Bardsley by the District At
.1rsey of Philadelphia, and terminated
with the plea Of guilty and sentenced 70
fifteen wears Imprisonment in the Eastern
Peuteuuary for the conversion of public
moneys 90 his own use and for lOanlng
them IJr interest.
Az that hearing, and subsequently, a
large number OF letters were produced,
substantially admitted TO be genuine, writ
Gem to John Bardsley by officers Of the
Commonwealth, whose duty under the law
b was 90 have required accounting for and
payment 20 the Commonwealth of the pub
lc moneys coming into his hands.
FROM VARIOUS SOURCES
Information il appears 60 be the undis-
aE u ..Nk p H.nr.r
'e-l John Bardsley was permitted 70 re-
,4l and 10 use svery large amount Of
money collected for and payable into the
State Treasury, for which he neither made,
nor was ever called upon and required 10
make. The account directed 0y law. For
le collection of the moneys so retained by
-u mo- such legal steps were ever taken as
a-e mandatory upon the State Treasurer
GI Auditor General; and he is shown 70
ave EN- nbezzled them 70 the amount Of more
Tan a million and quarter dollars.
The stubs Of his check book and the en-
tries upon his private memoranda, made at
"o time. show that he paid 20 a clerk of
The Auditor Generals Office a One-half
share Of moneys criminally received by
him from the magistrates Of Philadelphia
G whose hands he placed the suits for the
collection OF delinquent mercantile taxes.
The magistrates have testified that they
paid John Bardsley these moneys 20 the
aa0unt Of $3.50 each, in each year, he de
tGctr- IL from their warrants on the
State Treasury, which the Auditor Cen
eral testiies ne sent 10 John Bardsley, aud
Iu- 90 the persons In whose favor they were
drawn.
These same memoranda and stubs show
'1ar John Bardsley regularly received
large sums of money from the DUOlnerS OF
newspapers. which obtained the advertise
-e-t of the mercantile appraisement lists,
ana were paid by the Commonwealth Tor
i.I, advertising. The selection OF these
l-Hsuapers was the duty and right OF tue
Auditor General and John BardSley, act
% e1I I50.utly. It is admitted by some or
tle iewspaper publishers that they pald
.lese moneys 10 clerk IN once OF
Auditor General Thomas McCamant'
aud the books of John BardSley IN
c.,l.e mat be divided the bribes thus re-
ce'vei with Auditor General Thomas Nc
Can.ll or with some as vet undiscovered
person " the same initials. The Auditor
General has denied under oath that he re-
ce1e- any share Of these moneys and MS
CLERK is dead.
WILLIAM LIvSEY,
laree times State Treasurer, familiar WITH
zee Office, cashier Of State Treasurer Hen
4 h. Boyer, has been absent from the
,a'e almost continuously since the nrSt
A-rls.ey exposures. he IS reported as De
.-s beyond the reach Of al officials and IN
-StgatiDg committees who have desired
Us presence for some months past Inc
o'-.e Treasurer has testified that he mas
~ knowledge Of Mr.. LivSey's where,
SCOUTS, and that since July last he has nao
81 communication with or from him, except
% receive and accept his resignation.
1lese same memoranda aud check BOOKS
.-lT ". payments by John Bardsley Of money
y William Livsey, Cashier Of the State
-.l'g,aa.slry, and presumably 10 Auditor Cen
ga Thomas McCamant, from time 70 time
,111tng toe period that he was permitted oy
. ,-ese officials 10 retain the enormous
I-il!n,s I-il Of State moneys which he then
1e0 in his hands.
,. ~ lsularly, for q considerable period, on
CO, - a9Out the first Of each month, after re-
SC.,Ing Interest Bardsley appears to have
Ss-sSan. clecks for portion Of il for the
49, s-eu1 Of some person or persons whose
--'l0 cannot be ascertained by reason OF