The Wilmington daily Republican., 1891-06-12
FRIDAY JUNE Is, rsoi.
lsnr,isicy's fall,

nnrdsiey's Fall.
A pitiable and humiilatlng spectacle
must have been Philadelphia's City !
Treasurer, John Bardsley, standing be- !
fore court of justice and pleading |
guilty to all the charges brought !
against him OF prostituting his office !
and using the money in it for his own
benefit. Mr.. Bnrdsley had, for twenty |
OF more years, been closely identified |
with the city government Of Phlladel- |
ph'a as a member OF tho City Council,
and as chairman of the Finance Com
mittee. a position Of large honor and
trust, where millions Of money were
under his direction and control. From
the fact that, though receiving no sal
nry as a member Of Council, and still
remaining in comparatively moderate
circumstances, he received the sobri-
Cuet OF Honest John Bardsley."
IL was an unfortunate day for John
Bardsley whom he was nominated for
the Office OF City Treasurer. But for
that he might have gone on In his
career retaining the name of being
honest, while possibly he may havo
been dishonest at heart. The question
nrises in thisconncction whether he had
ever been the honest man ho was re-
puted to be, or whether q man who
had lived along honestly In the world
as long as he, would so suddenly tot
ter and fall at the first temptation that
offered TO use public money as his
own.
Here was man whose salary was
$4,000 year fora term OF three years,
q sum that most men would have con-
sldered ample to satisfy honest men.
But this amount was a mere bagatelle
compares with other allowable perqui-
sites of his office. The commissions
allowed on State money collected arc
understood to reach $4,000 or $4,000
year. Any ordinary man ought to
he able TO retire at the end OF the three
years with a legitimate fortune OF at
least $4,000 in his pocket ssaved.
But this did not suit John Bardsley
His success increased the greed of
aynrice within him and he went into
{ speculation on the States money. The
State he argued would not need this
5000, 600 until such and such time,
why may not make something out of
1t until 1t is needed. will SO place it
that l can realize ON it at call and no.
body will be the wiser but myself and
those to whom 1t Is loaned. All, John
Bardsley. had you not stopped to lis
ten to those seductive arguments the
penitentlary for the balance Of your
life would not yawn for your entrance.
As John Bardsley argued so argue all
who are about entering upon the same
course. Very few men become rogues
suddenly. They intend to recoup and
pay back all, but somehow, when the
time comes for that they cannot just
realize upon the Investments not their
own and then they are drawn into
trouble. So went John Bardsley. I'm
fortunately for him the banks he se-
lacted for his operations were not
sound and yet they were the ones that
offered him the larger interest for tho
State money, four per cont.
This suited Bardsley, as it would
bring into his pockets s3s, 400. Mag
niicent speculation Had the Key
stone Bank not collapsed so suddenly,
Barllslcy might have carried through
his project and retired at tho end of
his term, still retaining the name of
being honest. But tho unexpected
often happens. 1t did so in Bardsleys
case, and great was his fall. There are
many men who are pursuing the same
course Bardsley pursued, and are in
danger of being tripped up every
hour. II the lesson of John Bartlsley's
fall will prevent many others from
entering upon the Same paths, he will
not altogether have lived in vain.