Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-27
A RICH LEAD STRUCK
By Experts Faunce and Brown
Among Bardsley's Accounts.
EVIDENCE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE
That Is Being Held Under Cover in the
Interest of Justice.
GOV. PATTISON ANXIOUS TO TESTIFY
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH

PHILADELPHIA, Culy Ao.-DlStrlcC Az
torney Graham has in his possession docu-
mentary evidence of great importance. 1t
was furnished to him by Mayor Stuart's ex-
perts, Faunce and Brown, but it is the
opinion of both City Solicitor Warwick and
Mr.. Graham that the interests of the city
and the ends of justice will best be served
by withholding the information from publi-
cation for the present. -
1t is stated that the letters, memoranda,
private papers and accounts of John Bard
sley furnished the facts for the material now
in the hands of the District Attorney, and
it was originally intended to have the mat
ter laid before the investigating committee
by the experts, who we're present at the
session held on Friday last, but just before
the meeting conference was held, and it
was decided that the wisest course to pur-
sue would be to hold back certain portions
of the evidence until expected future de-
velopments should make it more valuable.
WHAT THE LETTERS SHOW.
The following letter from Mayor Stuart,
which was received by Chairman Van Osten
on Thursday last, shows that at the time of
writing there was no question that these
matters were to be given to the committee
on the following day. The letter was over
looked at the meeting:
Mr.. William Van Osten:
DEAR SIR-In reply to your letter of the
23d inst beg to state that have directed
Messrs. Faunce, Brown and Barlow, as re-
quested therein, to report to your commit
tee in Councils chambers tomorrow (Fri-
day., the oath inst, at P NJ, and to take
with them the documentary evidence you
allude to. These gentlemen will be at the
service of the committee at any time here
after upon notice to them from you. 1 am,
respectfully, EDWIN S. STUART,
Mayor.
When the Friday session was over Chair
man Van Osten returned to his office and
found these two communications awaiting
him, but it was too late to make their con-
tents known to the other members of the
committee:
GRAHAM AND WARWICK PROTEST..
VIM. Van Osten, ESQ.,:
DEAR SIR-Since my last communication to
you find that your committee has called
for the production of certain letters which
Will be thus made public and SO fall into the
hands of the persons against whom 1t may
be my duty hereafter. to use them as evil
dence. To expose in advance the documen-
tary evidence of the Commonwealth is OBJ
L
your committee will not use any of the let
ters in question. They have already largely
been in your hands for personal inspection.
and l am willing to have your committee
examine and read them all. l do not know
what if any, prosecution may be instituted
this depends on what conclusions 1 may
reach after all the evidence is briefed and
the law carefully examined-but in the
meantime deem it to be my duty to pre-
vent the exposure of evidence which may
be used hereafter by the Common wealth.
Yours very truly,
GEORGE S. GRAHAM, District Attorney
The communication from City Solicitor
Warwick is of the same purport and reads:
William Van Osten, ESQ.,:
DEAR SRI have just been informed that
the Committee OF Councils investigating the
accounts of John Bardsley, late City Treas
urer, has called for the production of certain
letters placed by the Mayors experts in the
hands of Mr.. Graham, District Attorney
To make these letters public at this time
might seriously affect the interests of the
city in the matter of future litigat tion and
under these circumstances l do not think
the letters should be produced. Yours, very
truly,
CHARLES F. WARWICK, City Solicitor.
PATTIsoN WANTS TO TESTIFY.
A dispatch from Harrisburg says: Gov
ernor Pattison returned here from the en-
at Mount Gretna late on Friday
night and yesterday sent the following let
ter to the Chairman of the Councilmanic
Investigating Committee in Philadelphia,
indicating his readiness to appear before
that body when desired:
1 am informed that on July p the com
mi.tee of which you are chairman mailed
me letter, in which 1 was requested to ap-
pear at meeting of your committee to be
held in Philadelphia, Friday, July "a, at 3
o'clock P. NJ. Your letter has not yet
reached me-. probably because of
some misunderstanding as to the
delivery of mail at the encampment at Mt
Gretna, where 1 was in the discharge of
official duties from July D to July "a inclus-
i've. 1 regret that anything delayed or in
terfered with the delivery of the letter to
me.
Referring to the request, which 1 under
stand the letter contained, desire to state
that 1t will give me great pleasure to be
present at any meeting of the committee
which may be held upon reasonable notice
rs to time and place of such meeting. re-
quested the Attorney General to state this
fact at the meeting of the committee yester-
day, and am informed that it was DONE 1
will feel obliged if you will advise me of the
late of the future meetings of your COM
nittee. ROBERT E. PArrIsoN.