Evening journal., 1891-06-18
BARDSLEY MAY CONFESS
But Does He Know Where the
Money Wentp
PHILADELPHIA IS IN BAD SHAPE

PHILADELPHIA rs IN BAD SHAPE
The Treasury Has Been Literally Guttex
and the Taxpayers Must AZ Once Raise
@I,s75,00O 20 Get out OF the Hola
Into which Bardsley Plunged Them.
PHILADELPHIA, June Is.--John Bards-
iey's coming confession is eagerly await
ed IN Philadelphia His gigantic stealings
were either so skillfully or so simply made
as TO battle Taylor Faunce, Lawrence f.
Brown and Thomas w Barlow, the com
mittee Of experts appointed by Mayor Ed
win > Stuart TO peer into the deep, dark
hole and find out where all the money has
gone. These experts have worked ardu-
ously for two weeks, and although they
have accounted for some things, they have
yet to find the actual sink in the hole
Bardsley's confession, so his counsel,
Mr. Alexander, says, will be presented to
Judge Wilson on the day next week when
the embezzler shall be called up for SEN
tence.
His Account with the Public.
How much Barlsley can explain and
how much his explanation will benefit
the city or himself is problem. His ac-
count with the public just now stands
about like this:
Stolen state taxes for 1900 .......... saesa4s 90
Stolen school fund. .............. 4ts428 "a
Stolen state taxes for 1871 ........ 5l7,55a 10
IN the broken Spring Garden hank 1440Oo 90
In the broken Keystone bank. al, ,554 ~
Magnificent total....-.......ss ssi74@O 50
Does Bardsley Himself Know
Bardsley is an old man. The mildeat
possible sentence must mean the ending
Of his life in prison. Some people there-
fore scout the idea that his confession will
tell anything.
Other people doubt If he can tell much
There Is "A popular theory In Philadelphia.
that Bardsley himself does not know what
became OF the money; that is, that he does
not know what has become OF most Of It,
There is belief that President Gideon w
Marsh, Of the ruined Keystone bank, who
jumped his bail four weeks ago and has
successfully eonces led himself ever since.
and Herbert II. Yard, who was arrested in
Trenton on Friday and who Is now enjoy
ing life az his beautiful home in Belmar,
n. j., under $4,000 bail, are the only per-
sons who can furnish accurate informar
tion. -
Philadelphia In Had shape.
Meanwhile the position Of Philadelphia
II pitiful and unfortunate While some
money may be recovered from the banks
and from Bardsley's visible assets the
amount Of at least 81 1875 600 must be inn
mediately raked together It will have 60
be gaised by direct taxation. Philadelphia
long ago reached its debt limit and cannot
raise any more money by bonds without
violating its charter. The thousands Of
householders in the big city have settled
down to the conviction that the existing
low tax rate Of l.s9 will not be seen again
for a dozen years. This is where the pub.
lie is hard hit, because almost every resi-
dent Of Philadelphia is a taxpayer Long
and costly litigatiohs must ensue ana
great municipal financial stress be felt be-
fore the effect Of these frauds can be over.
come.
A Peculiar Steal All Around.
The thing at fault here seems to be the
system Of iinanciering practiced in the
state and city. That alone is responsible
II leaves the public funds entirely al the
mercy Of individuals. III the individuals
happen 70 be honest, well and good; If not.
harm happens. This has been the history
right along. II is doubtful II there Is a
state or city in the Union where such n
condition OF affairs exists, a condition OF
affairs which permits stealing without thG-
pretence OF doing anything at all in return.
Tweed stole vast sums in New York, but
on The surface something was done. Streets
were opened, parks improved, public build
ings erected, all, il is true, at a cost TO the
taxpayer Of from three to five times what
they were worth, but work was done and
q percentage Of value realized
Here in Philadelphia il Is different. The
steal is a cold, clear cleaning out Of the
safe. The public got nothing for its
money, and il does not even appear thnt
the thieves prohted much.
A Reform Movement.
A reform movement has been set in
motion, having for its nucleus the com
mittee OF tifty TO reorganize aud reform ex-
isting methods. The committee, II il un-
dertakes the job, will have large task ON
its hands. The work will have To be dome
AZ Harrisburg, and hope is held out thar
something wall come from the unwilling
sacrifice made by the people Of Philadel
phia Certainly the few years that rc
main Of Bardaey's life il all spent in
prison will be poor return for the loss
caused by his rascalty.
The councils investigating COMMITTEES
and the mayors experts were yesterday
blf'A pcAuiASSloh bg INetelVer 1ar0lGV to
examine Bardsley's accounts Ia the Kew
stone bank. They went to work at once.
Mayor Stuart has received from Wash
ington pamphlet Of about POO pages.
containing all the correspondence Of the
various departments relative 20 the reors
ganization scheme and the subsequent
plans for receivership Of the keystone
bank
VIII Bardsley DENY 10
There Is a report here that Bardslev is
a statement in which be denies
that he is "A thief and throws the entire
blame for the loss OF the Sa45, 600 Of due bills
on the Keystone bank The report saws
that when he pleaded guilty to all the in
dictments which charged him with NAL
feasance in Office and misuse OF the public
funds he did not intend to accept CON
domination and the penitentiary without
some kind of an effort to combat public
opinion that was so strong against him
IL Marsh in Brazil?
PHILADELPHIA, June 1S-Gideon W.
Marsh, the fugitive president of the Key
stone bank, is believed to be in Brazil. He
IS thought to have sailed for that countrv
from New York on May 20. the day FOB
lowing his disappearance from this city.
It is stated that Bardsley believes him ta
be there, and that Marsh tried to induem
ihe ex-treasurer to go with him to thaa