The historic times. [volume] (Lawrence, Kansas) 1891-1891, 1891-07-18
SENSATIONAL CHARGES.
The Alleged Confession of Phila-
delphia's Late Treasurer.
Bardsley's Story of His Defalcation-The
Keystone Bank Failure and the Parties
Who BIed TIA Statement by
Wanamaker.


the city council inquiring into the fai
ure Of the Keystone national bank an
the affairs Of 4x-City Treas urer Bard:
ley, held a protracted session yesterda
afternoon. The main witnesses wer
Robert Nc Wade, city editor of the Pub
lie Ledger; William Mexican, editor i
chief Of the same paper, and Post
master-General Wanamaker The ties
timony Of McWade and Mexican ha'
reference to two statements obtaine,
by the former from Bardsley on june
Is and 10-four days before the accused
city treasurer made his public state
ment in court when brought up TO
sentence.
McWade was the first witness. lei,
said in answer to questions that hi
went to the county prison on Thursday
June Is. and interviewed the impris
oned cx-city treasurer. Bardsley talked
freely and understood that the inter
view was for publication. He told
Bardsley at the beginning that in view
Of certain charges that had been made
IN the newspapers he thought it proper
for him to make a full statement par
ticularly as to what had become Of the
S945, 900 deposited and which had disap-
peared, the charge being made that it
had been stolen.
After Mr.. McWade had written out
the first statement he said consulta-
tation was held between Mr.. Mexican,
. himself and another member of the ed
itorial force of the Ledger and after
full elaboration and discussion it was
decided not to publish it, because
strongreference, unsupported by facts,
was made to certain people.
Both interviews were submitted to
the committee, and it was decided by a
vote Of five to two to at once listen to
the public reading of the stat ement.
Mr. McWade, being familiar with the
manuscript, was asked to read the pa
pers, which he willingly consented to
do.
Much that Rardsley told McWade
was afterward incorporated in the
statement he read in court when called
up for sentence June %, and which has
already been published In these
Bardsley again went over the story Of
the Keystone bank and stoutly main
tanned that he put the $3.50, 600 in the
bank, but did not know what became
Of it any more than he believed that
President Marsh got it.
Bardsley said that Bank Examiner
Drew had been heavy borrower from
the keystone bank and was completely
under Lucas and Marsh's thumbs.
In regard to John Wanamaker Bards-
ley said that Marsh told him that he
knowingly held over-issued shares of
the bank stock and demanded 500. 600
for them and upset the plans for re-
organization Of the bank. Bardsley adj
vlsed Marsh to engage counsel and
make demand on Wanamaker for the
over-issued shares, as he was guilty of
a crime in holding them. Marsh re-
tanned Mayor Sulzberger and John o.
johnson as his counsel, and they made
q demand on Wanamaker, which he re-
fused Wanamaker's proposition was
that the Lucas estate Should
pay him $4,000, Marsh $4,000
and the bank $4,000 The law
yers then notified Wanamaker
that If the fraudulent shares
We're not delivered to them at speci-
fed date they would resort to legal
measures to get them. The shares
were then turned over without delav.
Mr.. Wanamaker had made a threat |
That he would see Comptroller Lacey in
washington and have the bank closed |
before they expected it.
In March, $780, said Bardslev,
Marsh came to me and said Wana-
maker wanted 5000, 600 at once. Marsh |
old him that he did not have the
amount on hand, and Wanamaker told
aim where he could get it. Two DAYS
alter, Marsh came to me saving that
Nanamaker was persistent and must
rave the money. loaned him the
money and Wanamaker got it."
Bardsley also talked a great deal
about his connection in the past with
several prominent Philadelphians and
blamed them for the stand they had
AIKEN against him. He is accredited
~ Mr. McWade with having spoken If
;oL Mcclure, of the Times. in the fol-
owing terms: when was candi-
ate for city treasurer called on Col
Mcclure and told him everything in nv
'ast life and said that if he would say
Q would withdraw. He said: "a
head; the Times will be for YOU Rnt
e weakened afterwards. You remem-
'er the scheme to get the pasworks
rom the city? Well, Mcclure was IN
hat Mcclure was to get big block
4 tne stock for his advocacy in his
aper and was not to pay cent for it.
lecture was also in a number OF other
chemes."
when | became city treasurer +.
'ardsley declared, Colonel McC1nra
allied on Mayor Filter and asked for
ne appointment of Magistrate Bob
ninth as one of the magistrates Ia cal.
sct delinquent mercantile taxes. Mr..
itier said 70 me: 'Bardsley, there is
omc money for the magistrates in the |
election Of those mercantile taxes.
mt there% answered: Yes, have
card So Well he continued. Col
lcClure has been to see me about hay- I
lg Magistrate Bob Smith appointed AZ
ne Of the fellows Mr. Mayor.,
answered, i can not appoint him for I
r. Mcclure. do not want to appoint !
lat man, anyhow, but If YOU want !
e 70 DO it iii name him Mayor 4
itler wanted to oblige Col McCnne ]
ld d So Then I agreed to appoint 1
ajor Smith. Not long after that ~ I
mt for me and told me that Bill SinO- i
~ wanted Richard j. Lennon 4 :
smocrat appoined mercantile an 1
'alser, and that he had promised 10 III y
hat ne could for him. He asked 80