Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-22
Indicates he Considers Term in Peniten-
tiary Has Paid the State
DECLINES TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION
Reports Credit Him with Collecting in
Large Sums on Loans
HOLDS HEAVY CLUB OVER MEN WHO OWE
Legislators Inclined TO want some
Information and Money Before
Releasing the hartley
Bondsmen.
CFrom a stan Correspondent)

any uuu9 luAuhe luE n uOlg minute lnhl an
going to come back from the penitentisry
after serving six years, and tell him any
thing about my present business he's d
badly mistaken" sententiously remarked
Joseph S. Bartley, ex-state treasurer Of
Nebraska, to a correspondent for The Bee
this afternoon
Il am trying TO attend to my business
the best l can and Il doesn't make a bit
OF difference to me what people say about
me-" continued the man who defaulted TO
the amount OF over $500, 900, as he wheeled
around from his desk in his ONCE In the
Richards block.
''Is it not a fact, MIR. BARLEY, that you
are collecting in money by monthly In
stallments, on loans you made while you
were state treasurer" was asked him.
That is my business and I refuse to talk
about it," was the quick and decisive re-
ply.
Isn't It fact that you are maintaining
yourself by means Of loans you made while
state treasurer" was asked.
But this inquiry brought no more salts
factory response than the first one.
Isn't Il true, Mr.. BARLEY, that on a
recent occasion, one of your customers be-
came delinquent in his monthly payment
OF $50 on the loan he had received from
you and that you wrote him a letter,
threatening him unless he came to time
with the payment and that he came to time
forthwith" was the next attempt at
probing.
BARLEY threw back his head and laughed
one Of those cynical laughs-snd then
looking rather annoyed. said:
who told you such a thing as thstf'
Not in Discussion Business.
BARLEY simply will not discuss the past
or the present either, insofar as It relates
to his money-losning industry, which, II
is said, has attained considerable propor-
tions nor will he talk about the movement
on foot to secure the release of his bonds
men from the obligation they owe the state.
nor OF that celebrated mysterious "cigar
box" and its contents He Is a sphinx so
far as all these matters are concerned His
lips are sealed and ne regards it nobody's
business II he has become an opulent
money lender on money that belongs to the
state Of Nebraska. He rests secure In the
knowledge that the persons TO whom he
| has farmed out these embeBTled funds are
/ his victims and no such little thing as an
/ investigation by the state legislature is
/ likely to disturb the equilibrium OF his
! financial prowess.
"I have not asked a single member OF
! this legislature to support this resolution
to release my bondsmen." said BARLEY.
Then you know that the resolution has
been drawn up and that an effort really
is being made to secure the release OF your
bondsmen?" was interposed.
| Evidently annoyed at his unguarded
| statement, he replied:
well. what know Of It is what have
learned from the newspapers"
While Mr.. BARLEY may not be able to
inspire the most implicit faith in every
thing he says, no one who could talk with
him ought to doubt his word when he says
he is not bothering himself about any
movement for the benefit of his bondsmen.
It's a 100 to 1 shot that this is the least
OF Joe Bartley's troubles. It's a safe bet
that BARLEY has decided 10 let the bonds
men look out for themselves. though
there is no question but that he is thor
oughly informed as to every detail OF the
movement TO secure the passage by this
legislature OF the resolution for the re-
lease of these bondsmen.
As for his own release from anythinI
that might be construed into a legal obli.
CATION TO the state, BARLEY is evidently
not concerned. He got the only release
at the hands OF Ezra p. Savage that b,
cared anything about. The other release
is not essential to the success OF his pres
ent vocation, which is said to be in a mos
iourishing condition. AS TO any piedg,
made by him or his friends that. in eonsid
Grafton Of his release from the pAnitentiar!
he would address himself with all possible
power to the remuneration OF the state 10
the money he had embezzled. be II far iron
Joe Bartley to worry.
Suggestion which Taksa-
It has been suggested that before BartIe
and his sureties are released on their ofhcia
bond the legislature should pry into tn
, mysteries of this remarkable case and as
, certain the amount OF proceeds that ha
, been realized on the valuable contents O
that mystic cigar box and claim IL all 4
the name OF the state. And this suggestio
has struck a responsive chord The wis
dom Of It has appealed TO thoughtful mem
bers OF the legislative. But the troubl
: seems TO be In deciding how to go abou
: this difficult task.
4 No doubt ample proof could be obtained I
. show conclusively that the centents OF ths
cigar box has yielded and is still yieidin
9 a big income-to Joseph s. BARLEY. Tn
statement was made TO a correspondent
The Bee a day or two ago by a gentlema
who processes TO have ineontrovertible eV
|. idenee. that BARLEY has made loans enoug
; and OF suficient character to keep him an
! his family in comfortable circumstance
~ the rest of their days without any work O
his part, except to see that his Interest
Y is promptly and regularly paid.
Said this gentleman:
3, BARLEY has no cause for anxiety abo'
d his financial condition. He has enoug
=, money loaned out to enable him to oontinJ
his extravagant habits as long As he lives
N Little substantial hope is entertained
~ getting at any useful facts as 20 the motor
Gus cigar box and its contents The e
'r terie OF people who could give informatiC
p on this point Is so small and the respecti'
N positions are such as to warrant no hol
whatever. BARLEY has refused 70 say
- word. Ex-Governor HOlcomb, who went In
a. once as BARLEY commenced his secOI
d term and testified 20 having accepted Il
> alleged securities presented 70 him By q