Evening journal., 1914-03-06

the organist in the Woodlands Prcsby
tcrian Church about a year prior to the
publication of his disgrace He received
only S2250 salary from the canal com
pany, and yet lived in fine style
Lesley's home was at No. 1924 Poplar
street. The two men were cousins.
On the day OF the announcement of
the light of the two men. Moncurc d.
Robinson, the heaviest canal bondholdcr,
denounced the management OF the canal
company, and said the canal had been
operated in the interest OF the railroads.
THE affair. while a surprise to me,
was vet not so great a surprise as IL
might have been. Mr.. Robinson said.
Il was one of the first stockholders and
hondholders of the company. aud always
felt that il was a good Investment one
of the two canal companies that could
nav. Being only fourteen miles in
length. the cost oi maintenance was nee
lcssariiy small and then IL had l4O0
miles of navigation back of the mere
canal from hay to bay. There is no rca-
son. say. why it should not be made
iNerv valuable property, but has IL been?
No. The policy has been 70 throw every
thing i'm the way of the railroads and
simply to put men in as directors who
would operate it so that it would not
he a competitor for railroad transporta-
tion"
After Leslcy's light the public was
informed of his alleged infatuation for
Mrs. Mary +. Crawford, wife OF
Charles H. Crawford. travelling sales
man. who lived in Master street. Phila-
delphia The two families attended tho
same Presbyterian Church. Lesley was
an elder. When Crawford was away. il
was alleged, Lesley visited Mrs. Craw.
ford at her home. Crawford received
warning letters. He returned home un.
cxpectejly and hnd Lesley arrested
subsequently. for thr tho sake of Craw'
ford's daughter. the case was settled oul
OF court. Crawford permitted his wife
to get a divorce. II was said the IN
fatuation cost Lesley much money. on
July ,. 1883. Thomas T. Campbell, Mrs
! Crawford's father. had Lesley arrested
and he was held in $1,000 bail. That
csc never came TO trial. II was not long
after that that the deficiency Of Sl5.
lOO0 i'm Icslev's canal accounts was dis
lcoverc6 and he was removed from Office
His wealthy brother who lived in New
York. made good the shortage and pre-
vented proceedings of a criminal nature
Both Lesley and Wilson subsequently
were arrested in Canada, brought t'
this country by cxtradition proceedings
They were tried in Philadelphia an,
sentenced 10 prison. The canal com
lpanv was never able. however, TO re
cover the large amount OF good bond
which were frauduleutly sold to inno
cent investors. and made a lien upon
the canal property.
The thing that now is troubling Tn
holders oil the canal stocks and bond
is that the 81 100000 which it is pro
posed the Federal Government shal
pay for the canal will not liquidate III
bonded Indebtedness, much less protec
the stockholders.
II afterward was discovered that tn
Federal Government never had received
from the candl company the dividend
on the S45OOOO OF stock it held in tn
canal. Forged government receipts 70
that interest were found in the com
lpanv's files. and il is thought that Les
lev or Wilson. or both OF them. stol
the money and spent il. There now
ipcndng in the United States Distrlc
i Court in this district suit brought b
the Federal Government to recover thos
UNPAID dividends. which, with accrue
interest. now amount to approximatcl
is7O.Ooa-