Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-08
"LJONEST" JOHN BARDsLEY was nn
IL Enrlishtnnn by hirih

"HONEST" JOHN BARDSLEY was an
IL Englishman by birth.
lie was a hail follow wcll met He was
popular with politicians. His Sobriquct was
earned because. up to the hour of his dra.
matte downfall. lie had been credited with
being a square man, whose personal in
tcgrity was beyond shadow of a doubt.
Bnrdsley's trouble began with that run on
the Keystone National Bank.
As city Treasurer lc had control of the
cityS funds.
tho City's money on deposit in the Key
stone National Bank.
II was whispered about soon after that
u high city official had been grating.
ON March 20, 1891, the keystone Na-
tional closed its doors and national bank
examiners took charge of its books.
All that had been merely hinted at now
became crystallizcd into wrctchCd fact
Warrants were issued for the arrest OF
Gideon w. Marsh, its president, and Charles
Lawrence, cashier. Bail was fixed at
$4,000.
Marsh disappeared and for seven years
was homeless wandercr on the face Of the
earth. His bail bond was forfeited and his
securities were compelled to make good.
Lawrence went to the pententary. Pres
idcnt Cleveland granted him n pardon in
1896.
Shortly after Lawrence gained his free.
dom, President Marsh voluntarily reap
pearcd in the city.
II" had tired Of the role of Ishmacl the
wanderer. lie was ready to confess.
There Is every reason to believe that the
former bank president had been led to think
he would be Ienicnty dealt with. The
memory Of the financial catastrophe was
growing dim in the minds Of men.
United States District Attorney James VI.
Beck wanted the whole story retold when
Il l,,f.,.
United States District Court that fatal day,
the 18th of December, 1898.
lie wanted 10 bring out the names of all
who had prOhtcd hy Marshs criminal acts.
But Judge Butler confined him to the case
in hand.
tn" pcntcntary.
TOHN BARDSLEY had been put on the
- rack back in 1890.
ON April 20. 1891, the same City Council
that had laudcd him TO the skies began mn
investigation Of his books ns City Treasurer.
Just ono month later Burd>lCy resigned
Five days later he was arrested aud his bail
was fixed at 1000.
Unable TO secure this amount of bail
from among the mon who had inwncd upon
and lnuded him in the days of his prosperity
and power, Honest John" was compelled
TO 60 to iail.
Seventeen true bills were found against
the former City Treasurer by the Grand
Jury.
Deriving gain from bank deposits Of pub
lie money was ci.tgcd in six CaScs I.Oun-
ing money as a public official was charged
in another batch Of indictments.
Mr.. BardsIey was very liberal with his
loans. They ran in lump sums anywhere
from 500, 600. the lowest. to 500, 900
On" bank alone paid Burl>lcy as high as
100000 III interest for city money on
deposit.
with ono exception. | hrlfcyc, aIl Of thc
banks involved in the Rarlslcy transactions
have gone out OF existence, or have merged
or changed their names in the Intervening
! years.
A tRAIGNED before Judges Fell and
| "a Wilson in June, 1891, John BurJ.Irv
pleaded guilty to each Of the charges.
! His sentence is notable, for III" size of the
I fin" imposed IN criminal annals in this city,
viz. $237 $50.
In addition he Was sentenced IN frtcor
years in the pcuit"ntiHry.
Congressman George :. Grnham vas Dis
| tri"t Attorney ut the time in charge Of the
case.
According to Burd,cys figures there w,s
II balance Of S19l ,OGl SO due the rity and
| 81 ,WD2 .1WlGi due the State, II total of
| 81. 1874 ,G3l 81
Six weeks after he bad resigned hts Office
ns City TREASURER, John Bnrdsley was Or.
| 'upH iH6 Il EGIl III iHc DCnltcntiary,
lie SERVED only five years Of his son
IL fence, for he was pardoncd by Goycrno,
Hastings in 1896.
Political friends worked Tor his rclcas,
to good effect.
1t was shown that he had made restitution
so far as lay in his power; also that h,
had given valuable evidence to the cnurts
\ stroke Of paralysis was the real cans,
| thnt led Governor iuStinpS tt cy,n,J 49,,
ccutivc rlrmcucy
After hi, health had been restore,
Bardsl"y got position AZ n clerk. But h,
was II broken man, a physical wreck.
For two years before his death he WINS ,
sufferer from heart trouble. lie died ,Jpr,
uary /, 1901.
TOIlN BARISLEH was not premcditat
O cdly dishonest man. His life was frc
FROM stain or b'cmi>h until he yielded 20 Nm
hlnudisNm"mtS Of men who used him fu
their own NurpOS"S,
III the words Of Ph'adcUhia banker
who got drawn int" the political mnclStrrn
twrntv. odd years ago and sought roller +
suicide, Bard>ry might have rrird M
hand is in ia" lion'S mouth"
Just thirty-unc years ago this week far
registered the first indication of the Bnrlslr
affair. 1t is twenty years, lacking on
month since he died.
It was the greatest and most regrettobl
episode in Philadelphia politics and fnancia
mismanagement. ,ss,.