Friday, January 2, 2015

Oliver Christian Bosbyshell: The Unremarkable Life of a Government Bureaucrat (Day Two)

Today's featured article on Wikipedia describes the quite unremarkable life of a 19th Century government bureaucrat.  Oliver Christian Bosbyshell "(January 3, 1839 – August 1, 1921) was Superintendent of the United States Mint at Philadelphia from 1889 to 1894."

After fighting in the Civil War, Bosbyshell returned to Pennsylvania and attempted two unsuccessful business ventures: first in banking, and then in the book and stationary trade.  As well, "he also involved himself in Republican politics" and ran a failed campaign for "prothonotary of Schuylkill County in 1866."  Bosbyshell was "appointed to a post at the Philadelphia Mint in 1869, and became chief coiner in 1876 and superintendent in 1889, serving for four years."

Two things strike me, not so much about his life, but about the times in which he lived;--that is, anyone holding office in the U.S. federal government today should feel relieved about his or her lack of direct accountability, as compared to that which Bosbyshell had to manage and wrestle.

First, "[i]n 1890, Bosbyshell deposited $4,200 of federal funds in the Keystone National Bank, which then went bankrupt." And due to his official position, Bosbyshell was "responsible for the debt, which was only $300 less than his annual salary, and paid it off by stages, completing the payments in 1894."

Second, "[o]ne of Bosbyshell's underlings at the mint stole gold bars and, as they were not all recovered when the culprit was arrested, Bosbyshell was held responsible for the loss by virtue of his office."  An act of Congress in 1899 was required to absolve him of any liability.

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