When Gonzales went into office $900,000 could be counted in the
treasury. On the last day of his term his annual income exceeded
$200,000 and his salary, which was $30,000 yearly. On the morning
of his last day he sent to the treasurer to know how much money
yet remained in the treasury. "One hundred thousand dollars," was
the reply. Gonzales requested that it be sent to him, and when the
treasurer meekly hinted that it might be good for his neck to know to
whom to charge it, Gonzales replied that if he did not know that much
he had better send in his resignation. The money was in the president's
hand in a very short time after this. Next he bought a $2 ticket from
the state national lottery and with it sent a little line to the
managers. "See that this draws the prize to-day." The first prize was
$100,000. Strange to relate his ticket drew the fortunate number, and
Gonzales closed his eyes that night with a murmur like Monte-Cristo as
he gazed upon the sea, "The world is mine!" That evening the people
were so glad that they gathered in an impassable mob around the palace
and cathedral, and tried to enter the latter, that they might proclaim
their feelings by ringing forth from the numerous bells which hang in
the mammoth towers, one happy peal; but an army was soon on the spot
and prevented any demonstration. Investigation showed $25,000,000
missing and the government employés unpaid.
Experts figure out that Gonzales raked in $25,220,000 in his four years
of official life, and he didn't have to go to Canada, either. Gonzales
immediately went to Guanajuato as governor, where he was received with
open arms, and when the people, who found the bank broke just as they
expected to take it, began to whisper that they would like a little
investigation, Gonzales swore he would spend every cent they were
clamoring after in raising an army to overthrow the Diaz Government.
On hearing this Diaz slunk off like a half-drowned cat and made a law,
which went into effect June 22, 1886, taking a percentage off every
government employé to help pay up the Gonzales deficiency.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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