Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-04-08
ASSEMBLY,.

SACRAMENTO, April Z. 1881.
The Assembly met at IL A. NJ, Speaker Parks in
the chair.
Five days leave OF absence were granted to Mr.
Leach, three to Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. Burns and one
to Mr.. Daggett.
Mr. MATTHEWS of Tehama sent up privileged
statement in writing returning $50 in hands OF COM
mittee to investigate charges against Judge Hatch
preferred at the regular session. The statement
| read " The members OF your committee, appointed
to investigate the charges against Hon. T. L. Hatch
desire to return the sum Of $50, now in our hands,
with the following statement On the Sd OF March
the Assembly adopted the following resolutions .
Resolved, That the Controller of State be and Is
authorized and directed to draw his warrant upon
the contingent fund Of the Assembly for the SUM OF
1928 80 in favor of Thomas Allen for services as
special deputy to the Sergeant-atA Arms in the Hatch
impeachment case. Resolved, That the Controller
OF State be and is hereby authorized and directed
| TO draw his warrant upon the contingent fund of
the Assembly for the sum of S6lS so in favor OF w.
P. Mathews, Chairman OF the Committee of Inyesti-
cation in the Hatch inn elchment case for per diem
and mile age OF witnesses in said impeachment case
The money was drawn by the Chairman of the COM
mittee and by him given to Senator Glascock OF
Colusa, with instructions To distribute it in accord
ance with the list OF witnesses and amounts due
| furnished by said Deputy Sergeantat.Arms Allen.
Information has since into the possession of
your committee that said Allen did defraud the
State by charging per diem and mileage for persons
that we're not summoned before the committee and
by charging for and collecting fees for subpenas that
were never served. We further find that said Allen
forged the signatures OF parties in Cousa county TO
power OF attorney presented with his report to
this committee. Your committee recommend that
immediate steps be taken by this House to recover
all moneys Illegally paid out, and for the arrest and
detention of said Allen until these charges have
been duly investigated Signed, W. P. Mathews
Ed. E. Leake, John W Bost and E. j. Griffith men,
bers Of the committee"
IA committee member explains to the repo, tiers
further that Allen presented bill for mileage and
subpenas and fees amounting to some 81 500 or
fhprpaho The committee this down
ly, and pending that action had its suspicious ex-
| cited that Allen, by power of attorney he held to
collect the fees Tor the witnesses intended to charge
them lively percentage. The commit zee resolved
to save this to the witnesses and go gave the money
TO Senator Glascock OF Cousa to disburse to the
witnesses without cost TO them. In doing so he
found some men who hesitated to take it, and some
who said it not due them, as they had not
served. IL then developed that Allen subpenaed
witnesses by telegraph in some cases. and charged
full mileage in others put in names of persons
never called as witnesses; in others forged the
names OF men to the power of attorney, etc The
estimate is that Allen got away with some $500 or
$3.50, but just what amount the committee does not
know. 1t believes Allen would have got 81 900 had
the committee not acted as it did. 1t discovered
that Allen in some cases borrowed money of men
and put in their names witnesses. and thus
sought to pay them. The $50 returned was money
Senator Glsscock found people refused to take, or
were not entitled to Aliens mileage % cents
per mile, and his total mileage, according to his
claim amounted to somewhere in the region Of
1000 miles. To the reporters, on being interro-
gated, Allen makes complete denial of the charges
saying there is nothing in it, and that he has
ample and full defense to the whole matter
Mr.. MATHEWS rendered the $50 TO the House.
Mr.. CAaRoN raised the point of order that the
business is not in the call for the extra session.
The CHAIR held that the dignity of the House de-
handed action and concerned an official of the
House, and that charge had been made by mem
Der of the House Of fraud upon the State.
After some debate, Mr.. MATHEWS requested that
the Speaker issue his warrant for Aliens arrest.
The SPEAKER was in doubt about his authority.
MIR. MATTHEWS said if delay was had the party
charged might escape.
Mr.. VAN FLEET moved to refer to the Judiciary
Committee, and he would move subsequently that
the Sergeant at Arms meanwhile hold Allen in Gus
tody. Hewished the committee to be requested to
pass the jurisdiction OF the House in the case
Mr.. GRIFFITH offered resolution directing the
arrest Of Allen.
Mr. MCCLURE held that the committee had been
discharged that the Sergeant alarms had no
power to appoint Deputy.
The CHAIR held that the charges were made, not
by the committee but by member Of former COM
mttee OF the House. He thought that all the facts
should be brought out.
After a variety of motions and amendments, and
the point made by MIR. whipple that the House had
no adequate means OF punishment, but that the law
officers OF Sacramento county had full power, the
motion of Mr. Van Fleet prevailed, and the matter
was referred.
Mr.. Grifith's resolution of arrest then
ferred TO the Judiciary Committee also resolu-
ton for clerk for the Committee on Attaches and
Contingent Expenses offered by Mr.. KELLOGG
and referred.
A resolution by Mr.. KELLOGG for evening sessions
on and after April 18th referred to the Com
mittee Rules.
A resolution to allow all clerks and porters dis
charged by order of the House one days pay,
referred to the Committee on Contingent Expenses.
a number Of facetious resolutions were intro
duced and ruled out OF order.
AT 11:22 A. NJ, on motion OF Mr.. HorrT the House
adjourned until IL A. NJ. Friday.