Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-20
THE KFsrIELD INVESTIGATION.

The investigation of the charges preferred against
D. NJ Kenfeld by the RECORD UNION was continued
by the Assembly Committee on Public Expenditures
ard Accounts at 3 o'clock Yesterday afternoon,
Chairman Crank presiding and all the members OF
the committee present.
William A. Davis, the fist witness examined, tes
titled that he was Deputy Controller In the alb
sence Of Mr. Kenfied he superintended the business
of the office; but that gentleman had been con-
stantly present in the office, with the exception OF
six or eight days that he away the service of
the Board of Equalization. He had no means OF
knowing what amount Of work might have to be
done any day. The witness gave a general de-
scription OF the routine of business and the
plan on which it was conducted. He had read the
charge IN the RECORD UNION, but be could not tell
as to its truth untruth, and he knew nothing OF
what work Mrs. Kenfield had performed, it
apportioned to her by the Controller. II knew
that Mrs. Vaudeville, had when employed Jy her
husband made out the warrant list, and Mr.. Holmes
had done it subsequently, but he was not aware Of
who was doing that work at the present time In
reply to Mr.. Matthews, the witness stated that he
had never asserted to any al the State officers that
he thought Mrs. kenfield was drawing a salary
without dong any work. He further stated that the
lady might have been doing this work of making out
the lists without his knowing Anything Of the fact.
He was not aware Of her having done it in the
office, and knew that she was not regularly en-
ployed in the office. She might and might not
have done work in the Controllers private Office.
He did not know. In reply to Mr.. Burns he
swered that he never knew of Mrs. Kenfed per-
forming any labor in the Controllers office Had
seen Mrs. kenfield there writing, and she might
have been doing work for the Office, but he didn't
know that she was. He thought three clerks were
necessary in the office, and he himself had never
worked harder in his life than during the last eight
months He considered that the two clerks who
were there at the present time were overwcrked.
NJ. W Wilder stated that he was the bOok-keeper
of the office and had been employed there for about
three months. He was familiar with the routine OF
the Office, but had little opportunity of knowing
what any other clerk was doing. lie usually re-
caivad ha rorE from Mr. Earnpg The tnstmonv M
this gentleman mainly relative to the apportion-
m; mt and method of work in the Office He knew
nothing Of Mrs. ke-feld's connection with the es.
tabllshment, beyond the fact that the name Of +.
N kenfield was on the books. He was not ac-
quainted with the lady and knew nothing Of her
ever having done any work in the office, bat she
might have performed clerical WORK for tie Office
without his knowledge.
Governor Perkins was ext examined. He said
that hearing rumor to the effect that Mrs Kenfeld
was drawing salary without rendering an equiya-
lent in service he went to the Controller and asked
the latter gentleman in regard to its truth. Mr..
kenfield showed him fifteen or twenty sample
sheets Of his wife's work, which was executed in
a very neat and wOrkmanlike style. The Controller
denied the report alluded to, and stated that his
wife was doing the work which had formerly been
done by Mrs, Vaudeville. The Governor, after
saying that Mr. Kehfeld had been very
courteous and polite in this conversation, bore trib
ute to his efficiency and capability officer. He
said that in some cases it might be very difficult to
make good showing of the work peiforn ed by
clerk who rendered variety of services. This was
the with Mr.. Hart, his private Secretary, and
OF the clerks employed in the Office Of the Pa
cific Coast Steamship Company. Personally, he
knew nothing about the truth or untruth Of the
charges against the Controller. His information
was entirely heaFsay In conclusion the Governor
emphasized the principle that no public offer was
justified in drawing money appropriated for his
office by law, but not required in its operation. He
illustrated this principle by some facts connected
with his own administration.
The testimony of f. f. EaTnoc the reYf WitOeGg
called, was almost repetition OF that OF Messrs.
Davis and Wilder. He knew Of no services per-
formed by Mrs. kenfed, although she might have
done some work. He, too, was impressed with the
necessity of having TIN ee clerks in the off e.
The evidence Of G. II. Holmes, the next witness
called and also clerk in the Controllers office, diff
fered from that of the others only in the fact that
on some occasions he had seen Mrs. Kenfield work
ing in her husbands private office.
Here the committee adjourned until O'Clock this
evening