Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-31

completion of the work. On Governor
Bartlett's death he took the principal war
rants from Belloc & Co.'s Bank, placed
them in the Bank of California, subject
alone to the order of the Governor, the
Superintendent of State Printing and the
State Engineer. In that way he protected
the interest of the State, and there was
no money drawn or to be drawn until the
work was entirely completed.
Mr.. Hall read letters from the authori-
ties of both banks in support of his state
ments.
Controller Dunn questioned the State
Engineer in regard to various vouchers,
producing the originals, and asking if it
was understood that the warrants were to
be held until the work was completed
Mr.. Hall replied that it was, and he did
not know that they were sent out until he
received the note from Britton & Rey.
Mr.. Dunn explained that some of them
had been sent out by mistake of clerk in
his Office. Palmer & Rey had a power-o of
attorney in his office for some time and
the warrants for Britton d Rey had been
turned over by a clerk to Wells, Fargo &
Co. by mistake, and sent to them.
Mr.. Dunn presented one warrant for
work which Mr.. Hall said was completed
within the last month. The Controller
stated Mr.. Walkup had disposed of the
warrant on the 9TH of November last.
Mr.. Hall said that the ground taken was
that the obligations had been incurred, and
that the bills could be approved.
Mr.. Dunn wanted to know why Mr.. Hall
did not ask that question Of him, and the
latter replied that he was working under
the direction of the Governor. Governor
Bartlett had taken the ground that it was
in accordance with law, and he had so
understood it.
Mr.. Dunn insisted that there was no au-
thority for paying for work done during
one fiscal year out of an appropriation for
another fiscal year. If that could be done,
the fiscal year system would be worthless.
Great care had been taken not to inform
him of this transaction, or the warrants
would never have been drawn.
Mr.. Redding urged that Mr.. Hall had
done nothing individually. Whatever had
been done was with the sanction and ap-
proval OF the Board of Publication.
In answer to questions by Mr.. Johnson,
Mr.. Hall said that all of the contracts were
made before the expiration OF the fiscal
year, and that in those contracts made on
the Sth of June it was understood that
they were to be paid on account at the end
of the fiscal year such moneys as were
available for the purpose. They were TO
render their bills, and these bills were to be
allowed and the warrants were to be held
until they finished the work. THAT the
warrants were not held according to the
arrangement" said Mr.. Hall, lis no fault
of mine"
Mr.. Hall admitted that in the case of a
bill of $129 of the Schmidt Lithograph
Company, $50 or $50 worth of the work had
not been done when the bill was paid, but
he had taken the responsibility in that case
because he held back the work to make
some important changes in it. The firm
was perfectly good, and it was an advant-
age to the State to have certain material in
the work which was better than that al
ready in hand.
The examination lasted several hours. but
the above report contains all of the salient
points brought out.
THE DECISION.
After hearing all of the evidence Gov
ernor Waterman addressed the following
letter TO Mr.. Redding:
SACRAMENTO, March 60 1855.
Joseph d. Redding Esq, attorney for William
Ham. Hall. state Engiaeer-DEAR SIR: l have
examined with great care and detailed atten-
ton the charges preferred against William
Ham. Hall as Safe Engineer, with special refer
supervision for the publication OF the reports
and maps of the irrigation and drainage sur
veys, and my conclusions are that he has been
guilty of no malfeasance IN office, but on the
contrary has shown unusual care and caution
in using the appropriation and / furthermore
find that all of the items for moneys expended
received the approval of Governor Bartlett be-
fore being drawn from the treasury. | take
pleasure in generating him in every way.
Yours truly, K. w. WATERMAN.