Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-31
EXONERATED.
STATE ENGINEER HALL ESTAB-
LISHEs HIS INNOCENCE.
Governor Waterman Compliments
Him After Full Investigation
Into the Charges.


Hall took place before Governor Waterman,
at the State Capitol yesterday. Joseph D.
Redding appeared as counsel for Mr.. Hall,
while Deputy Attorney-General w. p
Johnson assisted the Governor. Controller
John P. Dunn was also present and took
part in the proceedings. Mr.. Rey, of the
firm of Britton & Rey, of San Francisco
was in attendance, but was not called upon
to make any statement, as the testimony
given by Mr.. Hall cleared up everything
to the entire satisfaction of the Governor
Private Secretary Boruck was present but
took no part in the proceedings.
The investigation was public, except that
Mr.. Carson. representative of the San Fran
cisco Examiner was excluded, the Governor
stating that he had received such treatment
at the hands of Carson that he would not
permit him to be present. The Examiner
had a representative present, however, III
the person of John P. Cosgrave.
Mr.. Redding opened the proceedings by
saying: Governor Waterman, MIR. Hall
has responded to your request that he
| should be present to-day for the purpose OF
answering any questions or charges put by
the Executive in regard to any of his Of
fetal acts as State Engineer, and after you
have concluded Mr.. Hall will be pleased to
answer any questions regarding his official
conduct brought to his notice from any
source There have been numerous pub
LEGATIONS in the daily papers which are con
flicting and confusing, and therefore L re-
spectfnlly suggest that the Executives
questions or charges be put first, so that he
can answer those which are the most i'm
portant."
Mr.. Redding then read the letter written
by Controller Dunn to the Attorney-Gen-
eral on the 18th of March, stating that war
rants had been drawn, on the certificate OF
Mr.. Hall, for work that had not been per-
formed, and the reply of the Attorney
General. He said that Mr.. Hall was ready
to explain the circumstances under which
each and every warrant was drawn, and
under whose sanction they were drawn.
Governor Waterman put Mr.. Hall under
oath and directed him to proceed with his
statement.
Mr.. johnson said that the particular
point to reach was the charge that Mr.. Hall
had certified to certain bills as correct
where no work had been done at the time
the certificate was issued, or that certificates
were issued for the last fiscal year and the
work had not been done at the time.
Mr.. Hall produced the minute book OF
the Board of Publication for publishing
the reports and maps of the irrigation and
drainage surveys, consisting OF the Gov
ernor, Superintendent OF State Prlntlng
and the State Engineer. He said that dur
ing the session of the Legislature he
brought the matter of tie publication of
the remaining maps to the attention of
Governor Bartlett, but he was too busy to at
tend to the matter at that time. Immedi-
ately after the session of the Legislature
meeting of the Board of Publication was
held, at which Governor Bartlett, State
Superintendent of Printing P. l.. Shoatf
and State Engineer Hall were present. The
meeting was held on April 18Th, and sew
eral contracts were let for different portions
of the work.
Mr.. Hall read the minutes referring to
the contracts, and they were offered in evil
dence by Mr.. Redding. The same course
was pursued with other documents read
subsequently. The minutes showed the
approval and signatures of Governor Bart
lett, Mr.. Shoaff and Mr.. Hall.
After that meeting Mr.. Hall stated he
went to Southern California and was gone
about month. When he returned Gov
ernor Bartlett had gone to Highland
Springs, and he was informed by his Sec
rotary that he was 100 i'll to attend to busi-
ness. About the last of May witness re-
ceived a letter from Governor Bartlett,
asking him TO come to Highland Springs
if it was necessary to do anything more in
regard to the publication of the maps. He
went there. He asked the State Superin-
tendent of Printing to go with him, but
that gentleman could not leave his post at
the capital. On June Sth a meeting of the
Board was held at Highland Springs, the
Governor and State Engineer present, at
which other contracts were let all OF which
were recited in the minutes.
Mr.. Hall, after reading the minutes,
stated that the whole matter had been dis
cussed by Governor Bartlett and himself
for two days. He continued The pro-
position was this. Here was balance of
money on hand in this fund that under
the ruling of the Controller would lapse
unless drawn upon previous to the end OF
the fiscal year. l laid the matter before
Governor Bartlett, representingto HIM that
unless this money was used not only the
works already in hand must stop and not
be finished, but that other works which
were, and had been for several months,
ready to put in the hands of the htho-
grapher could not be Autographed, and it
would be necessary to go to the next Legis-
lature to make another appropriation for
lulS purpose, VI tOIe-dppIOprldte INC Nun
evs which could not be used by the end of
June. | was instructed by Governor
Bartlett to return to Sacramento and make
out written statement of what | had told
him verbally at this meeting, and to send
it up to him that he might consider it at
his leisure"
Mr. Hall produced the rough minutes of
the Highland Springs meeting, showing
Governor Bartletts approval of same. He
then read press copy of a letter dated
June 49, 1887, addressed to Governor Bart
lett, and copied in his official letter-book.
The letter was explanatory of the whole
proposition, and was accompanied by two
exhibits showing the amounts of money
that would be due on the contracts before
and after the close of the fiscal year.
This is the proposed application" said
Mr. Hall, g. of the balance of moneys on
hand that was submitted to Governor Bart
lett for his approval, with this letter, on
the 18th of June, twelve days before the
expiration of the fiscal year, and contains
every item for which warrant
was subsequently drawn to within
q few dollars one way or the
other. For instance, one item
here of 1000, there was warrant drawn
for 81 1898. But this contains every item
for which there was warrant drawn sub
sequently. 1t was explained TO Governor
Bartlett as have read from this letter,
that in order to save this appropriation
from lapsing it was necessary to put this
work in hand. That was a mere reiteration
of what had been explained to him ver-
bally. He took the ground that if these
contracts were let the obligation would
accrue, and that the bills could be ap-
proved, and he said, we will hold ON to
the warrants until the work is entirely COM
pleted, and in that way will avoid any
criticism In order that the matter might
be of record, he suggested to me to make
out this memoranda, which did, and sent
to him for his approval, and he approved It.
There is his signature of approval"
Mr. Hall then read from the minutes of
q meeting of the Board held at Oakland ON
the 9Th of July, at which the bills were
allowed upon which the warrants were
drawn concerning which there is now
question Governor Bartlett and witness
were present at the meeting. The minute
book and the rough minutes were left with
the Governor, who sent them to his Secre-
tary, and the latter turned them over 10
Mr.. Shoaff to transcribe in the minute
book, which was done.
Witness then read letter from ex-Super-
intendent of State Printing p. L. Shoaf,
stating that be would appear and testify if
it was desired, certifying to the receipt of
d. Lott