Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-12-25
GRAND JURY REPORT.
Recommendations for the
County Officers.
THE RAILROAD CROSSINGS.
The Constables Charged With Be-
ing Collective Agents-Other
Matters Considered.

The Grand Jury appeared in Judge
Cheney's court yesterday morning at II
O'Clock and presented its report, which
is as follows:
To the Honorable, the Superior Court o
California IN and for the County of Lo
angeles, Department No. 1:
The Grand Jury of Los Angeles county
for the year 1889 respectfully submit thu
following report:
Here follows a tabulated Statement
showing the business transacted by the
Grand Jury, as follows:
mined, 9, fled II. Charges presented
Against private individuals, 81; agains
town trustees, /; against ex-city officers
A.; against ex-county officers, lie
Total, 17S. True bills found: Agains
private individuals, So; against ex.city
officers, Q; against ex-county officers, Sc
Total, II. Charges dismissed: Agains
private individuals, So; against ex-city
officers, 2. Total, 40. Presentments
Against private individuals. 4. Referred
to District Attorney: Against private in
dividuals, 2; against town trustee,
against ex-county officers, 80. Total, So
Number of witnesses examined, 374.
The amount of defalcation from the
county treasury is 1858 III; of fee'
enormously retained, 81 ,350.35; of settle
ments delayed from the county treasury
$1,445 IS, and city treasury, 1854. so
Duplicate warrants we're issued fol
$34 so. There was covered back into the
county treasury, $2,1S5.SS, and in the
city treasury $797 80, a total of 50, 9S3. Is
The total shortage was; county treasury
Sill ,468 Al city treasury, 1864 so, total
of $l2,322.91. The total shortage not
refunded was county treasury, so ,2S2 SO
city treasury, $57. 20, total of SO ,339. 70
Next follows a tabulated statement
showing the number of days service,
expense, etc., etc., of the Grand Jury in
1883 and 1889.
The Grand Jury in 1888 was i'm.
paneled in March 26, there being six
teen members. They adjourned on
June Z. They rendered forty.four days
service. The per diem of city Grand
Jurors was $443.20. The per diem and
mileage of county Grand Jurors was
$973.45. The cost of expert accountant
was 81 1886. Total cost, 50, 751.65.
The Grand Jury in 1889 was i'm.
paneled April 80, there being nineteen
members. They have rendered 100
days. service. The per diem of city
Grand Jurors was $3.50. The per diem
and mileage of county Grand Jurors wse
$2,719.80. The cost of expert accountant
was 1,345. Total cost, S., 434.8O.
To these tables there is a note calling
attention to the fact that the Grand Jury
has expended for per diem and mileage
OF Grand Jurors and expert accountants
fees So ,434 80, but has caused to be re-
funded to the County and City Treasurer
81, 9SS, 10, making net cost to the county
Of 81, 451,62.
DEFALCATIoNs.
An investigation Of the demands upon
the treasury which have been fraudu
lently made by certain county officers
and by means of which the public money
has been feloniously obtained, has occu.
pied the time and earnest attention oil
the Grand Jury during a greater portion
of it's session, and in large measure has
rendered necessary its continued exist.
ence through the year just passing away.
In June, when its first recess was taken,
and when, following precedent, its laborz
should have been ended, it had been
positively ascertained that numerous and
long-continued frauds had been perpe.
trated; but, although it was we'll estab.
lished that the larger portion of them
had been carried out in the office of the
County Auditor, and had heen apparently
conceived therein, the criminality of the
individual or individuals suspected, had
not been 30 clearly established. An
adjournment sine die at this time
would have been an admitted failure
to solve the latter problem, the criminals
would have been hardened and en-
boldened by the apparently successful
coucealment Of their villany, and it was
possible and probable that q special
Grand Jury might be convened to make
additional and more critical investiga.
ton. 1t was determined, therefore, to
continue in existence; and in order thai
the expense might be reduced to a mini.
mum recess was taken. The result has
proved the wisdom of this course. 81.
lencs and the terror with which the un.
known appeals to the guilty brought &c
light additional frauds which would moi
otherwise have been discovered.
1t might be asserted that the perpetra
ton of these frauds indicate carelessness
generally in the administration of county
affairs, but the Grand Jury is unable tc
zee clearly in what manner the mos,
vigilant caution on the part of the county
officers other than the Auditor could have
prevented the alleged fraudulent returns
or could have prevented the payment O.
school warrants, about which, at the
present time, there are no checks OF
safeguards whatever.
In order that similar frauds may bt
more effsctually prevented in the flu
ture, and in order that demands or
the treasury for the per diem of Jurors
may not be duplicated, the Grand Jury
would recommend:
One. That the County Clerk be al.
lowed by the Board of Supervisors an
additional deputy, who shall be present
In the Office Of the County Clerk during
business hours, and whose duty it shall
be to receive from each court clerk eacf
day statement of the services performer
by jurors in his court, to make ont al
demands for such services and swear al
jurors entitled to pay and making sucl
demands.
Two. That the jury book shall be KEEP
in ink.
Three. That the Board of Supervisor
do not hereafter approve jury lists, blu
that the payments of all jurors fees b.
paid upon personal sworn demands.
In order that there may be check
placed upon the payment of money
from the school fund. the Grand Jur,