Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-02-27
THE SUPERVISORS.
James NJ. DamrOn's Conduct
Reviewed at Length.
HIS TELEGRAMs AND LETTERS.
RESOLUTIONS Adopted COndemning
His Course in Regard to an
Assembly Bill.

The Board of Supervisors met as per
adjournment, all the members present.
Mr.. Littlefeld was appointed COM
nittee of one with power to act in the
matter of the repair of the crossings Of
the California Central Railway.
In consequence of w. 8. Clark'shavine
failed to qualify as Justice of the Peace
of Norwalk township, A. G. Taber war
appointed on petition, in his place.
J. H. Kerns was appointed Constable
of San Fernando instead of w. E. VIII.
son, who failed to qualify.
1t was agreed to donate $3.50 towards the
erection OF Jail at Wilmington, on the
donation of suitable lot for the purpose:
It was ordered that $4,000 be transferred
temporarily from the Current Expense
Fund to the Court House and Jail Fund
and $10,0 900 from the same fund to the
same.
The clerk was instructed to advertise
for the usual time for the erection OF q
county building on the county farm to be
opened March IL, 1889, plans to be seen
at the Office of Kysor, Morgan & Chick,
the sum of $500 to accompany each bid.
DR.. E. L. Berdick was appointed Super
intendent and Resident Physician of the
County Farm.
Itwas directed that Mr.. Brown pre-
sent new petition for the opening of the
Brown road across the land of Ginnochio.
Petitions from A. R. Goff, ct al, and
from L. A. Brooks ct al, for the vacation
Of streets, we're tabled.
The sum of $3.50 was, on motion, trans
ferred from the Laurel Road District
fund to the Los Vignes Road fund.
On motion of Supervisor Davis the fol-
lowing resolution, in re James NJ. Dam
ron, was ordered spread on the minutes
Of the Board:
WHEREAS, Hon. J. M. Damron did on
the Goth day of February rise in his
place in the House in the Legislative
Assembly of this State to a question OF
privilege, based on q resolution adopted
by this Board hereinafter set out; at
which time he took occasion to say, in
effect, that our act in adopting said reso.
luton was uncalled for and unwarranted.
While wholly disclaiming in any way a
desire to reply to Mr.. Damron's vulgar
TRADE of abuse of this Board, in order to
let the public know that our action was
based on what, at that time, appeared to
us good evidence that Mr.. Damron was
endeavoring to secure the passage of a
bill that would restore the old law under
which, for two years past, the county
was plundered of many thousands ofdol-
lars, we adopted the resolutions in CUES.
ton. and caused the same to be sent to
our representatives.
The following dispatches and commu-
nication over Mr.. Damron's hand are
submitted, in the order in which they
came before this Board.
The first dispatch was in answer to the
following dispatch sent to MIR. Damron
by this Board:
"You are requested to withdraw bill
repeating Section 167 Of the County Gov
ernment bill, as the same is unjust to the
taxpayers of our county,"
This dispatch was sent because we had
been informed that he had introduced
and was trying to secure the passage OF
q bill to repeal Section 167, County Gov
ernment bill, as amended by Mr.. Knox,
an amendment which went into effect
January 1, 1889.
To this dispatch Mr.. Damron replied
on the 18th inst. as follows:
"Write me explanation of your tele-
gram. / have no bill to repeal section
167. (Signed) ]. NJ. DAMRoN."
To our surprise, the next day we came
into possession of the following telegram
addressed to county official:
SACRAMENTO, February Sth.
"My bill repeals Knox's amendment.
Briefly introduced your bill.
(Signed) JIM. DAMRoN."
We were also placed in possession, at the
same time, OF letter dated February 3,
1889, addressed to county official, as
follows:
DEAR SR-My bill for the relief of you
and Mr.. Savage and Fred Smith has been
reported back favorably by the commit
tee, read once in the House, and is now
on second reading.
II have some fear" adds the writer,
s'that Mr.. White may oppose it in the
Senate. would suggest that you have
the right parties communicate with him
in your behalf. Will notify you from
time to time as the bill progresses.
Very respectfully,
[Signed. j. M. DAMRoN."
The bill in question (Assembly bill
No. 96) was introduced by Mr.. Damron
and would have fully restored the old
law.
Upon the basis of these letters and
kilograms we adopted the following reso-
luton and forwarded it to MIR. Damron,
as well as to our other representatives:
WHEREAS, This Board has received
reliable information that James M. Dam
ron, one of the Assemblymen for this
county, has introduced a bill in the AS
sembly, and is using his efforts to
secure it's passage, which bill pro-
vides for the repeal Of the amendment to
the County Government Act passed by
the Legislature in 1887 ,.at the request of
this Board. which limits the payment of
Justices of the Peace and constables of
this county, of all fees in criminal cases,
exceeding the gross sum of 81, 900 a
year, and
WHEREAS, Said amendment of 1887
was passed at the urgent request of this
Board, in order to stop what this Board
believed was systematic effort on the
part of some of the constables and JUS
tices OF this county, under the guise of
law, to pillage the county treasury, the
bills of such constables often averaging
81 900 . monAh; and
WHEREAS, One of the constables of
the township of Lancaster, of this county,
has presented his demand for criminal
fees amounting to $l,027.5O for the
month of December last, and for $147
for five days work in the month of jan
nary last; and
WHEREAS, One of the Constables for
Los Angeles township, to-wit, Fred