Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-25
THE CENSUS WORK.
VARIOUS GUESSES AT THE POPU-
LATION OF THE CITY.
The Examination of the Placentia vegeta-
rians-They are Held to Answer-An
Enumerator Tells His Story.

AS Cne census enumeratOrS nnlSneQ
their work and one after another passed
in their lists to Mr.. Mosher they wrote
their names on blank sheet of paper
and placed opposite their guess on the
population of the city. There are about
fifteen guesses now entered. They vary
from 46, 900 to 5000, the majority CEN
tering on $4,000 or $4,000.
No particular Importance can be at
tached to these estimates. If the emu
merators were really in possession of
definite information they would not be
allowed to indulge in this practice. Mr..
Mosher and his chief clerk decline to
give any hint as to the result of their
study Of the returns. Each of these
guessers, however, knows the returns in
his own district and doubtless makes use
of the knowledge in making his esti
mate. The fact that so many of them
hit upon figure between so, 900 and 55,-
600, may be regarded as straw.
The Placentia vegetarians who refused
to answer the census questions on ac-
count of conscientious scruples, were ex-
amined before United States Commits
sioner Van Dyke yesterday. They gave
their names as Wm Wiederholtz, G. P.
Hinde and Walter L. Thales. Their at
torney stipulated that they should all be
examined together. He offered in ad-
vance their explanation of the matter,
which was that owing to their peculiar
way of living they were the subject
of much idle curiosity on the
part of people living in that
vicinity and that frequently strangers
would call and ask them all sorts of
questions. He said that as the people
were aliens they knew very little about
the customs of the country and that the
them what was desired.
Edwin Clark, the enumerator, was
placed upon the stand. He said that he
had done his best to make it clear to
them, having called on four different oc-
casions and argued the case at some
length. He left the schedules for them
to look over but they refused to touch
! them.
Ralph j. Dominguez, deputy United
States marshal, testified that on June
! 10Th when he made the arrest, he had
some conversation with Thales. The
latter said that the taking of the ensus
on the part of the government was
merely manifestation of pride to show
its superiority over other countries
something they were not inclined to en-
courage.
The defendants were held to answer
in bonds of 500 each.
Concerning the matter of the enroll
ment of DR.. Ainsworth's name, which
was referred to in the HERALD of yester-
day, the enumerator of the district in
which the Westminster is located writes
as follows:
EDITORS HERALD = Yesterday morn
! ing's HERALD contained an item stating
that the enumerator who took the CEN
| sus of the Westminster hotel had stated
| to the clerk that he did not desire to
enumerate any but the family and en-
ployees of the house, and that said emu
merator had not enumerated the board
ers of said hotel, or words to that effect,
and particularly mentioning DR.. Aims
worth as one of the parties not taken.
The facts in the case do not warrant
this statement. After enumerating the
family of the proprietor, Mr.. Johnson
kindly furnished me his payroll, from
which took the names of all employees.
Mr.. Potter, the manager, then escorted
me to the Linen room," and calling in
the female help, few at time, inter
viewed each one personally and recorded
their answers. l was then taken to the
kitchen, and recorded the cooks and as
sistants; then to the basement, where 1
got the meat-cutters, vegetable men,
etc. | then returned to the
office and asked the clerk, Mr.. Martin,
for list of all boarders who were in the
house on the first day Of June. He
turned to his book and read off for me a
lot of names, kindly giving me such ad-
ditional information in reference to each
one as would assist me to find them at
their several places of business. Since
then l have been trailing them up and
have succeeded in finding nearly all. l
have visited the rooms of Dr. Ainsworth
several times, but failed to meet him. /
am still on his trail, and hope by perse-
verance and the blessing Of providence
to yet establish my title to that ''two
cents" Respectfully,
ROBERT MORRIS PECK,
Census Enumerator, District So, Los
Angeles.