Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-09
SPITE WORK.
That Is What Tax Collector
Platt Says 1t Was.
He Explains the Action of the
Supervisors.
Proofs Given That He Was Not Short
in His Accounts.
A Needless Waste of Money in Exporting
His Books-The Cause of the Re-
cent Trouble.

County Tax Collector Robert S. Platt
has handed to the HERALD for publica-
ton the following letter, which he states
explains many things which have hap
pened in his office and in the board of
supervisors:
EDITORS HERALD-I would deem it a
very great favor if you would allow me
the privilege of expressing through the
columns of your paper few statements
in relation to the article about me which
appeared in the Daily Times May Sth
last.
First. The causes which led to this,
I will state in brief manner. The
trouble began last August, when l,
without consulting their mighty high
nesses, the honorable board of super
visors, had some changes made in the
old church on Temple street in order
that l could better accommodate the
army of taxpayers who are wont to con-
gregate there during November and De-
cember, and for which it seems they
seemed bent on crippling the depart
ment all they could, for when September
came and asked that my department
be allowed the usual salaries, VIZ. 500
per month each, it was decided by the
rulers of the county that the boys could
Just as we'll get along with $50 per
month, and when objected to there be-
ing any reduction they seemed to
think that l should have submitted
to their whims like little school-boy
and be perfectly satisfied, and was even
told by one member of the honorable
board that he could go out upon the
streets and inside of one hour get one
hundred men for $75 per month who
would and could do more than any one
l had in my employ. simply stated
that if they persisted in cutting salaries
that instead of 500 work they would
get $75 and possibly $50 work. They
did not, however, at that time do any
cutting of salaries except that of my
chief deputy, which was reduced from
$3.50 to $l25 through the influence q am
informed) of Aaron (Windy) Smith,
who openly vowed he would have his
salary cut down and would eventually
get his head. This grew out of my chief
deputy refusing to be bled by Windy to
the tune of $50 and blocking Smith in
securing similar and larger sums from
all chief deputies in the other county
offices. 1t was said by one of the mem
bers of the board that the funds in the
treasury were SO very low that they
could not under the circumstances al
low him any more, and they must and
would retrench; yet during the months
of August, September, October, Novem-
Der and December, 1889, Aaron Smith
was paid $3S5.75 for extra services and
$3.50 as salary.
And right here while speaking of the
great necessity of retrenchment, which
has been the order since Superintendent
Davis offered the resolution not allowing
any regular deputy in any department
to do extra work and draw pay for the
same, this same Aaron Smith has drawn
almost as much for extra services" as
Lis Lis salary amounted to,which the follow
ing figures will show:
From October, 1888, to June 1, 1890,
From October, 1883, to June l, 1890,
extras ,.,..,..,.,... .........,",.,,... 2,022.7O
Total for 90 months ........... s4,647.7O
Windy Smith could not use my men,
nor could he bleed them, SO he deter
mined to get rid of them and said some
months ago that he would take the work
out of my office, (meaning the redemp-
tions of tax-sales, which the law pro-
vides shall be done in my Office, except
the state redemption) and in that way
secure the removal of my deputies.
The following resolutions will show
that it is all piece of spite work and
that Windy Smith is not alone in it,
SATURDAY, April IL, 1890.
On motion of Supervisor Rowan, the
,%or Il 70 FOL oh Of
all redemptions of tax sales in accord
ance with the law.
WEDNESDAY, May Z, 1890.
On motion of Supervisor Hubbard,
the tax collector was allowed no depu-
ties for the month of May, and the
auditor was directed to drop all names
of tax-collector's deputies from the pay
roll of the county.
The first resolution offered by Mr..
Rowan and adopted by the body of
worthy statesmen in executive session,
you will observe was passed April 18th,
yet no demand has been made upon me
up to the present writing for the tax
sale books, nor was | notified OF the
passage of such a resolution till May Z,
1890. In the meantime | have made
over 1000 redemptions. The question
HOW dTlSG6, are IllS T6u6lupGlOllS lcSdl,
and if not, who is responsible?
AS to the second resolution offered by
Supervisor Hubbard, is it not in direct
line with resolution No. l, and made to
carry out the wishes of Aaron Smith,
the deputy auditor, who keeps black
book and holds it as power? He has
openly stated that no man dare to re-
move him from his position or try to-
but that he can have any one removed.
The conspirators have tried in every
way to drive my bonds from me, and the
above resolutions show very clearly that
it is the determined intention to put me
in position where | will be unable to
perform the duties OF my Office alone, do
justice to the people and to my bonds
men. There is work enough in my
Office for three regular deputies, and the
boys in my Office have signiied their in
tention to stand by me and my bonds
men whether they get cent or not.
To try on some OF their sharp prac-
tices the board, through their mouth
piece, Aaron Smith, deputy county au-
ditor, attempted to bribe one OF my dep
uties into furnishing them with figures
showing our daily collections, bal
ances, amount on hand, etc. Poor fell
lows, how alarmed they were lest the
tax collector should get away with few
cents, not taking into consideration that
our bond was good and sufficient OF
Al L.