Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-30
HAYSEEDS?
What Some People Think of
the Grand Jury.
That Body Stirring Up Matters
All Around.
Not Likely that They will Cover
Anything Up.
Getting Into the Intricacies of the Whit
tier Reform School Contracts.
Talk About a Contract
for Desks.

The investigation into the furnishing
of the courthouse OF Los Angeles county
and the state reform school at Whittier
still progresses merrily before the grand
jury. 1t is very difficult to obtain in
formation as to the exact status OF the
matter, owing to the fact that the pres
ent jury is more than usually secretive,
and because no "leaks' have yet devel-
oped, but enough has been ascertalned
to make safe the statement that the
question is not yet dropped, by very
large per cent. The jury is spending
good deal OF money in the employment
of ''experts" and detectives" " and these
emissaries are to be encountered at every
turn, digging about the local building
and trying to discover something of in
terest to the jury.
Said prominent Republican county
official yesterday: "This agitation is
all rot; during my seventeen years res
idence in Los Angeles county | have
never yet known of a grand jury's rec
ommendation that was acted upon, or
an Indictment that succeeded in stick
ing. These grangers think they are
hi. They are spending lots OF money
in trying to find out something, but
they will be fooled; you'll see."
This seems to be the general opinion
among those who are not particularly
anxious to assist in the investigation.
1t has been ascertained that Control
Ter Colgan was not called upon to testify
before the jury. He brought all of the
documents in his possession relative to
the Whittier school down from Sacra-
mento and left them with the jury. The
secretary of the board of trustees of
that institution has also been called up
on for all papers in his keeping relative
to the building and furnishing of the
school and these, which require very
largesized Saratoga to hold them, and
four men to carry it, are also in the jury
room in the Jones block, awaiting care
full scrutiny.
District Attorney McLachlan has
been with the grand jury every day this
week from 10 a. IN. till late hour in
the afternoon. The district attorney
looks pale and worn, and the indica-
tions are plain that he is being over
worked.
AS matter of fact the present grand
jury contains several members who are
determined to investigate everything in
sight, and the amount of explaining
that is necessary to be done to convince
them is very tiresome to those in at
tendance.
All of the accounts of the county
officers, including the justices of the
peace and constables, have been gone
over and carefully examined. This re-
quires time, and so far has been the
principal business before the jury. 1t
is not known whether any very serious
discrepancies have been discovered, and
the presumption is strong that there
have not. Besides investigating the
accounts OF county officials, the jury has
been dabbling little into alleged in
fractions of the lottery law. This law is
a United States statute, and it does not
appear Just what business a county
grand jury has with it, but nevertheless
it is stated that at one time indictments
were seriously thought of. According
to present information, however, none
will be found.
Another Republican county Official
not the one above quoted, said yester-
day, apropos OF the furnishing OF the
court house and Whittier reform school:
"All of this trouble is being caused by
alleged EXPERTS who have spent their
whole life making deal tables and pine
ed-steads, and who are sent here to
make estimates on furniture they know
nothing about. A furniture dealer told
me recently that the factory at Toledo
which built this furniture, is the only
institution in the country that could do
such work. A cheap carpenter is sent
down here by the grand jury and he
makes an examination OF counter, for
instance. He takes out his rule, meas
ures the amount of lumber in it, figures
how much it would cost to polish and fit
it, and SAYS that he could duplicate it for
$3.50, when, perhaps, the same piece
cost $500 or $4,000. That is the kind of
experts they are employing.
II have seen the plans drawn up by
Judge Wade for his bench. 1t would be
a very handsome piece Of fur niture
when built, but not nearly as fine as
those now in the court house. 1t is the
unseen and unappreciated part OF the
work that COSTS"
This appears to be fair statement of
the situation. The grand jury cannot
see where the cost comes in, and are try
ing hard to have their eyes opened.
The same gentleman said: "Just be-
cause the same furniture could be pur-
chased now for less than the price paid
does not necessarily imply that anything
dishonest has been done. The board of
supervisors for Los Angeles county let
the contract 10 the best and lowest bid
der, and unless some collusion can be
shown, it cannot be proved that any
steal has been committed, even if the
prices paio are high.'
The grand jury will have its attention
called to o bid made on the school desks
at the Whittier school by Los Angeles
furniture firm. The bid was according
to specifications, and was accompanied
by certified check in the requisite
sum. The advertisement called for
150 desks, and the bid amounted
to $495. 1t was not accepted, but
another offer, to furnish the same desks