The morning call., 1892-05-15

leaves Seelev now in the unenyiable posi-
ton Of having to find Immediately
three solid men to go on his bonds. de
has 10 DAYS. In which time, he says, he can
find a number Of frst-class hondsmen.
DR.. Benjamin Shurtleff, the president OF
the board, called Tie meeting to order, and
Immediately after the reading Of the minutes
Treasurer Seeley addressed the board and
stated that he desired 10 explain the many
rumors Of financial embarrassment on his
part which had been current for some days.
He said that all the talk Ia that direction
had its origin in his Endorsement Of note
given by a. P. VOORHEES,, formerly OF the
firm Of E. B. Alden & Co., to John I. Smith,
which has only partly been paid
This Endorsement Mr.. See ley admitted
might be considered imprudent, but since it
happened several years ago and IN no man.
ner caused him any financial or other
trouble nc did not see why 1t should now
be used to do him injury.
Portions Of that debt have been cam
eeled long age" said Mr.. Seeley, "and
these Tum0rs having been spread by my
enemies have caused me much annoyance.
Therefore / have called en- the hnance
committee Of this board to make an in
vestigatOn and to render report as 10 the
condition in which they have found the
Mr. Seeley was evidently laborIng under
considerable mental excitement and he
made bis brief remarks IN an open, straight
forward manner which evidently impressed
his hearers.
Seeley continued by accusing q citizen Of
Nara Of being the instigatOT Of all the
rum0rs derOgatOTy 20 himself and by assert
ing that he had not specuiated IN stocks Tor
MANY years and that he was in no manner
financially embarrassed.
Chairman Shurtleff then requested the
finance committee TO go into executive ses-
sion and 10 prepare a report OF their IL
Yestigati0n Of Seeley's accounts after which
recess was taken.
When business was resumed later on
Chairman Francis presented the following
report TO the board:
Gentlemen: Your finance committee have ex-
amined the books and counted the moneys 10
the hands of Treasurer c. b. Seeiey and ind the
amounts called Tor in the patients fund ana con-
tlnEeHt fund 10 be correct
q. N. Fraucis (cbairmanl, John Q. Brown,
Joseph F. Lsmdin.
There was an evident desire on the part
Of the trustees to drop the matter right
there and consider Seeley' Vlndication CON-
pete but unfortunately It became apparent
that J. f 3eiineT. John Evan and Henry
II. Harris, three Of Seeley's bOndsmen, had
verbally notified Dr.. Shurtlen yesterday
that they no longer desired TO act rs his
sureties
In making that announcement reluctantly
to the reporters present, DR.. Shurtleff made
haste TO say that Seeley had promised TO
give new bonds Immediately. He will not
even insist on the customary days notice,
but he viii have other bOndsmen In few
DAYS"
The confding president Of the board,
however, had 10 admit that he had only
Seeley's word as a foundation for the asser-
tion.
1t was also ascertalned that Seeley's an
xiety to file new bonds without insisting on
the legal formslities is largely prompted by
the fact that il the men who desire to with
draw from his bonds are compelled TO do
50 by giving written notice, such notlfca-
ton would also have to contain their rea-
sons for taking such a step.
There was only the usual routine business
to be disposed Of after the Seeley matter
was settled for the time being, and the
board adjourned as soon as the resident
physician, DR.. A. ri. Gardner, had made
bis report on matters pertaining to the well
fare of the institution.
The monthly bills allowed by the board
yesterday we're: Maintenance fund, S10,-
773 80; payroll. S7479 10; contingent fund,
$3.50 Il.
The news Of the withdrawal Of three OF
Seelsys bODdsmeu spread rapidly among
the business men Of this city. who in
measure had been prepared for such an
event by the dispatch published in to-day's
CALL.
There was a great deal Of sympathy ex-
pressed for Seeey, who for a great many
years has been one of Napa's most esteemed
citiZens. Many people are OF the opinion
that lie is all right financially and In every
other way, and that he is simply made the
victim Of one of the many local rings an
tagonistic to the present management Of the
asylum.
The Napa people have for years been ac-
eustomed 10 regard the highly ornamental
F.nlvr
the vicinity OF this city as being exclusively
their own. They not only consider that no
person living elsewhere than in Napa has
any right to md employment in their insane
asylum, but they also expect that at one
tme or another every man whose name Is
on the Great Register of Napa shall at some
period during his lifetime draw a salary in
that institution.
The only bOndsman now remaining on
Seeley's bond is his partner iH the banking
business J.. A. Bickford, who is surety for
$1,000 and 1t is freely commented on that
when the asylum's finance committee in
pursuance of its Investigations desired TO
see the States moneY-that is, the patients
and contingent funds Of the asylum, Seeley
marched them into his own bank and pro-
duced some Sill, 600 for them to look at.
This money the antagonists of Seeiey say
had In popular language, "a string tied to
IT," and was in reality Bickford's coin.
Seeley figures on the assessment lists Of
1891 as pOssessor Of house and lot valued
at $500, on which, however, eX-C0untY
Judge Crouch has a mortgage of $3.50
Seeley and Bickford's joint assessment
amounts TO SGT, $50. The people In Napa
have been for years in the habit OF denOm-
mating BickfoTd the money man and Seeley
the business man Of the firm.
Some years ago Mr.. Seeley had an expe-
rience somewhat similar Othat of Yesterday.
James ii. Goodman, the well-known Napa
banker, was then on his bond as treasurer
OF the asylums and had occasion to with
draw.
Mr. Goodman, In speaking of the matter.
said yesterday that his withdrawal at that
time was caused by the fact that Seeley was
selling State warrants due to the asylum
funds In San Francisco, and although he
used the money he so realized legitimately
he might at any, had he so chosen, been
able TO do otherwise. Therefore Mr.. Good
man did not consider himself safe in re-
naming on that bond.
Soon after Goodman ceased TO be a surety
for Seeley County Treasurer G.. b. Arnold
withdrew the county funds he had deposited
with Seeley & Bickford from their bank, and
Mr.. Arnold does not hesitate to state that
be did so On account Of the notwithstanding
business.
Messrs. Zoellner ana Evan. the retiring
bOndsmen, when seen yesterday, said that
after Seeley's imprudence in indorsing
other peoples notes had been made public
they, as business men, could no longer
afford to reman on his bond, although they
were his personal friends. Harris, the
other bondsman, left Napa on Friday fol-
one of bis ranches and has not as yet re-
turned. Seeley hopes to induce him TO re-
consider his determination to withdraw
from the bond.
which originated all the trouble, says be is
not afraid that Seeley will not pay the
noneV skill due on that note. but Mir. Smith