The morning call., 1892-12-20

He was not to be seen there. and with all
OF them il was a forlorn hope.
The men were ia front OF the exchange
again yesterday all day, but got no money.
10 CALL reporter Harvey klise said:
II have been acting as the foreman for
Norris dutlng The construction Of the build
iDgs and be owes me for four weeks work,
amounting to Sis We know that he was
paid thousand dollars on Saturday, which
was The third payment due him on the
buildings, the contract price Of which was
S12 600. The next lowest bid was $4,000
] have asked him for the money repeatedly,
but could lot GET il"
John 7. D0herty, the plumber at 345
Kearny street. also had blood n his eve.
81 wish | coul ID catch him." he remarked.
while talking about the case, land think
that | would make a collection. He owes
me $500 for work done on the Davis build
ings and $50 on McDermott's houses on
Castro and Henry streets.
1--WE had no business TO place so much
confidence in him. lie took the Nc Der
mott buildings speak Of tor $4,000. The
contract called Tor FIVE fye-roOm houses.
The next lowest bid was $500 A man
who takes contracts at such low prices
cannot intend to pay his sub-contractors. Z"
We'll, what are you going TO do about il,
Mr.. Doherty?" was asked.
81 consulted an attorney 10 ascertain IL I
could have him arrested for embe7zlement,
and he told me no. that IL was only a
breach of trust, and that nothing whatever
could be done; therefore l am loser, and
the men | employed have TO suffer also. 1t
is an outrage that a foreigner should
come In here and rob our workmen
of the little Christmas money that their
families were so eager for. lie built ST.
Johns Episcopal Church in this city and
erected buildings in Belvidera and others
for the Sharon estate and the same trouble
happened. We had some confidence in him
baC a leading inmDpr n
bis bond. These companies go on the bonds
OF contractors in order TO get two prices for
their lumber, which. of course. they supply
Now this company is loser on account of
Mr. Norris. and will have to complete the
buildings Itself or pay the damages. The
lumber companies are largely to blame for
this kind of work"
r. Ringrose. the contracting brcklayer.
felt very bitterly against Norris and also
made an attempt to have him arrested. He
states that he lost $500 for his services on
the work which proved so DISASTROUS to all
but Norris. He does not think that 1t will
be healthy for Norris to show up around the
exchange very soon.
All these sub-cOntTactOrs say that they
will do the best they can for the men who
worked for them, as they were hired in
good faith.
The huge swindle was the talk of the
street all day, overshadowing the new City
Hall plastering job and everything else.
The house OF Mr.. Norris on San Jose
avenue was visited in the afternoon.
A ring at the d0oTbell brought no re-
Spouse. but head was soon observed peer
ing through the curtain of window.
After the visitor was scanned sufficiently to
determine that he was not one of the sub
contractors or any OF their men the front
door was opened by young lady who in-
formed tho visitor that Mr.. Norris was
not in.
"When will lie be in ?" was asked.
between and o'clock this evening. u
was the answer.
At that hour another visit WAC made and
Mr.. Norris was found in what he calls his
office-a little back room in the rear of bis
house where he is secure from harm APP
pareptly.
lie was surrounded by two or three young
men.
well. sir, what do you want ?" he asked
abruptly, without taking his eyes from his
work.
What about these complaints by the men
who have been working for you on the
Davis building?" was queried.
What complaints?"
They say you got your pay, but neg
lected to pay them; is that tTue?''
They've got the buildings, haven't they Pr
How is that"
"Oh, I've nothing to say"
But so many tell the same story. DONE
You want 10 make statement?"
mo. Goodnight. See my attorney"