The morning call., 1893-09-19
ROYCE'S THEFTS.
He Offers to Compromise
for $4,000.
The Veterans Home Directors
Award Contracts on the New
Buildings at YOuntviIIe.

The board of directors of the Veterans
Home Association held a meeting last
night for the purpose of considering bids
for the construction OF various new build
ings and other Improvements proposed at
the home and .he tran saction of other busi-
ness.
Prior 10 the consideration Of bids the
board went into executive session, during
which quite surprise was sprung upon
the members present. 1t was nothing less
than an offer TO compromise the prosecu-
tlon against eX-TTeasurer Royce, the de-
faulting official, by the payment of SSO00
The amount of Royce's shortage was
about $4,000. and the proposition on bis
part, or the part of his friends, to pay
$4,000 to the association caused good deal
of controversy.
While all were agreed that it would be
the best thing for the association to secure
much money as possible by the mo t
feasible manner in which such could be
secured. the question of the legality, not
TO speak of the morality. OF such com
promise on The part of the association was
brought up and proved a stumbling block
The law specifically states that a crimi-
nal suit cannot be compromised, while
such action is not prohibited in the case of
a civil suit. The prosecution of Royce is
in the nature of both criminal and civil
action, and thus the case would appear to
be a hopeless one, so far as the com pro-
mise proposition is concerned; yet 1t
leaked out after the eXecutive session that
some move had been taken into considera-
ton, and would probably be adopted,
whereby the proposition would rebound
to the pecuniary advantage of the aSsocia-
tiOn.
1t seems that Royce was attorney for the
firm OF Steen Sc Hendy in certain litiea-
ton which has terminated successfully
Tor his former clients, and by which he
has gained q good rouad sum as fees, etc.
The amount of this sum or the nature OF
the litigation ii seems impossible To learn,
as the members of the board seemed very
solicitous to keep the matter quiet
The manner in which the compromise
offer of $1,000 was made was also closeted
In the breasts of the board, but the prime
fact remains that the offer was made.
The committee on buildings and grounds
recommended the award If the following
contracts at the appended cost:
Carpenter work - Dining room and
kitchen combined, Letter & Prugh. Oak
land, SS717: cOmmandants house, II. L.
Jones. Oakland. S3650; medical directors
house, II. E. Jones, QaklanG. $3.50.
Painting-F. M. Farwell & Son, Oak
land, S16i6.
Plumbing. steam and gas itting-Dining-
room and kitchen, p. +. Ward, San Fran
cisco, $3.50; commandants hnuse, j. L.
Cnsgrove, San Francisco. 1896 50; medical
directors house, j. w. Ruddock, San
Francisco, S315.
Tinning-On medical directors and COM
mandant's house. j. T. Cosgrove. San
Francisco, SIS; dning-room, j. w. Rud-
dock, San Francisco, 500.
The carpenter work on the medical d.
rector's house was awarded to HenderlOnc
Bros of Alameda at their figures, S3269.
AN.,rn &r fn1r
consideration. alleging that they would
lose money if they did. The next lowest
bid was that Of II. S. Jones. and he re-
ceived the work.
These bids were all accepted as stated
and the contracts awarded.
During the session OF the board Director
ArbuckIe eyinced disposition to INQUIRE
into the manner in which the committee
on grounds and buildings had reached its
determination 10 recommend the letting OF
the contracts, and Director Stevens, who
is one Of the committee, replied to the gen.
tleman in rather warm manner. stating,
in purport, that he thought areflectiou had
been cast upon the committees motives.
and that II he was to be placed In that un-
enviabe light before the board he wanted
to resign. An explanation from Director
Arbuckle. however, pacifed bis brother
director aud the proceedings continued.
Some trouble may yet be in store for the
board from an unexpected quarter. 1t
was stated at the meeting that none OF the
money voted in aid Of the home by The
Legislature would be available before
January /. Some of the contractors were
present, and they said that they expected.
if they took the work, to have the build
ings we'll on toward com pletion by that
time, and that they could not afford 10 wait
for their money that long as they would
be compelled to pay their workmen and
material bills as the work progressed.
Architect Wharf, who prepare the
plans and specifications for the buildings
for the board, expressed himself as we'll
pleased with the result of The bids, as the
aggregate amount was at least $4,000 less
than he had any idea the work could be
eOntraptQd