The herald., 1894-01-16
COLONEL NORTHAM'S TROUBLES
The Able Politician Must Rem
der an Accounting.
He Is Severely Censured By His
Employers.
stearns RAnchos Directors Bandie Their
Agent without Gloves = The
latest Phase of the
Case.

ors of the Stearns Ranches company
have determined to call Colonel Rober
r. Northam to account for the mannel
in which he has managed their busi-
ness affairs.
A meeting was held last Wednesday
to receive the report of the special com
mittee appointed to inves tigate th'
charges which had been preferred
against Northam, and before an adjourn
ment was taken the colonel received
some pretty hard knocks.
The committee consisted OF Directors
Henley, Polhemus and McGrsw, and il
submitted two reports.
The majority report, signed by Hen
ley and Polhemus, handled Northam
without gloves and contained some
strong accusations against him.
In it the assertion is made that nearly
$3.50, 600 passed into Northam's hands as
manager of the company, for which he
failed to render any accounting.
An itemized statement showing in
what way each dollar was received ac-
companied the report. According to il
Northam received payments for land
and in return for timber and fertilizing
material sold, and appropriated the
money to his own use.
The minority report submitted by Me-
Graw justified Northam in everything
he had done and recommended his COM
plete exoneration.
The charges against Northam were
preferred originally at meeting held
about three months ago, and the inves-
tigation was commenced at the same
time.
When the evidence against the colonel
was presented he was made familiar
with its character and invited to attend
committee meeting and refute it.
He attended the meeting and submit.
ted statement, but it proved q very
weak one and had but little effect. In
refutation Of each charge he simply
made general denial without trying to
produce facts or figures to prove the
falsitY of the documentary evidence
against MIN which had been gathered
In consequences of this the committee,
or at least those members OF it who COM
prised the majority, when about to COM
pile their report felt that there was
nothing left for them 60 do but find
manager Northam guilty as charged.
A report setting forth this conclusion
was prepared, but shortly before the
date upon which it was to be submitted
Northam went to the gentlemen who
had prepared it and requested that they
defer action for a while in order that he
might go to Los Angeles where his Office
is located and collect eyidence tending
to prove his innocence.
A three weeks respite wassasked for,
but the committee granted the colonel
six weeks.
From that time. although repeatedly
requested to do go, NoFthsm made no
effort to produce any of the evidence
which he declared that he could easily
obtain. This sort OF conduct sorely tried
tha patience OF the members of the com
mittee, and, finally becoming tired OF
the whole affair, they determined to
submit their reports to the board ot
directors. -N-
This was done at the meeting held N
Wednesday afternoon, and action was
Immediately taken upon them.
All along N0rtham has asserted that
he did not care whether the majority
mem bers Of the investigating committee
condemned him or not, as he felt certain
that the board OF directors would not
sustain their action.
Before the recent meeting concluded
he ascertalned certain f9cts which led
him to form different conclusion.
The minority report of Director Nc
GraW, which was quite complimentary
to Northam In its nature, received no
consideration at sll, and was not even
voted upon, while the majority report
attracted every hody's attention.
As charge alter charge was read and
the evidence accompanying each was
explained the greatest surprise was
manifested, ior nobody had expected to
find things as bad as they really ap-
pasred.
A long discussion followed the reading
of the report, and strong effort was
made to prevent it from being consid-
cred, but this proved failure.
Finally action upon the matter was
temporarily deferred however, at the
reuqeat of Northam's friends, who ex-
pressed the belief that he would, if
given chance, prove that no matter
what else he might have done 10 had
not been guilty of any dishonest act.
By this poatponement seri1us trouble
for Northam was temporarily averted.
for the report included a recommends
tion that he be removed from the Office
OF manager and that legal steps be taken
to recover the money said to be due the
company.
The postponement of final action on
the report did not save the colonel
altogether, however, for he received
quite thorough oyerhauling before the
directors concluded their session.
A resolution severely censuring him
Was adopted with but little opposition,
os was also second resolution by which
he was ordered to make an immediate
accounting of all his business transac-
tions on behalf Of the Stearns Ranches
company. -
The accounting must include state
msnts explanatory OF the disposition
made OF the $l50,000, which sum is al
legged to be missing. In the event of
these statements proving unsatisfactory
the severe measure recommended in the
majority report will be carried into
effect.
REV. GEORGE MONTGOMERY.