The herald., 1894-01-20
SAN BERNARDINO ALL ACOG
Excitement Over the Grand
Jury's Report.
County Officials Given An ALI
Round Shaking Up.
Against Sheriff Booth
and Ex-Sheriff Seymour.
Both Charged With Collecting Exorhl-
tant Fees for Transporting Prfs-
oners-The State Board of
Examiners Roasted.

Special to the HERALD.
SAN BERNARDNo, Jan. 19.-At last the
grand jury, which has been in session
since November 20, 1898, has made
report and filed the came with the
county clerk. The document consists Of
81 pages of typewriter paper and il
about an inch thick. The expense in
preparing it has probably been more
than that of the report OF any preceding
jury, and many were inclined to bslieve
that six months would elapse before the
final report was handed in.
The hush and expectancy OF the last
few days was broken late last evening,
when it was whispered on the street
that Sheriff James 9th and sx-
Sheriff E. @. Seymour mad been indicted
by the jury on q technicality ip the dis
charge of their duty while in Office
Other prominent men were also i'm
dicted, go rumor ran, but az the papers
were under lock and key the statement
could not be verified. vs.
sHEKIFF BOOTH ARRESTED.
Early this morning Coroner Thomp5on
returned from Hespsria, where he had
been on official business, and arrested
Sheriff James P. Booth, who gave bonds
Immediately in the sum of $4,000, or
$1,000 for each bill returned against
him..
The report was circulated on the street
some dsys ago that charges had been
made against him of charging the state
fees for work done by dummy who as
Histed his deputies in taking prisoners
% states prison. The members Of the
jury are sworn to maintain silence ia
regard to the work performed till they
file their report. In this and several
other cases their actions have leaked
out, but how no one seems to know
Secrecy has been broken somehow, and
someone should be made to suffer.
SENATOR SEYMOUR INDICTED.
The next surprise, that is to few.
was caused by the Statements
that State Senator Seymour would
be arrested Immediately on bis return
this evening from Los Angeles, where
he has been on business. Mr.. Seymour
is charged with the same offense as his
successor. Mr.. Booth, of collecting feea
for dummies to the amount of 5000 per
year. These fees have always been al
lowed by the state board of examiners,
and have never been questioned by
them.
STATE EXAMINERS SCORED.
The jury takes occasion 70 score the
board, and ends by saying that their
conduct in allowing these claims is rep.
rehensible, and recommends that tie
district attorney of this county commu-
nicate with the attorney-general of the
state with the view of instituting pro-
ceedings for covering back into the
treasury the moneys thua wrongtuHy
paid out.
The report goes on to state that the
usual amount allowed by law for con-
veying prisoners to state prison or pa
tients to the asylums is So per day. The
average cost OF taking convicts to San
Quentin would not be more than So each,
but ths practice is and has been to in
crease this by charging fictitious items
up to 500 or more, but seldom less. The
profit during the last two years of Sheriff
Seymour's term on conveying convicta
Appropriated $1,000, and probably m3re
than half this amount on taking patients
TO asylums, These came charges have
been made by Sheriff Booth since no
has been in office, when one deputy has
taken one prisoner.
AN EVEN GREATER ABUSE.
The report says the abuse has even
been greater where one deputy has taken
more than one prisoner to the etate
prison. The jury says the sheriff would
send two prisoners in charge of one dsp-
uty as far as San Francisco, from whsre
his deputy would deliver one one day
and gel receipt, and get an accomplish
to take the other on a different Gay.
taking receipt for the prisoner in tha
name Of the prisoner, The sheriff would
| then subscribe and make oath to an ac.
count for each prisoner, charging rail-
road fare from San Bernardino to SSH
Francisco and back to Sal Bernsrdino !,
| SO hack hire each at Los Angeles snd
San Francisco; 50 30 for one night at
San Francisco; $3.50 for eleeper; Eve or
six meals at rs cents each; four DAYS ct
So per day, making an overcharge icy
the dummy or accomplice OF $7235 II
the prisoner was taken to San Quentia,
and $74 10 ii taken to Folsom.
The overcharge in conveying convicsE
and insane patients during the last year
will probably exceed $1,000 While in-t
veetigating this matter it was declared
with apparent truthiulness, that Fflis
abuse is practiced in similar manner
by sheriffs generally throughout the
state. The jury then says il this is
true the aggregate loss to the state
treasury must be about $75,0OO per
| year.
With the exception OF the foregoing
| they report all Isoney reeeipted for, and
the book1. etc, in splendid shape.
all the statements as regards the naIa-
Der OF prisoners, days ccnnned. ntnber
OF meals iurnlshed and amounts paid
| for the came, fines collected and de-
posted, wore found to De correct
Tho report cloEes with the following:
''We find the Office conducted IN
thoroughly businsss-like manner. re-
| fecting much credit on SheilG Booth
and his deputy. Mr. King.
4 roLrncIAN's BoeMERANa
Rumors are rife on the street thss the
artserlar inuoa4ftro kir,s, t-rr i, ~ ~