The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-20
ON FIVE COUNTS.
Indictment of Southern
Sheriffs.
BOOTH AND PREDECESSOR.
Charged With Falsely Swearing
to Transportation Bills.
SAN BERNARDlNO POLITICS.
An Editor Also Indicted and the
Grand Jury Will Receive
Delicate Roas ting.

SAN BERNARDINo. Jan. 19.-The Gran.
Jury returned five indictments to-day
against Sheriff Booth. and also five against
his predecessor, E. c. Seymour. They are
charged with having sworn falsely to bills
against the State for the transportation
OF prisoners sentenced to State prison and
insane asylums. and the Grand Jury re-
port estimates that these officers have
secured in this manner $4,000 year in
excess of what they were legally en-
titled to.
The report goes on to state however,
that their bills are no more exorbitant
than those of the Sheriffs of other coun-
ties for similar work. Friends of Booth
and Seymour state that the Grand Jury
labOred under an entire misapprehensiou
OF both the law and the facts, and that
these gentlemen will be able not only to
quash the indictments but to show clearly
their entire innocence of all the charges
brought against them.
It is also rumored that the District At
torney has already given his opinion that
the charges of corruption and perjury are
wholly without foundation.
Sheriff Booth was arrested this morn
ing by County Coroner Thompson, and
promptly furnished bail in the required
amount.
Senator Seymour was in Los Angeles
this morning, but on his return this even
ing he was arrested.
This startling procedure of the Grand
jury has caused considerable talk on the
| streets. but it is the general opinion of
those who know the accused best that they
will be able to explain every thing satis-
| factorily.
1t is certainly but just, in view of their
previous reputation for honor and integ-
rity, to hold judgment in reservation till
they have had an opportunity to present
their side Of the case.
The Grand Jury proceeded ex parte with
secrecy and closed doors, giving Booth
| and Seymour no opportunity to face
accnsers or to refute the charges. Booth
J is Democrat and Seymour p p~erni ire,lt
| Republican, which is considered a suffl-
cient refutation of the charge that politics
| is at the bottom of it. No one knows who
the accusers were, but certain politicians
are charging the Republicans with bring
Ing the charges for political purposes
There is nothing in it, but it may grow into
bitter political discussion and feuds.
j. w. LlghtfOot. editor of the Morning
| Courier of this city, was indicted for
altering the receipts Of the water company
Of this city to the amount of S12. Light
foot refuses to make any explanations at
present, but is saving his powder for a
general fusillade on the Grand Jury to-
morrow morning in the editorial columns
of the Courier. Whatever may be the
truth of the matters underlying these ln-
dictments it is said by those who have
read the report Of the Grand Jury that
much of their so-called expert reports was
compiled by men ignorant of the ordinary
routine OF official business. Many recon-
mendations are considered an illegal criti-
cism, being administered where officers
have followed both the letter and the
spirit of the law. The expense of the
Grand jury and experts foots up to several
thousand dollars and the burden of their
recommendations to taxpayers is economy.