The record-union., 1894-01-20
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.

SAN BERNARDINO, Jan. 19.-The Grand
jury filed a report, finding indictments
in twenty-seven cases. The sewerage
system of the County Hospital was con-
demned. The total taxes collected during
1898 and 1894 were 1881, ,357. The County
Clerk was censured for carelessness in
keeping the files of cases of the Superior
Court. The appointment of file clerk
was recommended. A different system
of recording marriagelicense fees was
also recommended. It was found that
considerable money due the county had
been uncollected, owing to the system OF
accounts in the Clerks office. Radical
changes in the manner of keeping ac-
counts was recommended, but the County
Clerk was also commended for his honest
effort to correct the Irregularities in
vogue under former administration.
The Assessor was severely censured
for carelessness resulting in seven thou
sand acres of land escaping taxation,
while many double assessments had been
made He was urged to adopt more sys-
tematlc methods.
A careful investigation of the methods
of conducting the Southern California
State Insane Asylum at Highlands re-
suited in a complete refutatlOn of the
ISLANDERS that have been recently clrcu-
lated against the management of that in
stitution.
over S27, 900 was shown to have been
paid out to Justices and Constables for
fees during the year. This amount was
regarded as eXorbitant.
The Horticultural Commission was
condemned for extravaganza, and a
recommendation sent to the Board of Su
pervisors that the Horticultural Board be
dissolved until needed.
The sensation of the report was the re-
suit of the investigation in the Sheritf's
office, resulting IN the indictment OF the
present Sheriff. j. 2. Booth, and his pre-
decessor, E. c. Seymour, for perjury.
The indictment was the result Of prac-
tees which it is claimed are in use by a
majority Of the Sheriffs in the State. If
such is the case the State is the
loser annually by $4,000 as
the result of these illegal methods.
The Sheriff is allowed S. per day
for expenses incurred in conveying con-
victs to State Prisons and patients 10 asy-
Iums Under this law the average cost OF
conveying a convict to San Quentin
would not exceed S52 but the practice in
the Sheriff's office has been to increase
this amount to $50 or more by fictitious
charges. The profits to the Sheriff dur
is estimated by the Grand Jury at not
less than $1,000 through transportation of
convicts and insane patients, while dur
ing the present Sheriff's g term the abuses
have been even more fagrant. 1t has
been charged by the Grand Jury that in
many instances two prisoners have been
sent to San Francisco in care of one dep
uty. The deputy would then de-
liver one prisoner in one day and
take receipt. The next day he would
get an accomplice, who would deliver the
second prisoner, taking a receipt in the
name Of the accomplice. The Sheriff
would then swear to the bill for each
prisoner, charging railroad fare, board,
hack, ETC., for the dummy, the deputy
making an over-charge on account of the
dummy of S72 if the prisoner was taken
to San Quentin, and S74 if taken to Fol-
som. Such over-charges during the past
year are estimated by the jury to be over
S., coo. The State Board of Examiners
were severely condemned for paying
charges so evidently fraudulent. Sheriff
Booth has been arrested and is out on
bail. Seymour will be arrested this even
ing.
NJ. D. Katz and II. Taupenheiser were
arrested upon an indictment for selling
LIQUOR to Indians, and J. Ii. Lightfoot for
altering city water receipts. They are
! out on bail,