The herald., 1894-10-25
MAJOR DONNELL AND HIS SON
A Little Scheme About Gar
vanza School Janitors.
The WOuld-Be District Attorney and
Poor Widow.
A Statement which is Backed Up by
Detailed Affidavits-Someth ething of
Interest to the Citizens of
This County.

Major ]. A. Donnell. Republican can
didate for district attorney. and MessrB.
Geo. l.. Stearns and F. J. Ganahl are
trustees of Highland Park school dis.
trict. Bids were received by the trus'
tees for doing the janitor work at the
Garvanza school building for $12 per
month, one of the bidders being Mrs.
Chaffee, widow having three children
to support and having no other means
Of livelihood than her labor a1d such
aid as she receives from the county.
Major Donnell refused to entertain her
bid and moved that the work be given
to Homer Donnell, his 17-year-old con.
at $l5 per month. The motion was sec-
onded by Steerns and carried by the
votes of Donnell and Stearne, Ganahl
refusing to vote. This evident injustice
to Mrs. Cheffse and unlawful appropria-
tion of the funds of the district to Don
nel's aelfish interests is cause OF much
indignation among the citizens of
Garvanza. But the important oues-
| ton to be considered by the
voters OF this county is whether
| a man who will unlawiully appropriate
| So per month of the moneys oil a school
district is @ suitable person 10 be select
ed to protect the peoples interests in
| tho distribution OF the funds of this
large county. Disregarding the moral
aspect of the case, the action OF Major
| Donnell in the premises was q clear vio-
lation OF law and OF his oath as school
| trustee.
Section 1875 OF the political code OF
| California is as follows:
No school trustee or member OF any
| board of education must be interested in
any contract made by the board OF which
| he is q member, and any contract made
| in violation of this provision is void"
| Section 1877 Of the civil code declares: /:
'The father OF legitimate, unmarried,
minor child is entitled to its custody,
| services and earnings"
| II is evident that in voting $15
per month of the funds of his district
| to his minor son, Major Donnell in
reality voted that sum to himself. The
contract with Homer Donnell is void,
and every warrant for his services signed
by Major Donnell is also illegal and
should not be paid. San order for q
requisition drawn on the county super
intendent OF public schools by two of
the trustees of school district, one of
whom is personally interested in it, and
therefore Incompetent to act. is void for
want Of the sanction Of competent ma
| iority of the board OF trustees. whether
the interested trustee has acted fairly or
unfairly in the matter"
Shakespeer v. Smith, II Cal. 638.
San Diego v. s. d. & L. A. r. r. Co.,.
"A Cal. Ill.
Andrews v. Pratt, "A Gal. 300.
Pickett v. School district. % Wis. 552.
AS to Major Donnell, the conclusion is
Irresistible that he has knowingly oil
unknowingly violated the law, and that
in either view, he is not the right kind
of timber for district attorney. But il
his cupidity is so great that he cannot
award contracts to the lowest bidder,
that bidder being poor widow, his un-
moro apparent.
HIGHLAND PARK,
Los ANGELES County, Sept. 80, 1894
1. F. J. Ganahl. hereby voluntarily
state that l am one OF the trustees of
the Highland Park school district OF
Los Angeles county, the other trustees
being ]. A. Donnell and Geo. L. Stearns.
That at public meeting Of said trustees
held ct the Garvanza school building on
August IA. 1894. Mrs. Lillian Chsffse, a
competent person, offered to do the
jsnitor work of the Garvanza school
building at twelve dollars per month,
and said that if she could not get
the entire building she would take
one room as that would help her righ
smartly. At the same meeting Herbert
Wilson, boy Of about 15 years OF age,
handed in q written offer to do the
janitor work of Highland park school
building for So per month. that being 81
per room per month. When these offers
were made. Trustee Donnell said the
offers were too low and that the janitor
work was worth So per room per month,
and he moved first that the Highland
park building be given to Herbert Will
son at $40 per month. Dom
nell and Stearns voted for
the motion and Ganahl refused to
vote, and the work was given to said
Wilson at $40 per month. Then the
said Donnell stated that the Garavanza
building had been promised to Homer,
and he moved that the same be given to
Homer at $l5 per month. and Trustees
Donnell and Stearns voted for sald mo-
tion and Gsnahl refused to vote.
"Homer" referred to ia son OF said J.
A. Donnell and is about 16 years old and
lives with his father. l asked the trus
tees, Donnsll and Stearns. if they would
not allow Mrs. Chatfee to have
one room of the Garavanzs building,
as she had stated that if she
could GET one of the rooms to take care
OF it would help her right smartly, but
said Donnell and stearrs refused to
! give her any part of the work, and de.
clsred the Garvanza building awarded
to Homer Donnell at fifteen dollars per
month.
The said Mrs. Chaffse is poor
woman, afflicted with dropsy, and with
three children dependent upon her, and
| for o year or more past she has been
assisted by the supervisors OF the
county, in other words che ia county
charge. but che .is an industrious
woman and has worked for differ
ent persons about GarvanzR and
| Highland Park whenever ehe could get
work suitable for her to do. and che was
and is perfectly competent to do the
janitor work OF the Garavanzs school
building. As the meeting of said board
of trustees on September IA, 1894. the
said j. A. Dopnell, who 10 the clerk oil
the board, read hie minutes OF the said
meeting of August 14th, and as, said
minutes did not make any mention Of
who made the motions or voted to
award the janitor work, but did state
that |, +. J. Genahl, had made
certain motions at said meeting re-
lating to other business, l demanded
that the minutes should be corrected go
as to show who moved and who voted TO
xUn N,-t ot 40