The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-09
TAC0MA'S REFORM WAVE,
County Treasurer Hedges Name
Enrolled Among Inmates
of the Jail.
Wholesale Arrests of County, City
and Columbia Bank Officials
Continue.

TACOMA, WASH, Nov. S.-The reform
wave and the attendent arrest of city,
county and bank officials goes bravely on
and, following in the wake of the arrest of
George W. Boggs, ex-City Treasurer; W.
B. Allen, president of the Bank of Ia
coma; ex-City Treasurer J. w. McCauley,
County Commissioner w. L. Bartholomew
and Cashier Peters of the Columbia Bank,
thunderbolt struck the city when County
Treasurer John B. Hedges was arrested
yesterday on q warrant sworn out by
Samuel Wilkeson.
The complaint charges the County
Treasurer with having used over 100000
of county funds for the purpose of making
profit for himself, contrary to the stat
ute, the charge being exactly similar to
that made against ex-City Treasurer J. W.
McCauley.
There was considerable misunderstand-
ing concerning the serving OF the warrant,
it having been issued in the morning and
kept all day, and Sheriff Parker ordered
his deputy to serve it in the evening,
making it impossible for Hedges to secure
bail, winch vas fixed at $4,000.
Mr.. Hedges had been Deputy Treas
urer for several years previous to his cleo
ton last Novemb Der. and some years ago
was partner Of Cashier Peters in the abb
stract business. Following the arrest of
Hedges came serious charges against NJ
NJ. Taylor, president of the Board of Pub
lie Works.
Bank Examiner Cleary, in his thorough
examination of the books of the defunct
Columbia Bank, found entries and slips
for $500, which show Mr.. Taylor in very
bad light, Taylor's son being carried on
the payroll for five months past, though
receipts for his salary are found for only
two months. Clerks in the bank testify
that young Taylor never worked there, but
simply drew his salary.
Taylor. as president of the Board of
Public Works, it is charged, used his in
t1uence to help keep the city's money in
the defInct bank, providing he got rake
off and place was provided for his son.
1t was reported last spring that Mr.. Taylor
used his influence with Major Oliver, q
member of the School Board, as president
of the bank, to induce him to vote for Mr..
Notaw FOR secretary of the School Board.
The intimation was very directly conveyed
to the ma jor that the city money deposited
in his bank might be suddenly called for
in case he did not vote for VotaW.
Some very spicy developments are prom
ised in Taylor,s case. That the Colum bia
Bank is proving a genuine mine of infor-
nation for city and county Investigators
has been proven beyond all doubt 1t has
already furnished the evidence which has
caused the arrest of the city and county
treasurer and its own cashier, besides sup
plying evidences that promises to make it
tropical for the president of the Board of
Public Works. Mr.. Hedges predecessor
in Office was a depositor at this bank and
so were the county officials, and Thorough
examination is being made which will
probably lead to the arrest of several 9TH
ers. The finger of suspicion points also to
two councilmen, who are under surveil-
ance, and in all probability round dozen
arrests will be made within the next week.