The herald., 1895-10-20
THE POLITICIANS PULLS
Have Been Worked to Their Utmost
Capacity
But the Jurymen Insisted That the natter Of
Street Work Should Be Duly
Investigated
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
SAN FRANCISCO. Oct. 19.-Heroic
efforts were made by the political friends
of Thomas Ashworth, superintendent of
streets. to prevent the presentation by
the grand jury OF Its accusation against
him. He was charged with willful and
corrupt conduct in office. Mem bers OF
the grand jury wers besought by scores
OF men during the past week to give Ash
worth q hearing before any action was
taken against him, but the appeals were
mace Ill vain. 1t was plain to the grand
jury that there had been wrongdoing
in the street department. and Ashworth
was responsible for the affairs of that de-
partment. The charge. which had to be
made. was made against him. Ashworth's s
integrity is not questioned, but some of
the men in his mploy are not similarly
respected for their honesty. The accusa-
tion practically means that Ashworth
has not managed the department prop
erly and that he must bear the blame of
the abuses which he permitted.
Among the grand jIrors on whom in
fiuence was brought to bear for A shwo rth
was o. F. Wiley, the carriage dealer.
He informed some other members of the
jury a few days ago that horde of pol
iticians had swooped down on him in
the interest of Ashworth. 1t WAS learned
through one of the jurymen that at q
meeting held several days ago, Oliver
Eldridge. the foreman, informed the jury
that Ash worth came to him and asked
to be granted a hearing. Ashworth
thought he could make satisfactory ex-
PLANTATION concerning the street work
which had been badly done. The super
intendent was given an opportunity yes
terday to make a statement to the public,
but he replied that he had nothing to
say. The Buckley forces are intrenohed
in the street department. and it is ex-
pected that the ex-poss will strive to as
sist his friends there.
Juror Wiley, in speaking of the mat
ter, said:
at was limited that this was Buckley
grand jury when 1t was organized, but
its actions will show that it is not. There
is another department at the city hal to
be Investigated. 1t is thought by many
to be as badly managed in its way as the
street department Its province relates
the payment OF money out of the eli!
treasury. 1t is said that many demand
have been approved by the man at the
head of t.at department which should
not have been paid. His action was i'm
proper, to say the least, it is alleged.
Now that department will probably get
a turning over. l cannot tell you sf-
ntely what department it is, but the men
who are employed in it belong to one OF
the political cliques in this city. At any
rate, men who are with certain faction
have received the places in that depart
ment. People who think this Is Buck
lev jury will soon change their minds"
Mr.. Wiley would not name the depart
ment, but it was inferred that he was
speaking Of the AUDITORS office. He ad-
mitted that it was not department over
which Republican presided. The two
officials who control the payment of
money are the treasurer and the auditor.
The treasurer is Republican aud the
auditor q Democrat.