The herald., 1895-07-23
Official Report Of the Investi-
eating Committee Filed
Recommendation ADOPTED
Yesterdays Meeting of the City
Council
Herman de Laguna Smiles Because the City
Attorney Reports Upon the 1ission
Road Electric Franchise

The special com mittee which he's been
Investigating Street Superintendent p
A. Howard, yesterday reported as follows
To the Honorable Council of the City oi
Los Angeles.
Gentlemen I'm the matter of the IN
vestigason of the official acts OF the street
superintendent, referred to us, your COM
mittee beg leave to report:
tFirst-We have examined the auditor as
to the condition of the books and ac-
counts of the street superintendent AMI
find that the accounting has been prop
erly made to the city each month.
The auditor further testified that he
had examined the books day or two
preceding our Investigation ana founu
them correct and in good condition.
Second-No specific charges against the
street superin tendent were made before
your committee, or furnished us by you,
therefore we have been much at sea in
the line of procedure; the names OF
about fifteen witnesses were handed us
at different times and all of them were
promptly subpoenaed. In some cases the
witnesses appeared and testifed, and tins
testimony we submit herewith. In other
cases witnesses appeared. but refused to
testify, and your committee found them
selves without power to compel said wit
nesses to give their testimony. In some
other cases the parties refused to appear
at all and we found ourselves without
power to compel their attendance.
With this state of facts before us we
found the investigation degenerating
into a farce. which. in so serious mat
ter, is result to be deplored and avoided
If possible.
In addition to the obstruction to full
investigation. which we have mentioned
above, the street superintendenJ appeared
before us at our last meeting and de-
mo o1 hat snooitip bp n1aIa
against him before proceeding frther, in
order that he might prepare defense and
produce witnesses to support his defense
Your committee was unable to make
these charges, as none have been made
to us, or filed with the city clerk, and no
evidence had been developed upon which
to base charges other than produced be-
fore the former committee which investi-
gated the charge made by Mr.. Kingery of
attempt to bribe. The report OF that
investigation is still before you.
The street super intendent refused to
submit himsif to further examination un-
til specific charges are fled.
In view of these facts your committee
would recommend:
First-That specific charges against the
street superintendent be filed with us at
once if possible.
Second-That the parties filing these
charges furnish us with the names of
any and all witnesses whose testimony
will tend in any degree to support the
same.
Third-That copy OF these charges
be furnished the street superintendent.
Your committee have no desire to shirk
any duty devolving upon them in the In
vestigation, and upon the filing of charges
will push the examination OF witnesses as
far as is in their power.
Should any witness refuse to appear or
testify after specific charges are made,
your committee will report the fact to
your honorable boudy, together with the
names of the witnes es and the facts pro-
posed to be proven by them.
Your committee respectfully submits
this partial report and asks your further
instructions.
The reading of the above was heard
amid silence. On motion of Councilman
Savage the report was filed and the recon-
mendations therein contained were noted
as being agreed to.