The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-23
THE MEMBERS DEFRAUDED
By Manager Kitridge and Secretary
r. l. Ditto.
ACTION INSTITUTED BY A MEMBER
Ditto Is Arrested, but Kitridge Cannot
Be FOund-BaIdWin Hotel
Painting Job.

Some time ago twenty-one iourneymen
painters decided to band themselves toge-
Their to work on the cooperative plan and
formed themselves into an association
called the Painters Protective League.
y. a. Kitridge was appointed manager
and Robert L. Ditto secretary. Kitridge's
special duty was to look out for contracts
and Ditto kept a record of the proceedings
at the weekly meetings of the league and
the accounts as between the different mem
beers for their share of the contracts.
The league prospered for a season, but
lately its existence came to an end, and
what led to such an unfortunate result will
be explained in the Police Court in few
days.
On Monday warrants were sworn out in
Judge Joachimsen's court for the arrest OF
Kitridge and Ditto on the charge of forgery.
The complaining witness is i. a. Collin,
one of the original members of the league.
Ditto was arrested byDetectives Dillon and
Crockett on Third street on Monday night
and taken to the Southern police station,
but Kitridge has not yet been found. He
lived on the corner of Third and Harrison
streets, but it was given out there that he
had gone to Nanaimo +. c., as cook on a
sailing vessel. 1t is known that he was in
the city on Friday night, and the dectec-
tives believe that he is still here. and will
be captured.
Mr.. Coffin was seen last night and in
speaking Of the charge of forgery said ::
IN july last kitridge secured the contract
for painting the outside walls of the Bald
win Hotel. The contract price was $1,000
which was inserted in the contract, signed
IN duplicate by Z. J. Baldwin and Kit
ridge and Ditto on behalf of the league.
cat the next meeting of the league, after
the contract had been signed, kitridge
stated that the contract price was $2S75 and
produced the duplicate copy to back up his
statement. twas noticed at the time that
the figures seemed blurred, hut no particu-
lar attention was paid to it.
1--WE performed the work on the assump-
ton that $3.50 was the price. The total
amount Of $4,000 was paid to Kitridge and
Ditto III different proportions as the work
progressed, less $139, which was retained
by Mr.. Baldwin owing to a dispute regard
ing certain things which he claimed
should have been painted in accordance
with the contract. Instead of the amount
being divided among the members OF the
league IN the proportion of $4,000, less $3.50,
1t was divided in the proportion of $3.50,
less S139. In other words, Kitridge and
Ditto, by altering the amount in the con-
tract, put $125 in their own pockets.
we found that was not the only instance
where they had done the same thing, but
not till recently.
''The Baldwin Hotel Job was finished
about the middle of August, but Kitridge
assured us there were enough contracts to
keep us going for six months. When we
found he had deceived US, as he had only
one small contract, there was a dissolution
of the league. Twelve of us, including
Kitridge and Ditto, sold out to the other
nine. They struggled along for little till
finally E. L. Cox, a. L. Johnston and my
self bought them out, and we three form
the remnant of the league.
when recently it came to our knowl-
edge that Kitridge and Ditto had been de-
ceiying Us as to contract prices l was
deputed TO wait upon Mr.. Baldwin and |
then found out the fraud in connection
with that contract. We consulted an at
tOrney and he advised us that in altering
the price in the duplicate contract Kitridge
and Ditto had committed forgery, so [
swore out the warrants for their arrests.
They were the custodians of the league pa
pers, but we have twelve witnesses who
viii swear that the amount in the contract
was $2875.
what do you think of men who will de-
iberately Erob their felow-workmen ?"
asked Mr.. Coffin, as he concluded his story.