The herald., 1895-12-13
II WAS MAYNE'S AFFIDAVIT
An Alleged Confession From
the Prisoner
MADE TWO WEEKS AGO
Becomes Basis Of the Suit Against San
Diego Notables
crimlnsliy AssauitIng Elsie Shipton
Trying to Get Him Released

Trying to Get Him Released
Clifton E. Mayne has made q confession
ef his work in San Diego as handler OF
municipal legislative bodies. At least he
has given q detail of what he claims he
did in the matter of bribing and debauch-
ing the San Diego city council in the in.
terest Of Il. S. Babcock and his water
schemes. In view of Mayne's record,
however, his assertions must be taken
With several grains of salt.
Wayne is known to have been a most
corrupt schemer and he is furthermore
known to have been in the employ of Mr..
Babcock as his agent in presenting to the
San Diego city council his water PROPOSE
ton under the name of the Southern Cali
fornia Mountain Water company, which
was originally known as the Mount
Tecarte Water company.
1t IL now about two weeks ago that
hayne made an affidavit in his cell in the
county Jail. That affidavit was, so it is
said, a complete rehearsal of what he
claimed were his dealings with Mr.. Bah
cock and also a detail of what he had
done In the matter of brbing the members
IF the council.
The affidavit of Mayne was made the
l,a. 10 Of the complaint filed in the United
States court, which asks for an Injunction
to restrain San Diego from contracting
with the Southern California Mountain
Water company for water supply. and
distributing system, to cost 81 ,575 900,
giving reasons therefor. According to the
complaint it is alleged that E. S. Babcock.
acting for himself and the Mount Tecarte
succeeded by the /, Southern California
Mountain Water company, entered into
4 contract whereby he employed 6. T..
Mayne to influence members Of the com.
mon council by bribery and other corrupt
means 70 support the Tecarte proposition
about 81 100000. Mayne to receive $3.50
monthly while employed, and $1,000 cash
II the council approved the proposition,
and $4,000 il the proposition was approved
by the people; $l5 900 in0city bonds to be
allowed Wayne in influencing the council
men was conditioned upon the bonds be-
ing voted to buy water from the Tecarte
company, and whatever cash Mayne might
require for bribery, not to exceed $4,000. It
Is alleged that Mayne, acting for Babcock
and his company, arranged and agLeed
with H. J.. Barrows, w. j. Davis, joseph S.
Bachman, Thomas II. Dunkin and w. II.
Kroah, then members of the council, to
vote for the desired water plan. Mayne
paid Barrows, Davis and Bachman $50
each, and Dunkin and Kroah 500 each,
Dunkin and Kroah were each to receive
$1,000 in city bonds, also Fred Ii. Robin
son, wnen bonds we're voted by the
people. Mayne is alleged to have used
mer and fall of 1894, paying Joseph S.
Bachman $3.50, H. L. Barrows $500,
Thomas H. Dunkin $50, W. H. Kroah
$3.50, w. j. Davis $50, and to the news
papers $3.50. and the balance to parties
unknown. Mayne, Babcock and certain
1n<t
receive $4,000 in bonds if the PROPOSE
ton carried. 1t is alleged that Babcock
agreed to settle q $500 debt of Maynes'
at the Merchants National bank of San
Diego: also to take up a note of Dunkins
In the same bank. Mayne is further al
legged to have contracted to give Council
man S. H. Olmsted, a job printer. $500
worth of Babcock's printing for his vote,
and to cause other large printing contracts
to he given him. Wayne attempted to
secure the vote of Councilman George H.
Spears for a $3.50 check and for Babcock's
influence among his employees in favor of
Spears at election time. But Spears re-
turned the check and voted against the
Tecarte scheme. The complaint is long
document, embracing $1,000 words, and
il sworn to by ]. M. Howells.
1t is stated that Howells has left the
country, and the defendants attorneys
are alleged to claim that if he returns he
In is quite apparent why Mayne made
This affidavit. He has neither money nor
friends left. Everything he had is gone.
The information he had in his possession
relative to any crooked work that might
have been done as regards the water
either one side or the other. Mayne, as
the alleged agent of Mr.. Babcock, came
into the possession of knowledge that few
if any other man had. So he made this
affidavit. the substance of which is given
above. 1t was taken to San Diego and
it's contents were communicated to the
rival water company. known as the San
Diego Flume company. which was COM
peting with the Southern California
Mountain Water company for the con-
tract with the city. Upon the strength of
the information contained in Mayne's affl-
dayit the complaint was based that has
been filed in the United States court.
Mr.. Babcock and his associates became
aware last week that Mayne bad made the
affidavit above referred to. They at once
set to work to counterfeit the effects of the
publicity which was bound to follow the
making an affidavit such as it was known
MayDe had signed, but their efforts failed.
In San Diego the alleged revelations of
Mayne have created a great sensation, for
they implicate many prominent men. The
water fight has been on there for some-
thing like ten years. and today it seems
further from settlement than it has ever
been been before. Charges of bribery and
corruption have been made before, but
they have never been made as specifically
as they have in this case. Now it remains
to be seen what proof, if any, there is that
can be obtained to sustain them.
nayne Seeking Freedom.
There are indications that the attorneys
of Clifton E.Mayne are preparing for an ac-
tive campaign in behalf of their client, the
object of which is to get the smooth
schemer, now under sentence of twenty
five years imprisonment for debauching
tlirteen-year-old Elsie Shipton, out of Jail,
IN order that he may personally assist in
bringing such pressure to bear as he is ca
pable OF exerting in forcing those with
whom he has been associated in the past
to come 10 his assistance at this time. 1t