The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-07
TAMPERED TAX BILLS.
The Ex-Deputy Thinks That
the Auditor Can Make
Explanations.
WHIDDEN IS NOT ALARMED.
Many Very Prominent
Officials.

There is deficit in the funds of Ala
media County, and for over week the
officials have been trying to place the
responsibility. 1t has been definitely
ascertained that the shortage occurred
either in the office of Auditor Whidden or
Tax Collector Rosborough and the Dis
trict Attorney has decided that the subject
is fit one for the Grand Jury, which con-
venes in few weeks.
Every day for over a week Auditor
Whldden, ex-Tax Collector Rosborough.
Tax Collector Barber, Treasurer Sanford
and District Attorney Shook have met and
discussed the matter, and many IN
pleasant things have been said. Charges
of embezzlement snd of duplicating
rubber stamps and of altering figures have
been freely made and denied, and in his
efforts to get at the truth of the matter
District Attorney Shook has concluded
that all concerned were not telling the
whole truth.
The trouble has at last resolved itself
into putting the responsibility for the
missing money on one of the ex-Tax Col
lector's deputies or on Auditor Whidden.
In one instance a tax receipt (No 300 of
Berkeley is said to have been receipted
with a stamp which is a duplicate of the
stamp used by the Tax Collector and not
the original one. This particular receipt
is signed "Alex J. Rosborough, per Pr
The "P" is the initial of Rosborough' s
chief deputy, Leo Park. young man who
was nominated at the last Democratic
Convention to succeed Rosborough as Tax
Collector.
As no satisfaction could be derived from
the statements of those interested in the
tax bill, to which particular attention was
drawn, the District Attorney sent a tele-
gram for Park to come to Oakland. When
the Democratic administration went out
of Office last fall Park accepted position
in the business department OF the Los
Angeles Record. After receiving the Dis
trict Attorneys message Park hurried to
Oakland and arrived here last Friday. At
the next secret investigation in the District
Attorneys Office Park declared that he
had never used the stamp that was on
several receipts, No. 307 of Berkeley in
particular, and furthermore declared that
the signature on the receipt was not his,
but was forgery. He declared that dates
had been changed and that there had been
some tampering with the records of the
Office since he had finished up with them.
Whidden's friends have attempted to
show that the deficit should be explained
by Park, and have even gone so far as to
hint that there is no truth in the story
about duplicating stamps and forgeries.
Parks friends, on the other hand are
=
sponsible party, and that he sometimes
assisted the Tax Collector, and that he
knows all about the missing funds. Ex-
Tax Collector Rosborough believes firmly
that his chief deputy, Leo Park, attended
to his duties conscientiously, and receipted
for every tax bill paid. While in office
Alexander Ros borough prepared an en-
tirely new form of tax bill that
was copied by many county Tax
Collectors throughout the State and
was highly commended. They are
so made out that any tampering with them
can be seen at a glance, and both Ros-
borough and Park express doubts as to
the genuineness of the stamp and the
signature used on November 26 on the
tax bill under consideration. When com
pared with other signatures and stamps
used on the same day there is said to be a
marked difference, and this diffe renee, it
is said, occurs quite often.
So far as can be ascertained, there is
$1OS3 to be accounted for. Only 1888
however, is said to be missing as the re-
suit of the use OF the duplicate stamp.
Tax Collector Barber was seen at his
house on High street in Alameda last
evening.
II have nothing to say" he promptly
replied when the subject was preached to
him. "There is nothing to explain as far
as I am concerned, and, therefore, it would
not be proper for me to say anything at
ALL"
Mr.. Barber absolutely refused to answer
any further questions.
District Attorney Shook was seen last
night, but refused to give any details of the
the affair. eve have been investigating
several days." he said, "and l cannot con-
sistently with my duty tell anything that
would interfere with our plans and bring
the wrong-doer, if one exists, to Justice.
All am anxious for is to see Justice done,
and this 1 intend to do, no matter who
suffers"
All the parties interested in the scandal
are well known and possess the confidence
of the entire community. Auditor Widen
is now serving his third term. Tax Col
lector Barber served term in the same
Office he is in now four years ago. Alex
Rosborough and Leo Park are just as
popular and have made honorable
regulations.