The herald., 1895-12-17
EVERY P[NNY|S TURNED IN
Nine Years of Patient,
Weary Waiting
H HAAA0A)'S Theft MA]E GOOD
Over Twenty-One Thousand
Dollars Turned In
PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST
Both at Last Find Their Way Into the
Public Treasury
PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST
Result Of District Attorney Dillon's Vigorous
and Honest Administration
One Public Official Who stood for the People
and Who Was Not Hand and Glove With
Cliques and Rings, but Who
Did His Duty

j. II. Dupuy, district attorney
1887 to 1880, Democrat. Suit
against EI HammOnd's bondsmen
filed February "a, 1887, and push
ed.
Frank p. Kelly, district attorney,
1880 to 1891, Republican. Suit
against Ell Hammond's bondsmen
remained in statu quo.
James McLachIan district at tor
ney, 1870 to 1903, Republican. Suit
against Ell Hammond's bondsmen
| remained in statu quo.
II. c. Dillon, district attorney,
1893 to 1895, Democrat and POpu-
list. Suit against Ell Hammond's
bondsmen prosecuted vigorously.
Judgment against defendants and
in favor of the county obtained in
the superior court, January 20.
1894, Case appealed by defendants
to the supreme court. Judgment of
lower court affirmed.
Monday, December t6, 1898, the
amount of judgment paid into pub
lie treasury.
1t was really a red-letter day in the his
tory of Los Angeles county, was yesterday.
There was actually paid into the public
treasury of the county $21 ,165 in currency
and $3.50 in coin, making a total of $21,-
1880. the amount of the defalcation of
El Hammond, the tax collector of Los An
gelt county who, in January of 1887, de-
| camped, taking with him something over
VI 200 OF the money OF the people.
After nearly nine long years of weary
waiting the bondsmen of the fugitive have
been compelled to make good the sum of
which the taxpayers were mulcted. 1t is
the first time in the history of the county
that evidence has been secured that bond
given for public official was worth the
paper upon which it was written.
In this instance, however, the bondsmen
| Not only are they compelled to make good
| the amount stolen by the man who inn
posed upon their confidence, but $4,000
| more is added in the way of interest and
| court costs.
1t was on the Oath of February 1887
| that hOmas +. Rowan, then chairman of
the Board of Supervisors, swore to a COM
plain in civil action in which the county
of Los Angeles was plaintiff and the bonds
men of Ell Hammond were defendants.
The suit was instituted by j. r. Dupuy,
then district attorney and a Democrat. 1t
was to recover this money that Hammond
had absconded with.
But in January, 1889, Mr.. Dupuy re-
tired from Office and Frank p. Kelly, a
Republican, was elected to succeed him.
Mr.. Kelly's conduct cf his important trust
was characterized by mastery in activity
and no endeavOr was made 10 recover any
money on the Ell Hammond bond.
James McLacblan succeeded Mr.. Kelly
in the district attorneys office. He was a
Republican, but he too permitted the suit
against the bondsmen of Hammond to re-
pose in a pigeon hole.
BY fortunate combination of circum-
stances II. G.. Dillon defe lted James Nc
Lachlan in the fall of 1892 for district
attorney Mr.. Dillon was elected as an in
dependent and he gave to his Office an ag-
gressive administration that il had not
experienced before in years. The suit
against Ell Hammond's bondsmen was
pushed, and on January 20, 1894, a judg-
ment was obtained in the superior court
against the bondsmen.
All the way along the line the defendants
fought their liability. The case was APP
pealed to the supreme court. Here Mr.
Dillon and his assistants fought the good
fight and won.
And now the last act of the drama has
been played. AS a result of one fair, hon.
est, aggressive, efficient administration of
The district attorneys office that was inds-
pendent of Republican rings, cliques, bood-
lers and potnouse politicians. the treasury
of the county is richer by $21, ,l6s 80
The record has been broken and an offic-
ial bond has been demonstrated to be
binding. The entire amount stolen by
the vacquero of San Fernando, the quon-
dam idol of Los Angeles county Repub
licanism, is paid back because the highest
court in the state has decreed that it
must be.
At 4 p. m. yest terday VIM. F. Bosbyshell,
representing the bondsmen of Hammond,
called at the Office of the county treasurer
and paid over to Mr.. Fleming the full
amount of the shortage. The amount was
turned in in currency. with the exception
of the silver necessary to make up the odd
$3.50. 1t was contained in one sealed pack
age of $l6,06O, another hu IDLE Uf $1,000
and another bundle of $1,000. General
Bouton was present with Mr.. Bosby shell,
on behalf of the bondsmen, while the
county was represented by Assistant Dis
trict Attorney George M; Holton and su-
pervisors Hanley and Woodward. The
amount was made up by an assessment on
the solvent bondsmen of 80 per cent OF
the amount for which they were on the
bond. Thus, if a man was on the bond for
$1,000 he was assessed $500, and so on.
AS soon as the money was paid over, the
supervisors, by resolution, as signed the
judgment to Mr.. Bosby shell for the benefit
Of ,he bendsmen who had paid their pro
rata, and they will endeavor TO collect
from those VINO have not come forward
with their share. 1t is only fair to say that
there is a disposition on the part of some
of the rec .lcitrant bondsmen to pay up.
Two of them have paid 800 each. and
have obligated themselves to pay $50 per
month until they have liquidated their in
debtedness. 1t is expcc ed that Others
will follow their example. In case they do
not, legal proceedings will be instituted
against them.