The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-08
THE TREASURY SCANDAL,
Alamo County Officials All
Demand Full InVeSti-
cation.
BUT THE COIN IS GONE.
Auditor Whidden Explains the
ModuS Operandi of Tax
Collecting.

Nothing has created so much excitement
in years at the county buildings as the
story published in yesterdays CALL about
the deficit in the Alameda County treas
ury.
One of the remarkable things in connec-
ton with the scandal was the conduct of
the District Attorney in giving publicity
to the trouble after being pledged to
secrecy. Yesterday that official admitted
that he was responsible for the publication
IN at least one paper, and said that he con-
sidered such conduct was in the line of his
duty. The first meeting was held on Mon
day afternoon, as told in yesterdays CALL,
and all concerned swore to keep the matter
profound secret till the truth could be
ascertained by the Grand Jury.
Several stormy scenes took place while
the matter was under investigation, and
on one occasion Leo Park who was a
deputy when the money was taken,
CHARGED Whidden with saying to him that
he (Whidden) would square matters. This
Whidden denied, and demanded that the
stubs for last November receipts be pro-
duced, SO that the deficiency could be
traced. The last Tax Collector has all
these stubs in his possession, and refused
to produce them, although he expressed
perfect willingness to have them inspected
at his fathers law Office.
Auditor Whidden said the stubs were
county property, and that Rosborough had
no right to them, but the District Attorney
did not know whom they.belonged to, and
preferred to let the matter lie over.
Mr.. Rosborough has no explanation to
make, and Leo Park has returned to Los
Angeles.
Auditor Whidden said yesterday that no
: I L
and entered into full explanation of the
" hole transaction. His statement was as
follows:
About the end of November last, Tax Col
lector Rosborough was very much rushed with
business, and asked me to go into his office and
deputy in the office and familiar with
the work consented. l supposed everybody
was honest, and very foolishly did not take a
receipt for the money / turned over These
bills had attached TO them the Tax Collectors
stub as they came to me from the taxpayer.
The Tax Collector then would tear off the stu b,
put 1t upon sticker. and from the stubs would
check up upon the assessment roll, later on,
the payments made Tor taxes against the
various pieces OF property as shown by the
number upon the stub. After the stubs had
been torn from the bill then the party who tore
of the stubs would receipt the bill and give it
or send 1t to the taxpayer.
There would frequently be scores of people
in line, and not desiring to wait for their turn
they would hand me in their bills with the
money to pay them would check up these
blIls with the list accompanying them with
RoSborough's deputy, who was authorized to
receive money, and then, after checking up
the list, would turn the money over to such
deputy with the bills given me by the tax
payer.
l received during day or two's service as
assistant under Mr.. Rosborough several thou
sand dollars and several hundred bills with
stubs attached, which L turned over to the
deputy. After the stubs had been torn of,
number OF bills were turned over to me by the
chief deputy, saying that he was very busy
and for me to receipt the bills and give them
to the taxpayers. This did, signing in every
case, "a. J. Rosborough per W." and delivered
these receipted bills TO the various taxpayers
/ distinctly remember that of the large batch
OF bills that were turned over to me to sign
after the stub had been torn off on few of
them the date of payment was stamped with
peculiar stamp, and on many of them no date
OF payment was stamped at all. l thought it
queer at the time that some should be dated
and some should not be dated, but, supposing
that everybody was honest in the Office said
nothing about 1t particularly, butreceipted the
bills, as l have said, and sent them to the vari-
Gus taxpayers In those bills in which the date
was not stamped wrote the date in ink These
particular bills on which appeared this pecu-
liar stamp, and for which I receipted "a. j.
Rosborough, per W., have formed the basis of
the insinuation and false charge against me in
this matter.
took no further concern about these tax
bills that receipted with this peculiar date
stamped upon them, but sent them to the vari-
term of office expired and thought no more
about it. The usual date of settlement is Janu-
ary z. On that date this year Mr.. Rosborough
the retiring Tax Collector, was supposed TO
make his settlement with the county for taxes
received by him. He had been charged as
Tax Collector with the aggregate amount of
taxes due, as shown by the assessment rolls,
and he was credited with the total amount OF
payments he made on account thereof 10 the
County Treasurer, and then the difference
between the amount he was charged with and
4lao hi
the amount OF unpaid taxes shown by the
assessment rolls.
On the same day Mr.. Rosborough turned
over to Mr.. Barber, the incoming Tax ColIec-
tor, the assessment rolls, showing a large
amount OF unpaid taxes not marked ''paid"
upon the rolls.
The county expert, H. K Snow, and Mr. Bar
Der, with one or TWO deputies, went over these
assessment rolls so turned over to Mr. Barber
and found that according to the rolls there was
q difference between the amount ectus1iv
turned over by Rosborough to the Treasurer
and what he ought to have turned over to the
Treasurer OF about $133 Subsequently when
Mr.. Barber was called upon to make his final
settlement 1t was found that the difference be-
tween the total amount OF taxes that ought TO
have Deen collected and the total amount of
taxes that were turned over by Rosborough
and Barber between them was about Sll00.
AS Auditor OF the county it was my duty to
investigate the matter, and Mr. Barber and his
deputies and my Office went over the assess
ment rolls trying TO discover where the differ
ence was, checking-up from the experts re-
port. We found upon the assessment roll
books, stamped in the column "When peid''
with this same peculiar stamp not in use in the
Tax Collectors Office, opposite tax statements,
aggregating about $4S5, the characters "Nov,
%, 1894" which were not there when the ex-
pert and Mr.. Barber and his deputies went over
the rolls in January and February showing
that this peculiar stamp must have been mt
upon these rolls after the expert had finished
his inspection. BY whom is not yet discovered.
We have not yet been able, however to locate
the balance over the S483 of the $l1OO diner
ence between the rolls as examined by the ex-
pert and the rolls as they now appear as
marked paid.
If I had wanted to take or steal the
money represented by these certificates in No
vember, 1894, must have known that it would
come back on me.
The production of the stub for these bills to
which my name is signed would tend very
much to clear up the mystery in this matter.
Because did not demand and receive a re-
ceipt for the thousands OF dollars turned over
in each case some people are eager to come for
ward and charge me with having taken this
money. have demanded and expect and am
ready to meet the fullest possible investigation
and ask the public to withhold judgment until
after such investigation"
No new developments transpired yester-
day, but District Attorney Shook says the
matter will be fully investigated.
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