The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-20
SAYS THE HOME IS IMMORAL
A Well.Known Lady Member of the
Society Scores Poundmaster
Osborn.

iS AiCliueu W make llguI Vi FlcHiuS anu
his charges; that is. he states he may have
something to say later, but for the present
silence is his most potent weapon.
II have nothing to say for publication
now" said Mr.. Osborn yesterday. "Pos-
sibly later on / may consent to give to the
public my end of the story"
"Do you deny or admit the truth of
Jennings charges?" was asked.
II must positively refuse to do either at
present." said Mr.. Osborn, and that is all
he would say.
1t appears, according to the documents
now On lille IN Secretary Holbrook' S office,
tn at committee. composed OF J. s. Hutch
ison, Ira P. Rankin and H. E. Holmes,
made partial examination of the ex-
superintendent's charges. filing their re-
port September 10 last. This report IS in
part as follows:
All the bills of 1893 and 1894 bear the stamp
of your auditing committee, audited and paid
long ago, and pass them as being officially
in order The bills submitted to US not audited
but paid are all in favor of R. F. Osborn Co.,
running from January to May OF the present
year.
Possibly some charges for goods have been
high.
censure may justly fall upon our board for
neglecting SO long to establish system for
economical purchase of supplies. We suggest
that buyer familiar with market prices would
in the amount OF purchases OF a year save Tor
the society much more than the small com.
mission he would demand.
The board has recently ordered that all bills
for supplies to the Animals Home be presented
to the board and passed upon before payment,
and that checks given in payment be signed by
the poundmaster and countersigned by Secre-
tary HolbrOok of this board.
Having taken this action to guard against
any abuse your committee think it unwise to
pursue the matter OF complaint further.
Mr.. Fleming takes exceptions at this
report in more ways than one, particu.
larry in the matter of purchases made
from January to May of the present year.
This amount the committee gives as
1926 88. Fleming claims that during this
time Osborn & Co. had bills to the
amount of $4oS IS, besides private bills
of f. A. Osborn amounting to $3.50 IS.
The fact that the bills of 1898 and 1894
have been audited and paid does not
make them correct, according to the eX-
superintendent view. He has asked and
will now demand that bills amounting to
$943 II be looked into as far as exorbitant
charges are concerned.
AS illustrative of the fact that the So
ciety has been called upon and has paid
Outrageous prlces," according to Mr..
Fleming, for nearly every article in use at
the home, he submits a schedule o. o.
born & Co.'s prices on given articles, and
with the deadly parallel column gives the
cost of the same articles elsewhere.
For instance foot-scraper sold by Os-
the same bit of furniture could have been
bought in any other store for Is cents.
Secretary Holbrook, speaking for Mr.. Os-
born, says the latter sent to the home a
scraper that sells in any other store at the
figure named, but as it would not fit the
spot intended it was taken back and 10
cent article sent in its place. Fleming de-
MES this in toto, as does also his wife. In
the following statement will be found a
few of the articles enumerated by the ex-
superintendent in his complaint:
Beams police clubs Osborn & Col $50 per
dozen other places $21; large ash barrel Cos
born & Coz, So so; other places ST. u.s. police
nippers Osborn q Coz, $50 per dozen; other
So; other places ST. so.
In addition to this array Of evidence
there is on file with Mr.. Holbrook any
number of letters from Osborn to Fleming,
requesting the latter to release certain
animals free of COST also letters requesting
the superintendent to give Mr.. So.and-So
"his pick of the dogs" tree OF cost. There
is letter in evidence, addressed to Mr..
Osborn and signed by well-known Potrero
politician, in which the statement is made
that the bearer is friend of the writer,
and asks the recipient to release his dog.
This note was in turn sent to Fleming, re-
questing him to deliver the dog to the
owner.
81 think it's shame and disgrace" said
Mr.. Fleming yesterday, that all these
things have been overlooked by the So
called investigating committee. My honest
wish has been to see the society prosper,
and for that reason alone have hesitated
to make public anything not compliment
airy to the institution or those at its
head. Now, however, l propose to
act differently, for it is plainly evil
dent, to ne at least that they
are unwilling to do anything that will
bring disrepute on the poundmaster. The
report OF the last investigating committee
shows this. They acknowledge In a frank
hearted way that some things were too
high-priced, yet they close their report
with the recommendation that the COM
plant be dropped.
"Now, don't propose that it shall be
dropped. propose that the Grand Jury
shall investigate the matter and see who is
right or wrong. In addition to my sworn
charges, there are many other things which
can be brought against the management,
and what is more, proven. In my COM
plant, which, it appears, is not shown to
visitors, | charged certain assistant depu-
ties with immortality in bringing to the
nome female characters OF known QlSre-
pute. This has been entirely ignored, and
presume will continue to be until they
are forced to it by an outraged public. In
conclusion, want to say that propose to
sift this matter to the bottom. ii 1t takes
me year.
Mrs. Collins, prominent member OF the
society and who was present at the meet
ing Of November T. which refused to take
any action against Mr.. Osborn or his man
agement, is thoroughly in sympathy with
Mr.. Fleming and is anxious that the whole
thing be sifted to the bottom. She said
yesterday:
Through the medium of THE CALL of
the 10th inst. Poundmaster Osborn ex-
pressed desire to be exonerated from the
accusation made against him by Henry
Stacy for having kept for use q horse
sent to the pound to be killed. Mr..
Osborn says he is fearful lest some cloud
rest upon the home and it is to be
hoped that an early opportunity may be
afforded that he may endeavor to vindi-
cate himself