The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-04
POLITICS rs THE CAUSE.
Sequel to a Bitter Factional
Fight During the Last
County Campaign.
FINANCIER D0YLE's COMPLAINT
He Considers the Withdrawal Of
Sonoma Funds From His
Bank as Unjust.

SANTA ROSA, CAL., April 3.-County
Treasurer Woodward and M. Doyle, presi-
dent of the Exchange Bank. have opened
war on each other over the refusal of the
Treasurer to deposit any county funds in
the Exchange Bank.
Both men are active politicians, and
both are political enemies. Doyle is
Democrat and Woodward a Republican.
The latter is also Mayor of this city. In
the county election last fall Doyle did his
best to knife Woodward, who was candi-
date for County Treasurer. Doyle's man
was Lee Ellsworth. Doyle said he would
spend $4,000 to beat Woodward, and all
sorts of stories and circulars of damaging
nature were sent broadcast over the county.
Doyle, it was alleged, was at the bottom of
it all. The contest was bitter, and feeling
ran high.
Woodward was elected, and as soon as
he was installed County Treasurer he i'm
mediately withdrew $4,000 of the county
and State funds on deposit in Doyle's
bank. To-day was the time when the
board of examiners, consisting of the
Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, the
District Attorney and the Auditor, exam
ined the cash on hand and on deposit be-
longing to the county. They found every
thing in satisfactory shape and the sum
of $154, AL II, the bulk of which was on
special deposit without interest at the
various banks.
President Doyle learned of this and it
stirred him little to find none of this
amount on deposit in his bank. He saw
I'D
share of it, saying:
''If you deposit with my bank $40, 900 or
more without interest 1 will say nothing,
but if you refuse I'll tie up the Nmoney in
the other banks and compel them to keep
the money in packages in their vaults or
III report the matter to the Bank Examin-
ers and have them compel the banks to
return the money to the treasury and
make you keep it in your vault. will not
stand idle and see the other banks get the
use of all that money"
To all this Treasurer Woodward replied
as follows:
81 refuse to deposit dollar of the county
or State money in your bank. I think it
beneath the dignity of bank president to
importune me on this matter after the low,
bitter fight you made against me at elec-
ton. If you will cease meddling in other
peoples affairs and give more attention to
your own it will be better for you. You
are political meddler, manipulation of
conventions who nominate your own Gre
ations and get them elected. You are the
Boss Buckley of Sonoma County, but
you can't boss me. intend to divide the
county money among all the banks in
Sonoma County except your bank, the
Exchange Bank
Both men were very much wrought up,
the lie was passed, and Doyle, who is
known to be quick tempered and to go
always armed, would have done some
thing desperate had not friends interfered.
Both men have employed counsel and
their friends and the citizens generally
have taken sides, some taking the position
assumed by Doyle and some the position
of Woodward, who is courageous man.
Later in the day DOYLE tried to prevail
upon the board of examiners and the Sup
ervisors to have the Treasurer either de-
post his funds equally among the banks
here or to compel him to keep the money
in the treasury vault.
In reply to this Treasurer Woodward said
it would not be safe to deposit $3.50, 600 in
the treasury vault, and that he could not
be responsible for the custody of SO much
coin, unless he was furnished with dou-
BILE guard, one for the day and one for the
night. He instanced the robbery of the