The San Francisco call., 1896-07-21
Corrupt Influence in the Reduc-
tion of Assessments
Suspected.
WIDE SEARCH FOR PROOF.
Managers of Favored Corporations
May Be Compelled to Produce
Books and Vouchers.


present Grand Jury will be tested to-day.
The question will be submitted whether
the Jury shall adjourn acknowledging
failure and defeat in its efforts to bring
about fair assessment of corporate prop
erty, or whether it shall renew the strug-
gle and bring into action all the power
with which the law invests the Grand
Jury.
Among members of the Grand Jury the
conduct of Supervisors in reducing the as
sessments of the Spring Valley Water
Company, the Gas and Electric Light COM
panies and the Market-street Railway
Company has excited more indignation
than surprise. They were surprised, how.
ever, at the action of the board in placing
the valuation millions lower than the As
SCISSOR fixed it. In face of the Grand
Jury's plain showing that the Assessor 8
return was $11 ,000, 900 below fair valua-
ton, according to the system employed to
ascertain the value of personal property
owned by individuals, the Supervisors not
only declined to make the increase, but
found reasons to excuse themselves for re-
ducing the assessments far below the val
uation returned by the Assessor.
In the Grand Jury there is an element
favoring adjournment. The Jurors so
for reform. They feel that they have done
their duty in pointing out To the Board of
Supervisors the extravaganza IN municipal
estimates and the deficiency in personal
property assessments. They hold, more
over, that if corrupt influences exist proof
of the corruption cannot be ascertained,
at least such proof as the law requires for
the finding OF an indictment or accusation.
Another and stronger element of the
Grand Jury favors a battle to the finish.
In the beginning of the agitation for
municipal reform, lower taxes ana equal
assessment the representatives of this ele-
ment in the jury resolved to employ all
the tact, persuasion and moral influence
at their command TO accomplish their
purpose. They argued that it was their
duty to submit all the facts to the Super
visors and to thus end they employed Ex-
pert Horace d. Dunn to put the facts and
hgures on paper. They have had in mind
from the start the purpose 10 use the ex-
treme power conferred by the law should
the plan of argument and conciliation
fail. They hold, therefore, that an ad-
jourEment at this time-a wind-up by q
simple report of the facts and conclusions
to Judge Slack-would make the Grand
Jury laughing stock in the eyes of the
community.
Several conferences were held last even
ing. The advice was sought of we'll
known, resolute men who served on the
Wallace Henley Grand Jury, whose dis
closures caused Boss Buckley to fee the
country and impelled a gang of smaller
boodlers to run for cover. 1t was practi-
cally resolved last night by several grand
jurors to oppose adjournment and enforce
heroic measures. 1t is known that Judge
Slack is in sympathy with the effort to ex-
pose boodlers. He is not in any haste to
exercise his perogative OF impaneling an
other Grand Jury right away.
Opa NJ ha hpra nf fho Wallace
Grand Jury whose advice was sought last
night said to CALL reporter: 81 told the
members of the Grand Jury with whom /
conversed that they could not indict a
Supervisor on hearsay or rumor that he
had been corruptly influenced. Proof
must be had. While the jury cannot in
dict without reasonable proof of guilt it
has imm ense power to search for proof.
"a committee of the Grand Jury, prop
erly authorized, can go tomorrow to the
Office of the Spring Valley Water Com
pany or the Market-street Railway Com
pany, for example, and take the books of
the corporation Tor examination by the
Grand Jury's expert. The power of the
Grand Jury to examine persons and papers
in search of proof is unlimited. / hear
that two or three Supervisors have been
doing a little business on their own ac-
count and l believe the present Grand
Jury is advised of this fact.
''Mr. Dunn, the expert now employed,
was the expert of the Wallace Grand Jury.
Yes, tomorrow the Jury will determine
what line of action will be pursued.
understand they have consulted an at
torney and do intend to go after boodlers
without mercy or restraint. The mem
bers of this Grand jury ought to be able
to call out the man by name whose busi-
ness it is to corrupt Supervisors and courts
in the interest of corporations. l hear
that an effort, and vigorous one, is to be
made to expose and punish the guilty.
The Grand Jury has all the power re-
quired. What is now demanded is de
termined and intelligent exercise OF that
power"
The session of the Grand Jury to-day
may be exciting. Fierce and angry
speeches may be made and a veritable
wrangle precipitated, SO in the end no
conclusion will be reached. So many
grand iuries dissolve in that fashion that
something of the kind is expected to occur
again. On the other hand, the discussion
may be conducted in whispers with a
double-riveted injunction of secrecy. The
result Of the deliberations may not be