The herald., 1896-01-26
HELD BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
A Secret Committee lnvestiga=
ting Park Matters
EVERY ONE IS MYSTERIOUS
All of the Park Foremsn Yesterday
Examined
VERY ONE IS MYSTERIOUS
The Session Was to Inquire Into Stories
Affecting Meserve's Management of Park
Affairs-Ear!y Report Is Expected

The high church investigation of alleged
affairs in the park department, which has
been upon the tapis for several months, is
finally taking place. The mayor and Com
missioners Cross and Post convened to-
gether as court of inquiry in the Office of
the former, at the city hall, shortly after
o'clock yesterday afternoon. The doors of
the sanctum were closed, and reporters
were strictly barred. Then the seance
began.
The foremen of the various park g had
first been summoned to the fray by tele-
phone, and in response to tn g messages
peremptorily sent them, III. V. Bard, of
East Los Angeles park, Il. II. Berry. of Hol-
lenbeck, X. M. Gamble, of Elysian, M. L.
Copeland, Of Echo, L. M. Fuller, of West
lake park, and John j. Dean, the head of
the nursery department under Supern-
tendent Meserve, all left their several en-
ployments and hied themselves to the
scene of battle. They were each and
every one of them instructed to
take first mortgage upon different seats
in the mayors office, while the mills of the
gods on the inside begin to grind. Each
foreman was separately escorted before the
investigating tribunal and questioned re-
garding park affairs in his separate depart
ment. All were asked regarding Supern-
tendent Meserve's ability, the eXpendi-
lures of moneys which were authorized by
Meserve in their immediate vicinity, and
all were questioned regarding the truth or
falsity of the stories, published and other
been afloat affecting the present
condition of park matters and the park sll-
perintendent in general. Meserve was
himself called before tie inquisition,as was
also Secretary Mendenhall of the park
board. 1t was hard to learn what was 60
1r nm fnr fh0 <Ne thn
court room were closed tighter than are the
lips of grand juryman. Neither the
mayor or Commissioners Cross or Post, or
Superintendent Meserve, or Secretary Men
denhall, would say word regarding what
was transpiring behind the curtain, which
was down as if it had been nailed with
spikes. Enough was learned, however, to
know that SO far nothing has been devel-
oped which. will seriously affect Superin-
tendent Meserve.
The investigating committee was still in
session at 6 80 o'clock last evening, and
the mayor, when seen at that time, stated
tnat there was nothing for publication.
Superintendent Meserve remarked to
HERALD reporter that everything would be
out in few days.
Yesterdays inquiry was very much of a
surprise, as there had been no public inti-
nation that any investigation had been
contemplated by the board. 1t is worthy
of comment that Commissioners Mathew
Teed End w. H. Workman, the only
two members of the park board who are
alleged not to be members of the secret Or
ganization which is stated to be at the
bottom of the efforts being made to decapi-
tate Superintendent Meserve, are not
members of the present board of inquiry.
1t is denied that the presenoe of the gI and
jury at the city hall had anything to do
with the pending secret inqustion. A full
report upon yesterdays meeting behind
closed doors is expected to be filed for
action at a meeting of the whole ps rk
board to be held during the present week.