The San Francisco call., 1896-01-25
Proceedings to Recover Public
Moneys He Withholds Is
Recommended.
RETRENCHMENr THE ORDER
Whittier's Reform School for Boys and
Girls Declared to Be on the Pa.
ternalistic Order.

LOS ANGELES, CAL, Jan. 24.-The re-
port of the Grand Jury, filed in Depart
ment 1 of the Superior Court, was ordered
spread upon the minutes by Judge Smith
this morning. The document bristles with
statistics and gives evidence of much
painstaking labor. Attention is drawn to
the loose methods obtaining in certain of
the county departments, and stress Is laid
upon the absolute necessity for retrench-
ment in expenditures, while no specific
means for arriving at sn, desirable end
is advocated.
As to the County School Superintendent
the report says that the present system of
accounting is good, and the discrepancies
between this and the Auditors office,
chiefly due to the payment OF forged
warrant in 1882, have been ordered closed.
In 1892 and 1898 thirty schools were not
visited.
''The law compels the Supervisors to
deduct $40 for each school not visited" it
declares, "but no such refund was made,
the overpay to the County Superintendent
being $500. The Superintendent, as secre-
tary OF the Board of Education, receives
50 per day. This makes two payments, OF
SIS for one days work. The law should be
amended so as to confine him to his salary
The annual cost OF the board was $2269 80.
"rhe State has four normal schools
which are graduating about 200 teachers
annually, for a population showing an al
most imperceptible increase, and one in
stead Of two yearly examinations would
serve every useful end. Considering the
enormous taxes retrenchment in every de-
partment of public service is imperative,
nor should the department of education be
made an exception when retrenchment
will not impair its efficiency.
''The Whittier State school has 46O bows
and girls, and the management is calcu-
lated to attain its object and even more.
This implies credit to the management
but it carries with it growing evil to the
public; it is making for paternalism. The
cost of each scholar is not less than $500 a
yeor, and it will be better that children
below a certain age and those who have
committed trivial offenses be refused ad
mission
An examination of the Office was made
from July 1, 1894, to July 1, 1895. 1t was
found by the jurors that Mr.. Ward appro-
priated to his own use the following county
funds: On February %, 1892, fee funds,
S1732 So; April 10, 1893, by warrant on City
Treasury, $40; received and not credited,
SD; January, 1891, to January, 1885, in
solyency fees, $676 25; July, 1894, to jan
uary, 1895, errors, $12 10; January 7, 1896
trust funds, S25 13; trust funds marked
paid but no vouchers shown, $1776 %.
II. E. Lowry, Deputy Coukty Clerk under
T. II. Ward, appropriated to his own use
moneys of the county as follows: October
1894, the sum of 1863 S5; November, 1895,
the sum of 1910 10; November, 1894, the
sum of $485 85.
1.-The system of bookkeeping was loose"
says the report, sand trust funds. not
being paid into the county treasury
opened channel for dishonesty. We are
informed that the amounts taken by Mr..
Lowry and Mr.. Ward have been paid into
the treasury by Mr.. Ward.
''He was careless in the oversight of his
office, and he claims he was mis,ed as to
its condition and his liability. We recon-
mend that legal proceedings be ct once
instituted against Mr.. Ward and his bonds
men for the recovery Of the moneys be-
longing to the county and now retained
by Mr.. Ward. We believe that all ac-
counts of public business should be pub
lie record, as they are under the present
management"
The examination of the Public Admin
istrator's Office extended from January l.
1893, to October rs, 1895. The amount of
fees paid into the treasury for the thirty
four months was $4,000; salary for same
period $500, cost to the county of $500
more for the time indicated than the fees
collected. The ilrv believes the exnenses
of this office are largely in excess OF the
benefits derived, and the work could be
better done by the Superior Court.
The report gives the particulars Of the
contract made by the Attorney General
and State Controller with R. F. House, for
the collection of taxes due on property
sold to the State since 1870. Under this
contract House got fees amounting to over
$4,000, 8nd the jury suggests that the
Board of Supervisors test the constitution
ality of the act of 1895, which legalized the
payment OF this money.