The San Francisco call., 1896-10-24
Two of Judge Hebbard's 0ppo
nentS Are Accused of
Libel.
SPURIOUS ELECTION PETITIONS
The Jury Will Go Into Court This
Morning and Present
Report.

The Grand Jury was full of business
yesterday afternoon. The session lasted
from 2 until O'Clock. Inquiry was re-
sumed relating to bogus signatures to
election documents. Registrar Hinton
suspected that many spurious names were
attached to petitions asking that certain
candidates be placed on the official ballot,
and so the matter was sent to the Grand
Jury by Garret McEnerney, attorney of the
Registrar. The investigation began Friday
of last week. When it was resumed yes
terday thirty or more witnesses were in
waiting.
Testimony elected by the Grand Jury
clearly established the fact that many of
the signatures were forged. Many wit
nesses whose names were enrolled testified
that they never signed the documents
purporting TO bear their signatures. In
some instances they swore they had
signed one petition, but that they had not
signed more than one, yet their names, in
some cases cleverly counterfeited, ap-
peared on others. The witnesses came
from South San Francisco, North Beach
and the central precincts of the City.
A. J. Henry, notary public, 628 Market
street, before whom Paul A. Ayhens made
tition were genuine, was witness.
E. Kelly, notary, 213 Sansome street, be-
fore whom P. A. Dolan made affidavit
that all the signatures on an other petition
were genuine, also testified. The penalty
under the law for accepting spurious sig
natures and representing under oath that
they are genuine is five years imprison-
ment in the penitentiary.
1t is not definitely known what indict-
ments the Grand Jury has agreed upon,
but the jury will meet to-day and submit
some indictments to Superior Judge Slack.
Gossip goes at the City Hall that some
hasty departures for Canada may be made
within the next twenty-four hours.
Another important case was considered
at the session yesterday. There were re-
Gently printed and circulated many thou
sand copies OF a circular entitled, What
the REPRESENTATIVES of the Swindled De-
positors of the P ople's Home Savings
Bank Think of j. G. B. Hebbard. Sub
stantial Reasons Why He Should Not Be
Reelected Superior Court Judge of the
City and County of San Francisco" The
II. Mccarthy, E. F. Kendall. Thomas S.
Wi lliams Jr., George B. Conant, Benja-
min Lucy, A. L. Casavaro and F. H. Quail
man, Peoples Home Savings Bank de-
positors.
Julius Kahn and John Curtin were the
first witnesses examined. The next wit
ness called was z. F. Kendall, who is in
the employ of Wells, Fargo & Co. He
testified that he signed the circular under
a misappre hension as to its contents. Tne
language of the circular reflects on the
judicial integrity of Judge Hebbard and
complaint iE therefore made tnat 1t is
libelous.
1t transpires that T. H. Mccarthy, a
schoolteacher, and Thomas S. Williams
II fha lot ,nA 81
should indictments for libel be found in
the case they will be the accused
The Grand Jury will meet at 10 o'clock
this morning to indict somebody.
The circular which is said to be libelous
is headed IAN Appeal to Voters" The
first paragraph is as follows:
Your attention is called to the fact that an
unfair and therefore unfit person.. C. B.
Hebbard-solicits your ballot for the position
of Superior Judge at the approac hing election.
We cannot longer remain silent, since q sense-
tional newspaper has repeatedly misrepre-
sented facts during the past few weeks by stat
ing opposition to He bbard came from persons
who wanted to loot the Peoples Home Savings
Bank. when the truth is that those who object
10 him are the unfortunate depositors who
suffered by the looting.
Two pages of the Circular are devoted to
review of the proceedings in court re-
lating to the insolvency of the bank and
the meetings OF the board of directors.
The Circular says:
The existing board had been prohibited
from meeting for any purpose whatever by
Judge Hebbsrd. The committee secured the
promise OF a majority of the board to resign
Judge Hebbard agreed that they might meet
for The purpose OF resigning. The next day
the Judge had changed his mind. Why? Be-
cause the men OF character selected by the
depositors for the vacancies were not satlsfac-
tory to Hebbard's bosom friend, the notorious
James Alva Watt who desired 10 be the attor-
ney and real manager of the bank.
The circular also attacks Judge Heb
bard for appointing John f. Sheehan re-
ceiver, and argos that the Judge sub
sequently discharged the receiver and his
bondsmen without a proper accounting
to the court.
The iibelous circular bears no i'm print
of publisher, but it is said that the
friends of Judge Hebbard will not only
ascertain the name of the printer, but also
the name OF the person or corporation
that is spending large sum of money in
sending copy of the document to each
voter in the City.