The herald., 1897-12-21

there had been nothing really wrong
done, and I admitted to him that had
made mistake. Axtell saw me the
next day and also reminded me that
had been mistaken and twitted me about
1t. He asked me what was going to do
about his resignation, and l told him
that I did not want it and tore it up in
his presence. I then insisted that he
make q written statement Of the mat
ter. l wrote out the statement. There
were two copies, and 1 read it to him in
the presence of Secretary Johnson, but
just as he was about to sign it Johnson
was called to the telephone
did Axtell know what he was sign
ing?"
II read it to him, and if he understood
English he understood it. There was
never any mystery about it,"
The document, which the defense had
exhibited several days ago, when AK
tell was on the stand, and the signature
which he identified as his own, was
then produced by Mr. Meserve and sub
nitted in evidence. The attorney read
it. Following is a copy of the letter:
AxTELL's LETTER
Walter L. Webb, Esq, Chairman Supply
Committee-My Dear Sir: On April 18th.
1897. I was requested by Mr.. McInerny a
member Of the board of education, to send
two men who were steadily employed by
the board of education in the school de-
partment to his house for the purpose OF
dollty plumbing work on the building he
is repairing. did So and sent Messrs. War
rem and Hayes to do said work. They
worked on the building of said McInerny
for ore and one-half days, respect
ltS0nVDra6
matter and requested me to say r'oth.ng
about 1t to Mr.. McInerny or to the men
until they had put I'M their demands for
labor, as you wished to absolutely prove
as to their intention, whether they would
charge the city for their time, or whether
McInerny would pay for the same.
Disregarding your Instructions, I went
discovered that the men were working for
him, and he (McInerny) Immediately SENT
for the said employees and paid them out
of his own pocket; telling them at the time
of payment that he fully Intended to pay
them for the work they did for him at all
times.
This action on my part made it impos-
wrong In the matter.
At any time when you may be able to get
conclusive proof Of the above or get proof
Of amy intention of wrong doing Of Mr..
McInerny, 1 Will repeat this statement to
your committee.
At a previous date McInerny requested
me to send a man to his place who was ac-
tually and steadily employed by the school
department for the purpose of making him
screens for his residence.
/ sent my son to do the work, and he
worked for McInerny for about week.
McInerny paid him cut of his own pocket.
and he had no reason for receiving. and
AZ 11s,v- 1.
partment for said time.
C. H. AXTELL.
Los Angeles, April %. 1897.
MORE DENIALS
The story of Axtell that Webb had
said that man had come to his house
and made proposition to keep quiet
in consideration of 5000, and that the
proposition had been made in the pres
ence of Webb's wife. was then mention
ed, and Webb asserted that there was
no truth in 1t. He positively denied that
he had borrowed 5000 or any other sum
from Axtell. According to his statement
h had not paid cent toward the money
which Jim Hellman had let Axtell have
to pay the Frank Savage notes. He'll
man had asked him if he owed Axtell
any money, and he had denied the al
legged debt. AS to the note which Mr..
Bernard had delivered to Webb, the ac-
cused explained that after the charges
had been filed against Axtell the latter
came to him and said he was in serious
trouble. He said that he had assigned
salary warrants to Frank Savage before
he had earned the salary and wanted
Webb to assure him of a fair trial before
the board and also to promise that he
would not be dismissed without a full
hearing. Webb told him that the board
had no intention of firing him unless he
was guilty.
Axtell had practically admitted the
charges against him, and Webb advised
him to resign to save the board the trou-
BILE of trying the cases against him. This
Axtell had said he was afraid to do, as
Savage would prosecute him criminally
for getting money on unearned salary
warrants.
Axtell asked Webb to see Savage
and get him to wait few weeks for the
money, or until the salary was earned.
Webb had promised to do this. Axtel
sent Bernard with note to him asking
him to see Savage at once, and to Ber-
nard Webb had said that he would at
tend to it that day. He did not go to see
convince him of Axtell's guilt and did not
want to take action in the matter.
Webb swore that he had never heard
of the black list until when he was be-
fore the grand jury he was questioned
about it. He denied that he had ever had
anything to do with the hold-ups, say
ing that he was not in the hold-up busi-
ness. In regard to the statement that
he had been instrumental in curtailing
Prof. Foshay's prerogatives, Webb de-
MED most of what the professor had
sworn to- He denied that Foshay had
not been given an opportunity to scrut-
inize the list of teachers. He asserted
that he had directly promised Profs.
Keppel and Phillips their places, their
sworn statements to the contrary not
withstanding. He asserted that he had
not vet filed his claim for expenses on
the eastern trip. The one thing which
he did not deny was that he had advised
Prof. Toshay to demand the full amount
provided for their expenses.
PUBLIC SPIRITED
How he had found that the school de-
partment was getting the worst Of the
hardware contract with Harper &
Reynolds company and had secured the
opinion of the city attorney that the con-
tract was not legal, has already been
published. Webb stated that Axtell had
first suggested that the bulk of the
business be given to the w. c. Furrey
company. He said the contract system
in effect at present was the result of a
suggestion by Mr.. Davis. He had never