The San Francisco call., 1897-12-20
Said to Have Cashed
Warrants and Held
the Money.
No Fines Reported to Have
Been Collected For Some
Time.
HIS LETTER HELD BACK
The Trustees Neglect to Take Action
For Nearly TWO
Months.

OAKLAND, Dec. 19.-AIuch surprise
was expressed among politicians in
' inns city and Alameda tonight when it
became known that at tomorrow
nlShtS s meeting of the Board of Ii
prary trustees Of Alameda J. W. Har-
bourne Will resign as librarian, and his
resignation viii be accepted. 1t has
been IN President Mastick's pocket two
months.
Librarian HarbOurne is one of the
peSt-knoWn public library official in
the State, and he has often been called
70 other cities to give practical hints
on Iree nDrary matters. The reason
Lof the sudden action of the board is
only known 20 few city officials and
the two ladies who are Mr. Har-
bourne's assistant in the library. One
obJection was made to Mr.. Harbourne
because he constituted himself bank
ef Tor his lady assistants without their
knowledge. He cashed their warrants
ana carried the money around for a
tlIne before giving it to them. 1t is
said the ladies objected to this
The board is also dissatisfied with
the report made by Mr.. Harbourne of
the amount Of fines collected each
month from members who keep books
Longer than the proper period.
i know nothing of the librarians
: work, said Ben S. Lamborn. the City
Clerk, this afternoon. He is a separ-
ate officer and only files q report once
+. month, with a statement of the fines
collected. OF late he has reported no
money. I was surprised to hear a we'll
informed individual ask What is the
trouble between Harbourne and the
board?" told him I knew
nothing, when he said he
guessed he and Wheeler We're
at outs. I have heard since that
Wheeler told him to give some money
to Mrs. Krauth and Miss Pratt for
warrants he cashed for them"
City Treasurer Wheeler said to-day
that he had paid two warrants to Mr..
HarbOurne for his lady assistants, and
as soon as they asked for the money
the librarian paid it to them. When
seen this evening at his residence G..
W. Mastick. president of the board,
was opposed to giving out any infor-
The board meets tomorrow even
ing and I believe the librarians resig-
nation Will be presented at the meet
ing and accepted" he finally said
He has refused to obey the rules of
the board relating to the turning in to
the proper official Of the fines collected
from patrons who keep books over
time. I know nothing Of any COM
plants against him, but on the con-
trary I have always heard him spoken
of in the highest terms by those who
come in contact with him. Last even
ing Mrs. krauth and Miss Pratt as
sured me that he had always been
. gentlemanly and polite to them
. - :AIastick denied knowing anything
.-:ahout the warrants, saying: The
: board draws all warrants, and after
they are signed they are given to Mr..
!. Harbourne, as secretary of the board,
to hand to their owners. Officially we
,. know nothing more of them. 1 can say
that I have had no complaint against
Mr.. Harbourne by Mrs. Krauth nor
Miss Pratt for cashing their warrants.
= Mr.. Harbourne has been very kind,
. gentlemanly and polite ever since I
/: have been in the library" said Mrs.
!. Krauth tonight, "and 1 would say
nothing to hurt him for the world.
. Never has there been a cross word
from him, and whenever anything
went wrong he would laugh it off I
am sorry he is in trouble and more so
that it is out. Every effort has been
made to keep the affair out of the pa
::pers, and the fact that it has been
q: suppressed since last October shows
what confidence his friends have in
him. 1 am not sure that he is alone
to blame. I believe some one has got
him into trouble and he is trying to
shield them. He is too goOd-natured.
Some one has imposed upon him. 1
am sure. I can't bear to think CT his
suffering since his resignation was
handed in last October. have nearly
had nervous prostratiOn myself"