The San Francisco call., 1897-11-02

Judge Harris recently took place in the
county courtroom. picture a state of
affairs bordering on chaos. -:
On the 23t of last July John Madden,
Treasurer o Modoc County, left Aftnras
for Sacramento. giving out the informa-
ton that the object of his trip was The
settling OF accounts with the State. He
promised to bring back some money with
which to pay outstanding warrants, as it
was impossible to pay the necessary
amount of coin in Altnras. The public
funds were kept in the California State
Bank at Sacramento, and the Treasurer
issued his checks against the money in
bank.
On the 30th day of July, seven days
after the County Treasurer had taken his
departure, a number of checks drawn
against the public funds were returned
from the bank di honored. On the morn
ing OF July 81 papers were flied by which
John Madden deed ed to his wife the
prin cipal part of his remaining real estate.
Already attachments were being issued
for the balance of his property.
The news spread quickly. Many were
at first incred eduious. but others OWNED the
truth a. once, that John Madden was a
defauter and had fled to escape arrest.
Right here is where one of the m ost sur
prising features OF the case crops out
Two months were allowed to eIapse after
the Treasurer had fed before the safe was
opened, but it was guarded night and day
al en- expense of over $780, When the
county strong box was finally opened it
was found to contain the gIiltering sum
CT q cents,
1t has been openly charged that no ef-
fort WIS made to procure the apprehen-
sion OF Madden, and to this day no war
rant for his: arrest has been issued. On
August 6, when it was known to a GER
tainty that Madden was short in his ac-
counts $50, ,G00, the Board of Sunervisors
made verbal allowance of $1,000 10 the
District A ttorney with which TO effect the
capture he "a bscender. Weeks lapsed
into months, and in .the meantime public
sentiment was running high. The Dis
trIct Attorney was forced into asking for
another appro priation, and he Board OF
Supervisors allowed him $500. Accord
ing TO the Plaindea1er, Supervisor Auble
AT this time introduced resolution ask
ing the District Attorney for an account
ing or the $1,000 which the board had YER
bally allowed: MIN some six to eight weeks
before. Citing the same authority, This
Mr.. Raker fatty refused to give"
1t is charged that not even descriptive
circulars with d, picture of the defaulting
Treas urer, usual in. such cases, were
printed or distributed, though ample
funds had been provided for such pur.
poses and the services of no detective
agencies were engaged by the proper
officials to trail the fugitive from Justice
Another feature of Madden's S defalcation
which will probably swell the amount
con .idera bly, above $780, 900 has just come
TO Light Innocent purchasers of school
lands had been in The habit of goin to
Treasurer Madden making their pay
ments and simply taking his receipts.
The law provides that these receipts
should pass 10 The County Auditor. whose
duty it is to make the proper charge 10 the
Treasurer. Not being familiar with The
law these innocent purchasers simply
made pigment to the County Treasurer,
took his receipt and he pocketed thel r
money without ever making any return
to the county. A large number of citizens
are sufferers in this respect, but now
much it all will amount to has not yet
been made public by Experts Fitz gerald
and Bieber, though it has been given out
that it will aggregate large sum.
The manner in which Madden managed