The herald., 1897-12-10
The Accused Didn't Wait
to Be Fired
Jim HELLMAN ON THE STAND
TELLS OF HIS CONNECTION WITH
THE cCHOoL SCANDAL
oontradicts Axtell's Statements, But
Refuses to Make an I'm
portant Disclosure

RO1t1AAt 1ASSAOS0AS
School Director ]. F. Adams, who rep
fescnts the Seventh ward In the board
Of education. has placed his resignation
In the hnnds Of President Mathis of that
body. This action was taken yesterday,
Adams giving Director Davis his resig
nation In writing. Mr.. Davis did not
flle It with the secretary of the board,
but last evening handed 1t to President
Mathis, who put 1t in his pocket. 1t is
understood that Adams accompanied 1t
with a request that the matter be not
called to the attention Of the board be-
fore the regular meeting of that body
next Monday evening. AS last night g
session was a special meeting. held only
for the purpose Of continuing the In
vesttgation and was not business ses-
sion of the board at which designations
could be considered, President Mathis
did not publicly announce the matter.
He took the resignation and will retain
Il until Monday when 1t will be presented
for such action as the members think
proper.
It will be remembered that when the
present investigation began, Adams
made a long statement in which he said.
after denying the charges, that II the
welfare Of the board demanded his resig-
nation It would be forthcoming. Later
he made a confession and since that time
he has had little to say on any subject.
He has not voted with the other men,
bers, but his attendance upon the ses-
sions Of the Investigations has been more
in the capacity Of q witness than men,
ber. In the light of his confession, there
was not much doubt as to what the board
would do In his case. While 1t Is true
that he has not been proved to have
been guilty Of receiving money from en-
ployes Of the school department yet his
actions while In Office have been con-
fessedly so corrupt that It was almost
certain that the respectable element In
the board would have demanded his res
ignation. Knowing this he saved them
the trouble.
It Is OF course impossible to predict
who will succeed Adams. The city
charter provides that the board shall
choose his successor. Section 10 Of the
charter says: 1.-THE board shall fill all
vacancies occurring In that body until
the next general municipal election"
Thare will soon be another vacancy
for the board to fill. 1t Is certain that
as Axte1l has confessed himself to be
guilty Of extortion. he will be dismissed
from the school department. 1t is ex-
pected that this action will not be taken
until the present investigation Is con-
c1uded.
- SOMEONE HAS LIED
Someone has wilfully lied under oath
perjured himself. in the course of the
present investigation into the school
board scandal. Two men, Axtell ana
Adams. have sworn positively that Wal
ter L. Webb received the $50 that had
been collected from Janitor Cooper; the
first that he paid Webb the money and
the other that Webb had admitted to
him that he had received the money
Last night James w. Hellman under
oath said that Axtell had, In the private
office Of Attorney Frank Davis and un-
der the protection of the confidence be-
tween attorney and client, made the
statement that another man, not Webb,
had received the money. Hellman heard
Axtell mention the name Of that man,
but because of friendship for this third
party he (Hellman) positively refused to
tell who the party was.
Day before yesterday Hellman stated
that he would not appear as witness In
characterization. He changed his mind,
however, and did appear last night. The
change In his intention was due to his
receiving the following letter from Ak
tell:
Los ANGELES. Cal, Dec 9, 1897
James w. Hellman. ESQ.,, Los Angeles
Cal-Dear Sir: 1t Is my desire that YOU
appear az witness in the investigation
now being carried on by the school board
g to the charges against Mr.. Webb. and
that you testify there as to the facts of
the employment of Mr.. Davis to act as at
torney In the course of the Investigation
OF the charges against myself, and also of
the payment by you to Mr.. Savage of the
$50 upon my two notes In Mr.. Savage's
possession. BY giving your testimony as
to the facts concerning these matters I
feel that you will only be doing justice to
myself and all concerned. Very respect
fully yours.
(Signed) c. H. AxTELL.
ANOTHER LETTER
In sending this letter Axtell stated
that his only desire was to bring out all
the facts. In this connection and for
the same purpose he also sent the fol-
lowing letter to Attorney Frank Davis:
LOS ANGELES, CAL, Dec. 8, 1887.
MIR. Frank F. Davis. attorney at law, Los
Angeles. Cal.-Dear Sir: In the course of
my examination before the school board.
during the investigation by that body Of
the charges against Mr.. Webb, the uues-
tion Of your testifying to statements made
By me to you as to the approach by myself
ofprincipels and Janitor Cooper for money.
and as to oil parties concerned therein.
has been brought up. I write this letter
to say that not only exonerate you from
any obligation which you may feel under
~ attorney with reference to testifying
to any statements which have made to
you as to all the matters involved in the
charges that were pending against me
when you were employed as attorney to
appear for me, but 1t Is my desire and re-
Qnest that you shall appear before the
board and testify fully to any statements
which made to you with reference to the
facts involved In the charges against my
self. Very respectfully yours
(signed) 6. H. AxTErL
Mr.. Davis did not attend last nights
session in spite Of the request. He stated
later that. even though Axtell relieved
him OF oil responsibility for 50 doing,
had he desired to appear he did not
think 1t proper for an attorney under
any circumstances to disclose matters
which had been revealed to him In con-
fldence and IN his capacity as an attor-
ney.