The San Francisco call., 1897-12-18

Hotel In San Franc SEQ, bur frequently
put up some where else in town.
The Sheriff did not play poker with
passionate devotion to the game, and
whenine did play he was not re!ished as a
pudding. In fact Ukiah graduates in the
science OF poker can hold their own better
In large town than the sophomore
players from San Jose.
Sheriff Johnson did not nIav the races.
miln M reckless disregard OF consequences.
He did not indo orse notes to gratify friends
In financial distress. but he did have an
aosorblngt passion for the society of
women, and where petticoats were con-
cerned pedigrees We're not consulted
hlgh-hyers and low-fyers all looked alike
TO the Sher IF.
In Mendocino County the offices of
Snerlff and Tax Collector are held by one
and the same man. Mr.. Johnson, a good
fellow, was elected on the Republican
ticket. and, when his first term of office
expired, vas rec ected. Several times of
late quiet rumors were rcllated tnat he
was snort, but investigation developed
facts to the contrary. Three weeks ago
reports of something crooked caused the
sureties of the Sheriff and Tax Collector
TO urge payment To the Treasurer of all
me money In the hands of the Tax Col
lector. johnson then paid over 1913, 000.
1t IS figured that he must have he'd out
$1,000. for that is reported officially TO be
the sum of his shortage.
Yesterday Alex Duncan, a Supervisor of
Mendoclno County now in San Francisco
received message by telephone from Su-
pervisor Smith, chairman of the board,
stating that the report was true that the
| SnerlH had disappeared. and that $4,000
OF com that should be IN the safe was not
there. To-day there will be a session of
the board to consider the shortage.
Not very long since Sheriff Johnson left
Uklah ostensibly for Willows In chase of
stage-roboeis, but it is believed that he
came 10 San Francisco, shaved off his
mustache and went in pursuit of more
agreeable game. Word comes from Ukiah
that no explanation is made of his pro-
Ionged absence
1t is fficult to fix the exact date when
Sheriff Johnson was last seen by his
friends in San Francisco. He is well
known at Ferguson & o Cornor's place,
III Mason street. where many Ukiah peo-
pie go. Mr.. o Connor, Jack Holiday and
Jack Usher, VINO are intimately acquainted
with the missing Sheriff, do not entertain
the notion that he has gone away with a
woman. In fact, they predict that he will
turn up all right and square his accounts
at Ukiah. 'G!ye him the easy end OF 1t, 4"
they all said, ''for he Is one Of the best Eel
lows OH earth. No, he has not gone with
n bad girl. He thinks too much of his
family for that. More than likely he is in
Round Valley now, having a time, or up
in Trinity County, hunting bear.
"lf he has skipped the man who goes
after him TO bring him back will not have
an easy job. If Jim johnson has gone
wrong, then one of the best all-ar0und
fellows that ever lived has got on the wrong
track. There are lot OF fellows up there
in Ukiah trying 10 DO him. When every
thing is Investigated it may turn out that
it is only paper shortage"
The SherIrf's son, Virgil Johnson. a
Young man 22 years OF age, was IN the
city yesterday with the hope OF finding
some trace of his father. Several other
citZens of Mendocino County tele-
phoned to Mr.. Holiday at 10
Mason street for Information as to
the Sher If whereabouts
1t was said last ght toy intimate friends
of the missing Sheriff that W biie he drank
freely and had good time with the boys
Of gilt fam and that he Was not a m+n
When last cen at Ferguson & O'Con or 5
the Sheriff's musteche was on and on
straight.
vanced by some who know johnson. They
are $1,000 short and that he hes skipped on
that ground you can rest assured that he
is across the line ny this time"
DISCLOSURE S AT UKIAH.
UKIAH, Dec. 17-For some days past