The San Francisco call., 1898-01-19
Los Angeles Boodlers Not in Danger of Prose-
 cutiOn.
Better Government League Too Busy Rounding Walter
 L. Webb.
Shows No Disposition to Cause Self Confessed Bribe- Takers to Be
 Punished.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 18.-In view of the recent disclosures made in The Call as to the composition of the League for Better City Government, its manage ment, its personnel and its objects, peo- pie are discussing from new stand point it's connection with the prosecu- tion of Walter L. Webb.
 In this case the league figures as the prosecutor through it's attorneys; as judge it is represented by Charles Cas- sat Davis, chairman of the Board of Education, who is league member and who was elected a School Director on the ticket of the league. The league also sits as jury in this case, as it ap- parently controls maj jority of the mem bers of the board, judging from the election of Chairman Davis as presiding officer of that body.
 With the league acting as prosecu- tor, judge and jury, people are now wondering how Webb can expect jus tice to be done him.
 Attention has also been drawn to the persistency and energy with which Webb had been pursued. and the utter neglect to prosecute all others who have been shown to be implicated more or less directly in the School Board scan dals. There are no less than nine per sons who have been shown to be guilty of criminal acts in this connection by their own confessions, by the uncontra- dicted testimony of others, or by docu- mentary evidence. C. H. AXtell, Superintendent of Build ings and Janitors, approached various school employees for the purpose of eX- torting money from them, and actually received money from number of them. He also swore falsely before the School Board, before the Grand Jury and be- fore the Superior Court in connection with the Webb case.
 J. F. Adams, who resigned from the School Board as the result of the pres ent investigations, committed the same offenses charged against Axtell, with the possible exception that he did not lay himself liable to a charge of per jury while testifying in the Superior Court.
 J. S. Putnam, the minister who was a member of the preceding Board of Ed ucation, acted as go-between in mat ter of bribery for E. E. Cooper and AK tell.
 J. H. Braly, member of the Board of Education, has confessed to having indulged in the practice of shaving teachers warrants through the South ern California Savings Bank, of which he is president. In doing this Mir BraIy violated two separate and dis tinct laws, laying himself liable to prosecution for felony, and his bank to proceedings to forfeit it's franchise
 E. E. Cooper, a janitor in one of the public schools, bought his position from Axtell through the agency of the Rev. J. H. Putnam.
 w. H. Morris, the janitor of the High School, bought his position and testified falsely before the Grand Jury. Miss Clara Schroeder, a teacher in one of the schools, procured her posi- tion by purchase from Adams. She claims that her mother transacted all the business connected with the matter without her knowledge. ] c. J. Rohde, the instructor in physical culture, purchased his position directly | of Adams
 F. K. Nelson, a contractor, secured a 1 contract from the Board of Education 1 by means of a bribe.
 Here is ample scope for the energies | of the League for Better City Govern ment, say the people. if it is really de-
 sirous of acting fairly and conscien- | tiously.
 Comment is frequently heard as to why the bank commissioners have not 1 begun an investigation of the affairs ! of the Southern California Savings l Bank, in view of the fact that that in- 1 stitution has made illegal investments of the moneys intrusted to 1t by depos- | itOrs