The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-28
GRAND JURY
At LAST FILES
ITS REPORT
INDUCES in Usual
Criticism.
CHURCH is COMMENDED
COUNTY HOSPITAL SAID TO BE
A FIRST-CLASS PLACE.
The Late Frank P. Thwaite Was Paid
Vast Sums of Money on
Alleged Raised
Orders.
CHURCH is COMMENDED
COUNTY HOSPITAL SAID TO BE
A FIRST-CLASS PLACE.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,

The long-eXpected report OF the Grano
Jury was filed this afternoon, and was a
great disappointment to those VINO eX-
pected an interesting document contain
ing facts Instead it dealt with host OF
generalities. and contained nothing that
has not from time to time been published
during the ten months investigation of
the body.
The report Commends the management
of the County Jail and City Prison. 1t
Davs a high tribute to the management of
the County Intirmary, of which Super
visor VIII H. Church is the chairman.
The report says:
The Railways and rooms throughout the
buildings were well ventilated and thoroughly
clean the food abundant ana or GOOD quallty;
( yerything indicating proper discipline and
commendable attention to the wants and com
Seeing so much to commend in this institu-
ton it is with some reluctance that We call
attention to the large increase in expenditures
for 1897 over the preceding year, viz, S4, 40l So
1t is true that portion OF this was spent
ON the new reservoir pipe line, fire protection
plant. new buildings, etc, permanent improve
ments that possibly could have been deferred
to more convenient season; but, nevertheless
very necessary to the completeness Of first
class infirmary, which this certainly is.
In referring to the expenses of the hos
pital the following typical sentence oc-
ours: while a few items in the list of
ordinary expenses seem rather large,
there is one, namely $5413 80, for drugs
and medicines. that is certainly, to put it
The County Constables are criticized
as being very careless, and the Supervi-
sors are recommended to keep an al
loWance book such as the law requires,
and several subjects are mentioned as be-
ing fit material for the next Legislature
to work upon. The Coroner is commend
ed as an official, but criticized for his
stenOgraphic bills. Supervisor TaIcott Is
commended as the only member of the
board who filed proper reports OF the re-
lief given to indigents. In commenting
upon the investigation of the water rates
last spring the report says: we found
a deplorable loss of memory by certain OF
the Councilmen on subjects connected
with the fixing of water rates we also
thoroughly Investigated the charges of
bribery and corruption in the matter of
police appointments by the Board of Pub
lie Works, but were unable to discover
evidence of acts Of an actual criminal
The Grand Jury recommends to the
legislative delegation from Alameda
County the following:
F7irst-The abolition of the fee system gov
erning Justices and Constables
Second-An amendment TO the county gov
eminent act that will require all Justices when
fling claims for their services 10 MAKE an
affidavit to the effect that their deckets are
written up as far as possible to date and that
all fines and forfeitures received by them nave
been paid over by them in accordance with the
law, and prohibiting the Board of Supervisors
allowing any Justices claims TO which such
affidavit has not been made.
Third-An amendment TO the county govern
ment act directing the County Clerk to issue
TO stenographers upon their filing their tran
scripts certificate stating the date that said
transcript was filed and the exact number
of folios contained in said transcript, the stem
ographer to deliver said certificate to the proper
magistrate. who shall not sign a Judges order
for transcribinE such testimony until he is
thus made officially aware of the number of
folios filled; neither shall he sign the same
II said transcript has not been filed within ten
days after the defendant has been held to an
swer.
Fourth-That the amount of compensation to
be allowed stenOgraphers for transcribing their
shorthand notes be fixed at 10 cents per folio
for the original transcription and cents per
folio for additional copies
F1fth-That the law be amended so as to re-
quire magistrate upon signing each Judge s
order for stenographers to send to the County
Auditor by mail otherwise certificate CIV
Ing the date, name of stenographer and amount
signed for. duly signed by himself. and prohib
iting the Auditor from issuing warrant until
such certificate had been received by him and
found to correspond with the order signed
The expert for the Grand Jury went
back to the records of 1892, and from his
investigation il appears that during the
fetal stenographer, who died some
months ago. raised his orders on the
county treasury until he defrauded the
county of over $50 900.
The manner in which Thwaites is al
legged to have worked is thus described
by the expert:
After working for one day Thwaftes would
present order for his pay, amounting to SO
make the affidavit out and the Justice would
sign the order; the amount would be entered
in figures only, but the blank space just over
the Justices signature where the amount
should be filled in in writing he purposely left
vacant and the Justice seldom If ever paid any
attention to it. Here. then. oppor-
tunty; he would make a figure (say q out Of
one; then change in like manner the $40 to $40
and insert the words forty and ''00 in
writing in the blank space over the Justice s
signature and the order was ready to be
aEhe