The record-union., 1898-03-09
SUFFER- ROAD SCANDAL.
It Received an Airing Before the Board OF
Supervisors Yesterday.

and then understood II ndd peeH pdSSSd
by the board.
Mr. Ryan-The contract was signed
on October 6, 1896?
Mr. McGrath-It must have been SIN
months after the contract was signed
that Hamilton told me of the resolution
having passed, but he could not find it
in the minutes.
Mr. Ryan-Do you know who drew up
the contract?
Mr.. McGrath-I do not, but it was
presented to me by Mr.. Gett.
Mr. Ryan-Who were you acting for?
Mr. McGrath-When I filed my claim
1 considered I was acting for Witter,
the county and the district. All claims
had been sent to me to file.
Mr. Ryan-Who was the 81 ,440 to be
paid to?
Mr. McGrath-Mr. Witter came here
for his money The claim had not
passed the board, and he wanted me to
get it for him. He signed receipt for
the s., $50, and the Auditor issued the
warrant TO me. / drew it and held it.
Three or four times I sent word TO Wit
ter that I had his money. The reason |
didn't send it to him was that l had a
personal account With him, and wanted
witnesses that it was paid. I was al
ways ready to pay him. Lately he
came and asked if 1 had $500. 1 said
Yes, 1 have 81 GOO for you l told
him I had expended some money in his
interest, and thought 1 was entitled to
the $40, and when he left me it was
with the best of feeling, and l consid-
cred that had earned the money. The
first I knew of his statement was this
morning when 1 got off the boat l
paid him the S440 this morning, and
don't owe him cent.
Mr.. Ryan-Why did you pay him if
you diGn't owe it?
Mr.. McGrath-Because I don't want
to be barried by blackmailer! 1 have
paid him $40 that I didn't owe him,
for 1 had earned it.
Mr.. Ryan-What l want to know is
by what authority you signed the
contract and filed the claim against
the county. Were you also acting for
the dredger company?
Mr. McGrath-I considered / was
acting for the dredger company, as
we'll as for the county. 1 had Wit
ter's receipt for the $3.50 which au-
thorized me to draw it from the coun-
ty, and it was on this receipt that the
Auditor drew the warrant in my fa-
vor
Mr. Ryan-Well, who was paying you
for your services?
Mr. McGrath-I did not receive a
cent except what Witter was to give
me. The people of the district were
poor, and I would not have charged
them a cent That is why I say l
paid Witter $40 this morning that /
did not owe him.
Mr.. Curtis-Mr. McGrath, did you
ever say you had paid money to any
member Of this board to have these
claims passed?
Mr.. McGrath-No, sir, I never said
anything of the kind.
Hiram w. Johnson-Did Witter ever
ask you for this money until he and
Harris called on you the other day?
Mr. McGrath-Never until last week
The money was always ready for him,
and I frequently sent word to that eff
feet by Engineer Johnson.
Mr. Johnson-What did Witter say
when notified that his money was
ready?
Mr. McGrath-He said, We'll, let it
go awhile" I always had the money
ready for him.
LAWYER GETT TAKES A HAND.
w. a. Gett, attorney for Reclamation
District 349 and whose name had ap-
peared so prominently throughout the
inquiry, requested to be allowed to
make a statement.
In the fall of 1896" said Mr.. Gett,
''the landowners of the district en-
bracing Sutter Island got me to pre-
pare their petition for a county road. 1
also prepared a resolution naming P.
H. McGrath as Superintendent or
overseer on behalf Of all the parties in
terested, and under the general charge
Of Supervisor Jenkins of that road dis
trict. The petition was granted, the
resolution was passed. and the con-
tract signed between Elliott, Witter
and McGrath was drawn in accordance
with that resolution.
In February, 1897, Mr.. Witter came
to me and said there was an absence
Of authority, so far as McGrath was
concerned. We went to Clerk Hamil-
ton and then learned that the District
Attorney had advised q member of the
Board Of Supervisors that the board
could not delegate such authority to
another person.
Il suppose it was for that reason that
the resolution was not entered on the
record. I was present in this board
when the resolution was adopted"
Mr.. Ryan-For whom was you act
ing?
Mr.. Gett-I was acting for the dis
trict and the petitioners, and McGrath
was TO be in charge OF the work. Up
ward OF $4,000 was expended on the
work, of which the people of the dis
trict have paid over $4,000. They are
entitled to their money. The work
has been done, and the money should
be paid.
District Attorney Ryan and Mr.. Gett
here had a long dispute over the mat
ter of the county's liability for any
portion Of what had been done. Mr.
Ryan held that the law had not been
followed. and he could not see that
there was any obligation resting on
the county.
Mr.. Gett said the road and levee had
been ceeded to the county. and that
the county is obligated to pay it's share
Of the expense. 1t has had the benefit
of the work, and IS bound by the terms
of the resolution adopted by the board.