The record-union., 1898-03-07
STORY OF ALLEGED DOODLE.
IT rs CREDITED TO p. II. Nc
GRATH.
Reflects on Two Supervisors-What
Dredger Owner Has
=
to Say.

The San Francisco Cali yesterday
published quite a sensational statement
made by Willis G.. Witter, President OF
the Golden Gate Dredging Company of
that city, to the effect that r. ii. NC
Grath, a landowner in Reclamation
District 349, had declared that he had
been doing business" with some or the
Supervisors of this county. In other
words, that he had got the board 10
allow certain claim of the dredging
company for a considerations
Something over d year ago the Board
of Supervisors acceded TO "a proposition
made by landowners on Sutter Island
to have the county pay one-half the
cost of raising the levee, which was
thereafter to constitute a public road
the only kind of road that could be
maintained on the island. The levee
was constructed by a large dredger
working in the river, and the Golden
Gate Company did the work. A claim
for work to the amount of s., $50 was
presented in January, a year ago, one
half of which was paid by the reclama-
ton district, and acknowledgement
ing both the district and the Super
visOrs as Superintendent of the work
filed a claim against the county for
81 40.
Owing to shortage of funds, or some
other cause, the Supervisors did not
allow the claim for a long time, and
finally the dredging company also filed
a claim for the same amount and for
the same work. Subsequently men,
Der Of the company appeared before the
board to urge his claim, when he was
informed that McGrath had already
filed a bill for the work done. This
the representative said was all right,
the duplicate claim was Withdrawn,
and short time afterward the Nc
Grath claim was allowed.
These are about the main facts. as
nearly as can be recalled by the Rec
ord Union" reporter who usually at
tends the sessions of the board. But
Witter makes an affidavit to things
which he alleges McGrath told him
more recently. and this is what he says;
THE AFFIDAVIT
State of California, city and county
Of San Francisco.
Willis G.. Writer, President of the
Golden Gate Dredging and Reclamation
Company being duly sworn, deposes
and says that on the 11th day of Feb
ruary, 1898, in the rooms of the State
Board Of Examiners, at the Capitol
building, at Sacramento. he had con-
versation with one +. II. McGrath re-
garding money that had been paid to
him Co. H. McGrath) on behalf of the
Board of Supervisors of Sacramento
County. At this interview was pres
ent also NJ. c. Harris. manager of the
dredging and reclamation company,
who heard all of the statements that
We're made.
During that conversation Mr.. Nc
= Grath stated that 81, 440 had been re-
ceived by him from the county of Sac
ramento as a part payment of the con-
tract with the Goden Gate Dredging
and Reclamation Company for work
done on Sutter Island, and that the
same had been divided among certain
members of the Sacramento Board of
Supervisors, to Wit: Tom Jenkins (oth-
erwise known as Thomas Jenkins) and
Morrison (meaning ]. NJ. Morrison of
The board). At that meeting he refused
to turn over any money to the Golden
Gate Dredging and Reclamation Com
pany, claiming that he owed the COM
pany no money but later he admitted
the claim TO be just and returned to
NJ. c. Harris and myself ST 900 and
promised to reimburse US for the re-
naming S440, being a part and portion
Of the 81. .4i0 formerly received by him
from the Board Of Supervisors of Sac
ramento County.
We told him at the time that we
would inform the Board Of Examiners
regarding the character of the official
they had in their employ in case the
payment demanded was not made
Secondly, that we would present the
matter 10 the Grand Jury unless the
claim was paid, as no doubt there was
a case of embezzlement; and
Thirdly, that inside of ten days we
would bring a civil action for the re-
covery Of the money
Mr.. McGrath at that time stated that
William A. Gett, attorney for Recla-
nation District No. 349 aside from
Jenkins and Morrison. had received
portion Of the 81 ,44o and that he (ATc-
Grath) had little or nothing left of the
money. and stated further that the
board desired TO receive 5000 more be-
fore passing the balance of the de-
mand.
After some conversation Mr.. McGra tn
asked for time in which to pay rhe
amount we demanded as being due
from the county of Sacramento 10 the
Golden Gate Dredging and Reclama-
ton Company. and after consultation
We agreed to give him until the next
morning. At that time he admitted
that our claim was just by paying us
81 800 on account of the 81 .4i0 that
was dGe We gave him receipt for
Sl.iiO. being more than pleased to get
that much after We had been kept out
of our money so long. and he agreed
at the time 10 pay us the remainder of
S4to This was after he had said that
the first and only payment had been
divided between members of the Sac
rams nto Beard of Supervisors and Will
lam A Gett. attorney for Reclamation
District No. $40
WILLIS G.. WITTER.