The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-08
ALLOWED NO DECEMBER PAY.
SUPERVISORS AGAIN REJECT
FISHERS DEMAND,
Neither is Surveyor Boyd to Get
Extra Pay for Assessors
Field Book.

At yesterday afternoons session of
the Board of Supervisors the ~matter
of the rejected claim Of ex-County De-
tective Max P. Fisher for services per-
| formed in December was taken up,
on a motion to rescind the boards ac-
| ton in denying the claim.
Ex-District Attorney Ryan was pres
ent, and explained why the services had
been performed for the county by Mr..
| Fisher He said that Mr.. Fisher had
done excellent work in detecting crime,
and was an excellent detectives; in fact,
he considered him equal to any detect
| i've in the State. He had, at the re-
quest of the speaker, done very import
ant work during the past week on sew
eral cases in working up the evidence.
The detection of crime and gathering
of evidence is a very important matter,
and for want of it many criminals have
gone unpublished. The District Attor-'
ney's work is to prosecute criminals,
and their detection is not part of his
| work.
! Supervisor Morrison asked Mr.. Fisher
| if he had not asked the State for $1O7
for the same work for which he had
put in this claim.
Fisher said he had not His claim
against the State was for his expenses
on the trip he took as the States agent.
The evidence collected during the last
month he had turned over to the new
District Attorney, and had also offered
his services free in prosecuting the
cases on which he had been engaged
and which are still unfinished.
Deputy District Attorney Wachhorst
| stated that there are five or six cases
still to be disposed of in court and that
it would be very difficult to secure con-
victions in them without the use of the
evidence collected by Mr.. Fisher during
| the month of December and which he
| will place at the disposal Of the Dis
| trict Attorney.
Supervisor Jenkins thought that, as
the board had dispensed in November
with Mr. Fishers services, it had no
right to allow this claim, and he would
not vote for a reconsideration.
Morrison thought if an appointee
could have claims allowed after the
board had dispensed with his services,
all the others who had been removed
could present claims. The law gives
the District Attorney authority to en-
! ploy a proper person to ferret out
crime, and he had employed Mr. Fisher,
on account of his capacity as a detect
i've, to do so.
| Chairman Curtis said it appeared that
the District Attorney had power to en-
/ ploy Mr.. Fisher for the work He would
therefore move that the action of the
board in rejecting the claim be re-
scinded.
| Morrison and Jenkins both insisted
/ that the claim was not a proper one,
and they were opposed to further ac-
ton. 1t would not do to let people go
on with their work and exact pay after
the board had dispensed with their
services
Mr.. Ryan said that he considered the
law gave him the right to employ Mr..
Fisher, and he had brought the matter
of employing him before the board orig
inally simply in order to have the board
fix the compensation for his services.
He thought if Mr.. Fisher sued the
county he would undoubtedly win the
suit.
There was no second to Curtis mo-
ton, and the matter was dropped
ASSESSORS BOOKS.
Assessor Berkey addressed the board
on the subject of the books for the tax
roll, and asked whether or not the
board should pay for them.
District Attorney Baker said he did
not think the law contemplated that
the Assessor should pay for the work
out of the $500 allowed him by law.
He thought it was one of the duties of
the Surveyors office to provide them,
however
Members of the board said they
wished q written opinion on the sub
ject.
Mr.. Berkey said the books are neces-
sary, and preceding Assessors have
had the books furnished to them. and
he did not know why he should not. If
he must pay for them out of his salary
he would have it done. and the books
would be his when completed
Morrison thought the Surveyor should
make the books, as he has a salary Of
$500 month. When it is done. if the
Surveyor wants to sue the county. he
could do so. He moved that the Sur
veyor be instructed to make a country
valuation book for the Assessors use.
and the motion was seconded by lem
kins
Surveyor Boyd said he wished to
perform all the duties imposed on him
by law, but he wished to reply to a
statement that his time was not all
given to the service of the county. as
there is not day on which he is not
busy for the county, and there is much
of detail that does not show. He had
no wish to carry anything into court.
The motion was carried unanimously.
Mr.. Boyd said he wished the board to
realize that it may be necessary for
the Surveyor to take the field in order
to secure correct data, as there are a
great many pieces of property adjacent
to the city so small that they can only
be designated by numbers.
Assessor Berkey said there is much
land on the American River near the
city that has never been surveyed, yet
it is very valuable, and the property
owners statement as to it's extent have
to be taken; also on the south of the
city where, he had been informed. from
twenty to thirty acres, worth ST 600 an
acre, is escaping taxation.
Surveyor Boyd was told that the law
allowed him an assistant for such time
as was necessary
OTHER MATTERS.
The report of the viewers on the ne
tition of j. A. Givens and others for
road near Costumes was read, and will
be heard on February 7th.
The application of John A. Sousa and
IL g. g.