The San Francisco call., 1899-05-26
STRAW BONDS
ENCOURAGED BY
SUPERVISORS
Forfeited Bonds Not
Collected.
PETITION HAD DESIREDEFFECT
AMOUNT COLLECTED IN EIGHT
YEARS WILL NOT PAY COSTS.
Attorney Joseph E. O'DonneIl States
Facts Which the Grand Jury
Would Do Well to
Ponder Over.
PETITION HAD DESIREDEFFECT
AMOUNT COLLECTED IN EIGHT
YEARS WILL NOT PAY COSTS.

'
was resumed yesterday. is timely as
there is ample evidence of the fact that
the perniciouS system that was in vogue
about eight years ago and was success
fully combated for some years has again
reared its head and unless crushed will
be as bad if not worse than before.
This year four notorious criminals were
allowed to escape on straw bonds" but
one of them was recaptured. They were:
''Dink' Wilson, a notorious burglar and
bunko man; australian Edde,' one of the
cleverset pickpockets in the United States;
Cassius Blackman, the policeman charged
with grand larceny. and Harry Wilson,
the negro suspected of being the stranger
of dissolute women.
Besides these cases there are number
of others that have not come to light, as
they are of minor Importance; but the de-
velopments before the Grand Jury in the
matter of bonds accepted by Clerk Kelly
of Judge Graham's court amply testify
to the fact that the acceptance of bonds
has become a farce, and some drastic
measures must be adopted to eradicate
the evil.
One of the worst features in the case
of forfeited bonds is the fact that the
Board of Supervisors, instead of doing
everything In their power to abate the
evil. encourage it. although perhaps not
realizing the effect of their action.
When a bond has been declared for
feited in the Superior or Police courts
and the sureties on the bond were respon-
sible people it has been the custom for
the bondsmen to petition the board to be
relieved from their obligation. The petit
ton was always sent to the judiciary
Committee of the board and resolution
was passed instructing the attorneys
who had commenced suit for the recovery
of the amounts in the bond to stop pro-
ceedings This resolution was sent before
the board and adopted, and the result
was that the attorneys had TO withdraw
the suit and lose their costs.
Attorney Joseph f. O'Donnell of Jones
& O'Donnell was appointed to look after
the recovery of forfeited bands about
eight years ago and he holds that posi-
ton now. Yesterday on being quesuonedi
bonds he said:
when | was appointed about eight
years ago to look after the collection of
forfeited bonds | soon discovered that an
organized gang was in existence who
made a living in the business of accept
ing straw bonds. Immediately after find
ing that out instituted crusade against
straw bondsmen and after a year or so
the then Chief Crowley complimented me
upon my work In almost eradicating the
within the past two years this PERM
cious system has again been rearing it's
head and many sureuies entirely worth
less have been accepted. Clerks in the
Police Courts and others have been ex-
tremey negligent In accepting bonds, If
nothing worse and l have experienced
bonds forfeited, as the excuse was al
ways given that they had been pigeon
holed or mislaid.
Il have suggested many times in my re-
ports to the Board of Supervisors a sys-
TEN whereby one person should take
charge of and be responsible for all bonds
accepted. more particularly in the Police
Courts | cannot watch the Police Courts
and must rely upon the clerks of the
courts to notify me of any bond that is
not considered right My duty is merely
to take action when a bond is declared
forfeited. There must be a responsible
party TO look after these bonds and reg
lister and index should be kept showing
what had become of each bond.
Bond Expert Newman generally at
tends to his duties as far as he is able
and far as the Superior Courts are
forfeited since his appointment, as he
keeps himself posted as to the status of
the sureties, but he is handicapped in the
Police Courts by the fact that the clerks
do not hand him the bonds for a consd-
erable time and sometimes not at all.
Within the past few years the Chinese
bonds forfeited have been very few, and
in fact, there have been none at ALL which
is due to the appointment of Dong Gong
to examine all such bonds submitted.
Previous to his appointment the Chinese
year ending June 30 1893, forty-nine ac-
tions were instituted on forfeited bail
bonds, and for the year ending June 30s
1891, thirty-nine actions were Instituted,
the majority in both years being Chinese
the defendants either having gone back
to China or given fictitious names. AS
far back as 1891 l recommended the ap-
pointment of a Chinese expert on bonds
and another expert to look after the
qualifications of sureties generally. Dong
Gong has been appointed for about four
years and Newman for three years, but
there must be a person appointed who
will be able to devote his whole time to
bonds offered in the Police Courts and
thereby do away with the scandalous
system that is again too prevalent.
During the eight years ] have had
charge of the collection Of forfeited
meet my legitimate expenses, and l am
a loser on the business. The trouble has
been that when responsible men were on
Board of Supervisors for relief and al
ways got 1t. Suits have been commenced
and attachments issued, but the order
came from the board to drop all proceed
ings and / had to ask for a withdrawal
of the cases and consequently lost my
legitimate costs. The whole business IS
farce. have had no cases yet for the
interference of the present board.
"As | have already said the straw
bond evil is becoming as bad as it was
eight years ago, and unless an example
is made of some of the men who make
1t business it will grow in volume and
strength and criminals will continue to
escape punishment for their crimes, as
has been shown on more than one occa-
sion this year already"
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