The San Francisco call., 1903-12-12
GRAND JURY
DROPS CASE
Charges Against Public Ad-
ministrator by Hassell Com
pany Of Auditors Ignored
LAWS DECLARED AT FAULT
Inquisitors Now Propose to
Investigate Work and Cost
TO City Of the Book Experts

Public Administrator John Farnham
was Informed by the Grand Jury yes
terday afternoon that after hearing the
report Of the Hassen Audit Company
there was not the slightest reflection
10 be cast upon the conduct Of the work
Of the Administrator.
The Grand Jury now proposes to 90
a little probing into the methods Of the
Hasseu Audit Company and find out
how much that corporation has done
for the city in return for the $500 it
has drawn from the treasury.
The jurors met yesterday afternoon
at o'clock ard the only witness called
before them was Douglas Young Of the
Hasseu Audit Company.
Young had a voluminous typewrit-
ten report with him and he was be-
fore the jurors for more than two
hours. According TO the report, Pub
lie Administrator Farnham owed the
County Clerks office the sum of s1277 80
for fees on letters Of administration
on estates The report was made on
November 90 last.
The Grand Jury did not call Farm
ham 10 answer any Of the charges
made in the Hassell Audit Company s
report. When the jurors adjourned
Farnham was informed that the Grand
Jury would not proceed any further
in the matter. He was told that no
blame was attached to his Office, but
that the system and the laws were to
blame.
Farnham made the following state
ment after the Grand Jury had ad-
journed:
Intended 10 tell the Grand Jury that these
charges against ne by the Hassell Audit
Company are absolutely false. but il did not
even need my denial for the jury to reach
1'h.s whole matter Of the HasseH Audit
others 10 hold the JOB OF auditing al Dig eN-
prnae 20 the city HasseIl and his associates
have drawn close 70 SaoC0 from the CITY tor
q so-called audit of the BOOKS OF lne county
Clerks office and report on my office. what
have they done OF reported Absolutely moth
ing but what has been known far and wide
Reearding the charges in HasselTs report
that owed ths County Clerk for fees on let
tiers of administration on estates my office
-,fe,a rt-sr - fees shouid be nafd when the
estates were settled up The law does not re-
oUire that the Public Administrator should put
uD The fees olt ~ his own pocket. AS soon
rs none. came ln Tor Ie estates my orders
to my DO Nkeener were 10 pay an bills and
claims The fees to the County Clerk were
always paid The settlement of the final
aCcoUnt by tile court.
HasseII charges that owed the County Clerk
$500 on November 30 have since. that date
settled u-mber Of accounts. some Of them
being from tLe time of my predecessor in Of
flee. Hasseus charges have not caused me to
pay one dollar in fees unless the estates have
been settled
Now thar the Grand Jury has dropped the
jury 10 look into the Hassell Audit Company
end dnd out the value Of the work it has done
Tor the city.
Grand Juror II. M. Kelly brought to
the notice Of his fellow jurors the ex-
pense account Of the Hassen Audit
Company and questioned Douglas
Young Of that corporation as to the
manner in which the books Of the
County Clerk had been audited and the
number Of people employed on the
work
In speaking Of the report Of the Has
sell Audit Company. Grand Juror Kelly
stated after adjournment. that he pro-
posed to get scne further information
from Hassell and his associates.
II understand" said Kelly. that the
Hassell Audit Company has received
close TO $1,000 for its work 1t has also
charged certain expenses and ] want
10 k-Ow who gave the company free
quarters in the City Hall"
The Grand Jury viii meet again next
Monday evening and resume its inves-
tigatiOn into the affairs Of the County
Clerks c15ce.