The San Francisco call., 1903-12-29
.

OAKLAND, Dec. 2S.-Investigation
of the remarkable claim Of c. S. Mac
Mullan for discovering unassessed
property in Alameda County was be-
gun by the Board of Supervisors to-
day at the demand of Chairman John
Mitchell. AS basis for the investiga-
ton the board, upon the motion Of
Chairman Mitchell, rescinded all action
that had been taken. both upon the
Macmillan claim and the alleged
agreement that was made last April.
and the matter has been placed in the
hands Of the Finance Committee to
complete the investigation.
But there is an infinitely more Sc
rious phase to this matter than the
mere trapping of the Supervisors into
authorizing an unmerited agreement.
Various county and city officials assert
that they hold in their possession evil
dence that c. s. Macmillan, after he
had been employed by the Board OF
Supervisors to look up this unassessed
property. offered the Southern Pacific
Company, for consideration of $500,
to divert his attention from any of its
unassessed property.
The story of this attempt upon the
part Of Macmillan to trade upon the
agreement he secured from the Super
E1SOrS last Aprl1 Is pest lOlu DS QtSCt ~
ing the way in which the discovery was
made by the officials in question.
Some time ago John Mitchell, chair
man Of the Board of Supervisors, re-
ceived from julius Kruttschnitt, gen
eraI manager Of the Southern Pacific
Company, a communication, addressed
to him as chairman of the board. The
letter announced that e. II. Hartman
president of the Southern Pacific Com
pany,N had received a communication
sent him by your county tax expert
and that the communication In question
had been referred to him and by him
had been referred to the tax depart
ment of the Southern Pacific Company
SUSPICION is AROUSED.
The letter from Mr.. Kruttschnitt did
not contain the contents Of the letter
sent by MACMILLAN to Mr. Hartman,
but Mr.. Mitchell began to wonder what
Macmillan was doing and why he was
writing TO Mr.. Hartman, and who au-
thorized him to communicate with any
one connected with the Southern Pa
cifc Company Still, as nothing more
developed, and as there was nothing In
the action of Macmillan to arouse
suspicion, the Kruttschnitt letter was
allowed to fade from Mr.. Mitcheirs
mind for the time being.
The matter was forcibly revived when
Burke Of the Southern Pacific Company
and Mr.. Mitchell occurred in the Pal
ace Hotel in San Francisco. Mr.. Burke
Immediately wanted to know from Mr..
Mitchell what kind of a tax expert he
had appointed in Alameda County, and
in reply to Mr.. MitchelPs question of
"Why?" he told story that hung upon
the mysterious communication received
from General Manager Kruttschnitt by
Mr.. Mitchell.
According to the story told by Mr..
Burke to Mr.: Mitchell, and since re-
peated to others, $500 was asked by
Macmillan from the Southern Pacific
Company in consideration Of which he
would refuse the position of tax ex-
pert" to which he had been appointed
by the Alameda County Supervisors.
AS this story ran, various communica-
tions innocent in themselves. passed
from Macmillan to various officials of
the big railroad corporation, from Pres
ident Hartman down, and in the
course Of railroad events these commu-
nications found themselves in the tax
department of the company and In the
hands of Mr.. Burke.
WANTED FIVE HUNDRED,
Whereupon, sd Mr.. Burke told Mr..
Mitchell, he had an interview with Mac
Mullan. At that interview Macmillan
informed MIN Oh the WoTK Inat mad
been delegated to him by the Alameda
County Board of Supervisors, and add
ed that he knew where the Southern
Pacific Company was not paying the
county of Alameda $1,000 in taxes that
was due the county, and that under his
appointment he sSould be compelled to
report the SAND to the Assessor. but
that he once mcte wanted to enter the
field of journalism. and If $500 could be
secured with which he could start a
paper in Alameda County he might
overlook this assessable property or give
up his position altogether
with cautious regard for the affairs
of his company Mr.. Burke took the
matter under advisement. and he re-
ferred the whole proposition to William
+. Herrin. then general solicitor for the
corporation. Mr. Herrins reply. as re-
peated by Mr.. Jsurke to Mr.. Mitchell,
was that if the Southern Pacific Com
pany owed ALAMEDA County $270O taxes
it would pay it, tsut it would not put up
a cent for blackraail That was an ugly
word, but as the story finally reached
Alameda Countytit was used by the big
attorney.
Mr.. Burkes story ended at that point.
rs the negotiations between Macmillan
and the company closed right there.
Pnt certain members of the Oakland