Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-10-30
'4SOLID THREE"
LOSE; ORDERED
TOSHOW CAUSE
COURT GAYS COMPLAINTS IN
BOND CASE. ARE GOOD
DEFENDANTS FILE AFFIDAVITs
DENYING FRAUD
Chairman Butler of Good Roads Adj
visory Committee swears He Un-
derstood the Sale Would Be
Conducted as Usual
kGVl HE demurrer only goes into the

k[TEy HE demurrer only goes into the
question of the sufficiency OF the
Il complaint. L think it should be
overrllled and that will be the order.
The defendants will proceed to show
cause why the restraining order shouiu
not remain in force"
Thus briefly Judge Bordwell disposed
of the contentious of the seven attOr-
news representing the board of super
visors, the "solid three" Supervisors
Patterson. Wilson and Eldridge, w. r.
Jeffries and his company ana otnerS
that the complaints for injunction filed
by William Lindsay, Eugene German
and others were not OF suinclent
strength to maintain an action in court.
Following the decision of Judge
Bordwell a number of affidavits made
bv the defendants were read by Attor-
ney Oscar Lawler. These affidavits
were sworn to by w. r. Jeffries, the
members of the "solid three" and
James r.. Martin, who negotiated the
private sale of the bonds. Answers to
the complaints were also filed on be-
half of the supervisorial body by Hart
lev Shaw, chief deputy district attor-
ney, who also introduced an affidavit
containing a relation of his own actions
In the matter of advertising for bids
for the good roads bonds.
Denies Conspiracy
The affidavit of w. p. Jeffries was
the first to be read. The agreement
between himself, the Los Angeles Trust
company and James N. Adams q co.
to furnish the bonds was not entered
into until two days after the private
sale was made, September 8, and was
not the result of any conspiracy, politi-
cal or otherwise.
The agreement for the printing of
the bonds, he said, called for an ex-
penditure of s2500, but later he was
Informed by j. NJ. Martin the bonds
could not be handled in the east If they
were not printed on paper and en-
graved in the same manner as that
furnished by the Western Bank Note
company and the American Bank Note
company. The material, he said, was
secured for this work by the Los An
geles Trust company at a cost or $500,
making the total cost of the bond print
ing and furnishing $500. The county,
he claimed, could not have secured the
kind OF work he proposed to do. for
a less amount il bids had been called.
Jeffries denied that, as chairman of
the Republican county convention, in
August, he had exercised his influence,
to secure the denomination OF super
visors Wilson and Patterson, and said
he had not tried to influence the board
of supervisors in any way.
'"fhe other bids We're for inferior
bonds" he said, land not such as would
be required for their disposal in the
east. / have made no personal re-
anest at any time of any member Of
the board to obtain the sale, and
never promised the Los Angeles Trust
company or James N. Adams q Co.
would use my political influence to Sc
cure to them the sale of the bonds"
Make General Denial
Admitting only their identity and
that they are members of the board of
Supervisors Patterson, Wilson and Eld-
ridge make q general denial of prac-
tically every charge III the complaints
filed by Germain and Lindsay
In the affidavit of J. II. Martin, treas
urer of Adams & Co.. he denies any
conspiracy had been entered into be-
tween the ''solid three" his company
and the Los Angeles Trust company for
the sale of the bonds and the printing
thereof. He claims the negotiations
were not carried on secretly, and says
any accusation of fraud is unqualifedly
false.
Nothing was done that could not
have been made public" he said, and
regarding the advertisement for bids
for the sale of the bonds he said there
were no restrictions in these bids
which would work to the benefit OF
his company and the trust company.
Chief Deputy Shaw said he had,
without instructions from the board,
drawn up the resolutions calling for
bids and OH his own initiative had in
serted the provision a certified check
for $4,000 should be deposited in some
bank of the county. His reason, he
said, was he expected bids might be
received from outside the county, and
If such checks We're required to be
placed in county banks 1t might save
q great deal of litigation.
An affidavit of ]. c. Drake of the
Los Angeles Trust company was also
filed in which he said he had read the
statements made by j. III. Martin and
acquiesced in them.
Plenty of Affidavits
Following the reading of the affi
davits, Judge John ID. Works read the
first two of more than score of affi-
davits made by persons interested in
the prosecution of the injunction suits.
The first was that of S. A. Butler,
chairman of the good roads advisory
committee. He recites in detail the
facts leading up to the formation of
that committee and the purposes for
which it was appointed. One of these
purposes, he said, was to inspire con-
fdence in the minds of citizens of the
county and thus assure a favorable
outcome in the bond election.
'On account of the public feeling In
reference to this matter" said Mr..
Butler, after it was considered by the
board of supervisors it would be the
proper thing to appoint an advisory
committee, l gave expression to the
idea publicly that the whole matter
of the issuance of the bonds and their
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