The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-10-28

i1oin my predecessor In ofnce.
Dated October 27 1908.
Assistant United States Attorney
Raymond Benjamin and Assistant City
Attorney Jesse Steinhart appeared to-
gether before Judge Seawell. William
NJ Abbott of the legal department of
the United Railroads was called, and
testified that during the litigation of
the disputed taxes of the street rail-
road company he gave a check for the
amount at issue to the courtroom clerk
in Judge Seawelfs department of the
superior court. John Greif, deputy
county clerk at that time. testified that
he in turn gave the check to John
McDougald, the city treasurer. That
happened in 1903. 1t disproved the
statement made by Tomalty that the
money had not been paid into the city
treasury
ORDERED TO PAY SUM
On the evidentiary showing Judge
Seawell issued an order directing the
city treasurer to pay to the tax col
lector $3T,572.79 and also to change the
record of the long pending tax suit by
substituting the name of A. B. Nye as
state controller for that of the late
E. p. Colgan, and the name of Tax Col
lector Bush for that of the former Off
cial, f. J. Smith.
Assistant Attorney General Benjamin
said yesterday afternoon that 1T will be
several days before the state has pre-
pared it's complaint on suit to be
brought against former City Treasurer
Bantel. The state will claim upward
Of $4,000 of the s37,572.79 and the city
Will sue for the remainder.
City Attorney Long said that the suit
will have to be prepared carefully.
Should the action go against the former
official his bondsmen will have to make
good the shortage.
In order to guard against all serious
mistakes in the books of the treasurer
office in the future City Treasurer Nc
Dougald will request the board of SUI
pervisors to engage the services of an
expert accountant to expert the books
at least twice each year.
TT Is the custom now" said Nc
Dougald, Ito have the books examined
when new treasurer assumes office,
but, as has been proved by the investi-
cation now in progress, the men who
have done this work in the past are
nothing more than checkers Had ex-
perts been engaged Immediately after
the fire, or when the shortage was first
discovered, the cloud of suspicion that
now hovers over the heads of many
cast a shadow on their integrity. l feel
sure that the supervisors will grant my
request, as Mayor Taylor also is in
favor of having the books exported
semiannually.''
LAUGHS AT INVESTIGATION
McDougald intimated that he had lit
tie hopes of the investigation proving
fruitful
L believe there has been a slip some
where" he replied when asked why he
held such belief. "Or course, it is pos
sible that the blame will be fixed on
some one" he added with a smile, "but
l don't look for a solution In the case
before 1915"
Fred Winters. who was receiving
teller in the treasurer's Office during
the Bantel administration, has been
under surveillance ever since the first
sensational report of the experts was
made to the district attorneys office,
but has discussed the matter at various
times without hesitation. Within the
last few days detectives have been de-
voting their attention to finding out
if Winters had acquired wealth sud-
denly during the last couple of years.
Il have house and lot on Piedmont
street worth about $4,000, which I
bought from a Mrs. O'Connor,' said
Winters yesterday when questioned in
regard to his financial standing. 81
purchased this property in February
of this year. I acquired the real estate
with money which 1 had saved from
the earnings of a cigar stand which I
owned, and what I saved from my SAL
airy in the position / occupied before
the earthquake"
81 had sold out my cigar stand and
was looking for a new location on
Market street, when L was offered the
position in the treasurers office. I &C
cepted the offer because of the easy
hours and placed my money in saw
ings account"
I'm what bank did you carry your
account" Winters was asked.
81 don't care to say he replied.
How is 1t you kept your money in
a savings account for two years and
then invested it in real estate at the
beginning of this year?" was the next
question.
81 was looking for good location
with the intention of going back into
business" Winters replied.
In answer to questions regarding his
habits Winters said he never gambled.
although he admitted that he had
bought $50 worth of stock in a wild
cat mining scheme He said that he
LOAN ON PROPERTY
Winters first said that there was an
incumbrance on his property in Pied
mont street in the form of a mortgage,
but later qualified this statement by
saying that a friend of his held a
personal note and that he allowed this
friend to draw the rent from the house
to pay the interest on the obligation.
Winters said he had dropped in to see
Tomalty a couple of times since the
latter had been in jail.
David Davis, chief deputy and paying
teller under the Bantel administration,
was also questioned yesterday in re-
gard to his property interests. Davis is
a wealthy man. according to the state
ments of Tomalty and others, but ac-
quired his wealth, it is claimed. before
he entered the treasurers Office
81 do own real estate in the city, but
have not purchased any for more than
two years and half The last piece of
property / bought was lot at the cor
ner of Broadway and Kearny street
That was in October of 1905, think
Prior to my accepting a position in the
treasurers Office I was a full partner in
the firm of Goldstein & Co. at IL Suffer
street. had been in this firm for six
years, but we wound up our business