The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-21
CORRUPT IN
OFFICE CHARGED
BY GRAND JURY
District Attorney and Four SUI
pervisOrs Are Accused by
InquisitOrs
Scheme TO Defraud County in
Courthouse Contract Is
Alleged
Sheriff Also Faces Loss of Job
for Reputed "WiIIfuI Neg
Iect of Duty"

tOT keputet Wlhiul wy
IeCt of Duty"
Attorney Langdon Of san Francisco to
undertake the prosecution of Bullock
The accusations against Bullock's
comrades in the ring were filed with
the district attorney himself and he
will have the paradoxical task of hav-
ing. at least. to go through the motions
Of prosecuting members of the board of
supervisors for a crime which the grand
jury believes him to be equally guilty.
Bullock and the supervisors are
charged with having prepared con-
tract. for the benefit of the J. j.
O'Brien construction company" and ito
cheat and defraud the county of San
1Iateo," for additional steel work on
the dome Of the new courthouse, the
sob TO cost s2.ssL
Secret Contract Drawn
This contract was drawn up at a
secret meeting Of the four members of
the board held september p. 1908, and
the district attorney and the super
visors are charged with having tried
to make County Clerk Joseph II. Nash
enter the contract in the minutes Of
the board for September S. Nash re-
fused to attest this instrument or alter
the records by inserting the contract
as if it had been regularly passed Sep
TENDER s.
sheriff Chatham is charged with hav-
ing permitted Clifton West, a colored
man. a prisoner in the county jail, to
escape Chatham, on November 3,
election day, took West out OF jail and
10 the polls TO vote in a close election.
Within the meaning of the law he per-
mitted West TO escape.
Il was asserted this evening that the
accusations returned are but the fore
runners Of fresh sensations. 1t was
stated that the grand jury viii prob
ably recommend 70 the board OF super
visors that Glenn Allen OF San Fran
cisco. supervising architect of the new
courthouse, be removed for cause, evil
dence being in the hands Of the jury
that he approved claims of the J. J.
O.Brien construction company for prog
ress payments on work that had not
been done. He is also said TO have
overdrawn his commissions on the Job.
May Abrogate Contract
Supervisor P. H. McEvoy of Menlo
Park declared today that when the
board meets February l he will pos
sibly recommend that portions, if not
all. Of certain contracts existing be-
tween the county and the J. J. O'Brien
construction company. be abrogated.
IL is understood that the report of
Foreman George r. Sheath of the
grand jury viii recommend that the
supervisors take drastic action against
the O'Brien company The chief hacker
Of the O'Brien company is Cousin Jim
Nealon, for one term assessor of San
Francisco and now a capitalist. J. J.
O'Brien is president Of the company.
Will Recommend Suit
The grand jury viii also recommend
that Superior Judge. Buck take the
proper action TO recover from County
Treasurer p. p. Chamberlain and the
First national bank of Redwood City
some $4,000 due the county as interest
on county funds deposited by Cham
berisin in the bank Of which he is
vice president. director and stock
holder. The money. according to the
report TO be filed by Z. ]. White. ex-
pert accountant for the grand jury,
has been deposited in utter violation
of the law. No criminal proceedings
viii be taken against Chamberlain. a
member Of the grand jury said today.
The expert will report that while the
money. some $3.50 goo, on deposit in the
First national bank. is placed TO the
credit OF the county treasurer, Cham
berlain has drawn against ii with his
personal check, and not with the official
signature Of county treasurer. That
personal checks on the funds have been
honcred is q dangerous irregularity
according 70 the accountant.
The county funds were counted this
afternoon by the finance committee Of
the grand jury, Of which NJ r. Brown
IS chairman. The accounts OF the treas
urer were found TO be correct
The witnesses whose names are in
scribed to the accusations against Bull
lock and the supervisors are County
Clerk J. J. Nash and Supervisors Black
burn and Coleman and ex-Supervisors
McBain Debenedetti and EIkerenkotter
Nash was the chief witness. He testi-
fed that Bullock sent his stenographer.
Miss ellis, TO the county clerks office
with the contract and the message that
IL be inserted in the minutes for Sep
TENDER s. while the document was first
exhibited in December and was known
10 have been the result of a secret
meeting held September q. Nash re-
fused 10 do Bullock's bidding and later
Bullock went to him in person and
asked him TO FIX il right. Bullock last
evening declared that Nash's testimony
was false.
Statement SubStantiafed
The grand jurors say. however, that
Nashs word is fully substantiated 1t
is possible that perjury charges may be
instituted against Bullock before the
grand jury.
The witnesses against Chatham were
Justice Of the Peace James Harmon
and Dan Miller. both election officers
where West, under the protective cha
peronage Of the sheriff, voted November
3. Harmon was the justice who, Octo-
Der %. sentenced West TO jail for 90
days for petty larceny Harmon testi-
fed that he was astonished when West
appeared out of jail il days later and
voted. Chatham's excuse in the case
was that tradition" warranted his tax
ing West 10 the polls
The grand jury adjourned today until
Wednesday, January 27 when the final
reports viii be adopted.
Langd0n's Time Taken Up
District Attorney Langdon said last
evening that he had not heard from