The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-02-02
SAN MATEO GRAFT
INQUIRY PUT OVER
Supervisors Postpone for Week
Investigation of Courthouse
Contracts

REDWOOD CITY, Feb. 1.-One
weeks grace was given by the board
Of supervisors today in the matter of
Investigating into the contracts on the
new courthouse building. some Of which
have been declared by Chairman p. H.
MeEvoy of the board of supervisors and
also by the grand jury to be irregular.
j. c. NeaIon, secretary of the J. j.
o Brien construction company, the
largest contra ctor started his campaign
for vindica ton this afternoon but he
did not get far beyond the stage of de-
handing justice. County Clerk j. III.
Nash volunteered the information how
ever. that the contract and specifica-
lions for the building have not been
tempered with nor altered as Super
visor McEvoy has insinuated in public
statements.
SCORED FOR INTERVIEW
Nealon took McEvoy 10 task for
newspaper interview published this
morning. and McEvoy evaded the issue
by saying that he did not know who
was the reporter for the paper in ques-
ton.
The first melee gave the contractors
the better of the outlook, but McEvoy
has repeatedly stated that he believed
several contracts were faulty, so the
war is not over yet. Nealon secured a
promise from the the board that other
contractors who bid on the courthouse
be called to testify regarding the orig
inaI specifications.
The benefcent lesson which the
grand jury sought to teach last week
has not been thoroughly assimilated by
the supervisors. When the main re-
port OF the grand jury had been read
and Clerk Nash asked if the appended
reports of committees should also be
as I am concerned 1 don't care if any
of 1t is read"
Coleman was one of the group of Off
Gals accused by the grand jury of mis-
conduct in Office
When the communication from the
granG jury advising that the license for
Coffroth's arena be revoked was read
Supervisor Blackburn moved that con-
sideration of it be postponed for a
month. The board decided to reject
the communication from the National
surety company giving notice that it
had Withdrawn from the bond of Sheriff
Chatham. That action does not carry
any consequences.
IGNORE PRINTING CLAUSE
The supervisors also ignored the
recommendation of the grand jury that
all public printing be awarded on COM
petitive bidding. After a lively row the
board selected the Redwood City Demo-
crat as the paper to carry the county
advertising. The South City Enterprise
people demanded that the work be
awarded on contracts or distributed
among various papers. The vote in IA
vor of giving the Democrat the job was
three to two. McEvoy, Casey and
Francis voted for the Democrat, Cole
man and Blackburn against the award.
Two matters showed the good infiu-
ence of the grand jury. The board or
dered that all persons selling supplies
to the county farm be put under bond
and it also adopted the recommendation
of the chairman of the board. the treas
urer and the auditor that banks having
county funds on deposit must pay per
cent interest and deposit proper securi-
ties TO cover the amount of the deposits.
J.iJ Ford was appointed superintendent
of the poor farm An order was made
that the trial jury panel of 100 names
be selected on February Is.
The hearing of the cases of the ac-
cused officials win come up Thursday.