The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-05-21
Penalty for Approving Effort to
Force State Fish and Game
Commission Accounting
Official of Santa Cruz County
Incurs the Wrath of His
Higher Ups"
Must Lose His Place Because
He Has Been Guilty of
Lese Maieste

- xPOsED in the act of venting
IL their petty spite on a man who
dared TO suggest that the state
fish and game commission should
be required to render an accounting
Of the hundreds Of thousands of dol
lars expended by it, some of the most
improved copper riveted performers"
in California have become greatly con-
fused and are making admissions dam
aging 10 their cause Arrayed in all
their glory Lieutenant Governor War
ren Porter, apostle Of performers"
General George Stone-whom George
knight calls Lydia Pinkham" Stone
and F. ". Van Sicklen. members of
the fish and game commission, Chief
Warden Charles Vogelsang. and t,alph
Miller. supervisor of Santa Cruz coun-
~. are after the scalp Of Walter R.
Welch. game warden. and according
to present indications will have pieces
Of it tucked in their respective belts
after June l.
Guilty of Lese MaieSte
That the victim is competent and
efficient is admitted even by his per
secutors, but he is charged by them
with lese majestic in connection with
the demand for an investigation of the
commission. which came up in the re-
cent legislture. and he must pay the
penalty. Assertions which indicate
political blackmail on the part of the
commission are made by one Of the
performers Supervisor Miller. in ex-
planning his activity, while on the other
hand Vogelsang says. in effect. that
Miler's statements are absurd. 1t was
TogeIsang's volubIe deniaIs Of any con-
nection with the affair that revealed
Porter's part in the petty persecution.
Approved investigation
During the last session Of the legis-
Iature Assemblyman Harry Polsley in
troduced a resolution requiring the fish
and game commission to submit re-
port Of receipts and disbursements as
required by law The commission
handles hundreds Of thousands of dol
lars Of the states money. but its mem
bers have steadfastly neglected to pre-
pare a report. The only excuse offered
for this state Of affairs was that the
accounting had been overlooked
The Polsley resolution received com
mendation throughout the state, but
its author was not personally strong
enough TO secure its passage. Walter
r. Welch. game warden Of Santa Cruz
county was one who applauded the
effort to gain some knowledge of what
was being done with the states funds,
and he wrote letter to Polsley in
dorsing his move.
In some manner the letter which
Welch wrote as citizen got into the
hands Of the performers" and from
that time his removal was merely a
matter Of political convenience This
time has arrived and WeIch has been
notified by the board Of supervisors Of
Santa Cruz county, the home of Lieu
tenant Governor Porter, that his serv-
ices win not be required after June J.
The news Of WeIch's impending re-
moval created indignation among true
sportsmen and citizens in Santa Cruz
county and an explanation was de-
4 handed Of Supervisor Ralph Milley. His
unprepared statement has caused panic
among the higher class performers
Feared Wrath of Commission
None Of the supervisors had any
fault to find with Welch as an officer"
Miller is quoted as saying. but we
could not afford to have him antagonize
The state fish commission, which is do
ing great deal for this county. 1t is
spending about $4,000 year here.
il is not only because of what the
commission has done for Santa Cruz,
but because Of what we expect in the
future"
Admitting that he knew nothing Of
the merits Of the controversy over the
state commission. Miller continued:
Il tell you. this county has been get
ting more than its share from the
commission and we can not stand for
Mr.. Welch's taking a hand in the state
fight"
Chief Warden Vogelsang was asked
about the various intimations in the
Miller interview last night and vehe-
mently denied that the commission had
any part in the removal Of welch. but
in his conversation showed strange
intimacy existing between the COM
mission and Supervisor Miller. and also
exposed the deep interest in the fight
manifested by Porter.
Absurd, Says NogeIsang
NIt is absurd to say that the COM
mission has taken any part in this
fight" said Vogelsang. why, we knew
nothing about the matter until / re-
ceired letter from Supervisor Miller