Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-06
WHITTIER CHEERS
NOOLW|NE SPEECH
Duties Imposed on District At
torney Are Explained to
Large Audience
CHARGE OF BETRAYAL MADE
Hundreds Assembled to Hear
Statement of Conditions in
County Affairs

Thomas Lee Woolwine, speaking last
night at odd Fellows hall, at Whittier,
advanced a new set of sensational
charges in connection with the good
government campaign for his election
as district attorney Reviewing the du-
ties of the district attorney as ad-
wiser of the board of supervisors he
charged that shameless conditions
which lie said We're the work OF the
'solid three would not be possible
with an energetic and faithful district
attorney In office. At other meetings
comprising his county campaign, Mr.
Woolwine promises to make more dis
closurers even more sensational.
"The history of the present board
of supervisors, Of the solid three in
Guiding 'Tus Eldridge, is story Of
one of the most shameless betrayals OF
the public of which we in Los Angeles
have any knowledge" declared Mr..
Woolwine, and his audience cheered
again and again, showing its apprecia-
tion of the statement. They were en-
thusiastic again when the speaker as
serted that an energetic district at
torney might have prevented the oc-
currences.
In his speech Mr.. Woolwine brought
out considerable new matter in con-
nection with his sensational campaign
for a better administration Of the dis
trict attorneys office. He was as
sured after the meeting that he had
made votes both for himself and for
the good government ticket.
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS DUTIES
"In connection with other matters
that will be brought to your attention
tonight" said Mr.. Woolwine, Il want
to talk to you with reference to the
duties of the district attorney nc legal
advisor to the board of supervisors and
the manner in which he has violated
that very important duty.
Section 4154 of the political code
defines their duties as follows:
1.-The district attorney is the legal
advisor of the board of supervisors; he
must attend their meetings when re-
quired, and must attend and oppose
all claims and accounts against the
county when he deems them unjust
and Illegal.
Nov the history of the present board
of supervisors of the solid three in
cluding 'Tus' Eldridge, is a story of
one of the most shameless betrayals
of the public of which we in Los An
geles county have any knowledge.
These elected by you to be the Gus
todians and trustees of your prop
erty and sworn to serve you faith
fully, have consistently sold you out
time and again while the present dis
trict attorney, controlled by the same
malign influences, has stood by and
watched the betrayal, when if he had
done his duty, such things would have
been impossible.
ITO illustrate my point, I will only
deal with two instances: the first is the
attempted bond steal. At that time
Mayor Alexander was one of the watch
dogs who stopped the steal; he has
given me in writing short state
ment of what was done in that matter,
which I will read:
PLANS OF SOLID THREE"
"About September 1, 1908, the prop
osition of selling the good roads bonds
came up. had been absent from the
city for about two weeks, and, learn
ing that the solid three were planning
to sell the bonds at private sale, re-
turned and attended a private session
of the board, something which l sell
dom did. l found they had made ar
rangements to sell the whole issue,
81, 900 of bonds, at a premium of
one-fourth of / per cent, or $3.50.
opposed this sale because I knew the
bonds were worth much more and l
also knew the county would not need
anywhere near the full amount of
money for several years, and the coun-
tv should not be compelled to pay in
terest on idle money for years. ! told
the other members of the board that
would fight the sale to the last ditch.
Nevertheless they went ahead with the
sale. We then forced the matter into
the courts, obtained an injunction and
had the sale set aside
"'About the first of December, fol-
lowing, bids having been called for,
we sold one-tenth only Of the bonds
for a premium of .0477 or $50,0S5, SAL
335 more than the private sale for the
whole issue.
"'During the last year, our action in
selling but part of the bonds has re-
suited in the saving of interest on
81, ,0O0, 900 at per cent, or $120,0o0; and
the county in that time has used but
$134,000 of the first issue.
"'I believe a conservative estimate
of the amount saved to the county by
the increased premium and by the
saving of interest up to date and yet
to be saved, will ammount to nearly
$400, 900.
"'The first sale was attempted to be
put through without advertising the
bids, at a private sale. negotiated by
the members of the supervisors pri-
vately.'
"You will see that this whole matter
of the attempted sale of these bonds at
many thousand dollars under their