Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1914-06-24
From Wednesdays Daily,)

VI. Clark. County Superintendent OF
Roads. The first step in wha; prom
ises 10 be one of the most sensa-
tional actions ever brought in the
local courts was taken las; night
when Justice Of The Peace Charles
Il. McLane fixed Ciark's bail bond
at $500
Specifically. Clark is charged with
having "willfully. falsely. fraudu
lently. and feloniously. with the in
tent to defraud the County of Yava-
pal. presented certain and fraudu-
lent claim for the payment OF $50
10 George Mason which was then
and there paid by the Yavapai
County Board OF Supervisors" This
is but one complaint OF three drawn
ID and signed by the County At
torney against Clark lie is also
charged with having presented a
similar claim for S5l, submitted
by George Mason and with hav-
ing attempted to cash another war
rant for $o3.25 issued to A. Vii
liams, a colored cook.
Clark. as county road superin
tendent. it is alleged conducted 4
boarding establishment, feeding the
men employed upon road work, I'M
der the auspices Of his private en-
terprise. he charged these men 81
a day and their board bills were
paid him when pay day came
around.
However, Clark. it is alleged.
while he employed the cooks in
his private enterprise, listed them
as county employees and sought
and succeeded upon at least two oc-
casions in having them paid for
their labors by the County board
of supervisors.
This system went along swim
mingly. according to the complaint
until the board sought to investi-
gate a claim for $93.25 submitted
for payment to Mrs A. Williams.
a woman cook at the road camp.
who was listed upon the payroll
for a monthly remuneration of 500.
The investigation which followed
resulted in the county fathers call
ing into consultation the county
attorney and the subsequent draw
ing up OF three complaints. In
the meantime the warrant for
S93r25 was ordered stopped in the
bank by the county attorney.
Clark's bond was last night fixed
at $4,000. He furnished bondsmen
and was released from custody to
await arraignment Ed Shumate
and w, L. Richards went on the
defendants bond.
How the Cat Came Out of the Bag
If the charges against Clark are
proven true. the county road sup
erintendent may finish his term of
office in 4 Florence cell.
No more startling than the ma
lure OF the charges is considered
the way in which the entire trans
action was disclosed
On Friday morning. a woman APP
peared in the lobby of the court
house and encountered Justice OF
the Peace McLane.
Il want to see the clerk" she de
clared.
There are several clerks here
occurred at the camp not to her
liking and she had determined to
get even" with the "smarties."
Apparently, highly familiar with
the cards she held in her hands,
the woman proceeded to the city
where she appeared in the Board
of Supervisors office. I'm not
especially anxious but I am curious
to know why | signed certificate
for S93-25 and only received $50 in
pay for my services as cook at the
camp"
Clerk Belcher could not enlight-
en- her in the matter In fact, he
had not even known that the coun
ty was paying the cook in the road
camp, it being we'll known that the
boarding camp was being conduct
ed as a personal enterprise by Clark
and kellum, the latter the foreman
OF the camp.
The clerk questioned the woman
and learned the facts available. That
afternoon he communicated with
Supervisor Harry w Heap, Chair
man William Stephens was out of
the city. 4 few minutes later. As
sistant County Attorney Joseph H.
Morgan strolled into the room ex-
pressing a desire to hear all about
it."
Two and two were put together
and the addition resulting in four,
the county officials decided that an