The Coolidge examiner., 1942-12-04

quests, Tom Robinson, Casa
Grande publisher, who had editor.
tally requested an investigation
of tax sale proceedings held dur
ing the tenure of Nose Brown as
clerk of the board of supervisors.
was asked by board chairman
Spray to take the witness chair.
Upon seating himself, Robinson
assured the board he had gone
not into the matter in his news
paper to hit any one individual"
but he felt he owed it to his read
ers to get to the bottom of this
matter" He then stated that he
believed the board of supervisors
had been LAX and careless in su-
peryision of tax sales matters and
certain people, l believe, have
profited at the expense of the tax
sales and | believe Pinal county
has not received just revenue
from the tax sales"
Asked by members of the board
of supervisors If he had any
knowledge of other irregularities,
Robinson answered, yes. He
stated one person had not attend
ed the hearing because of fear
of recrimination."
Upon further urging and a word
from Attorney Ellis, Robinson
then named J. A. Harriss, Casa
Grande district farmer who. Rob-
inson said, had told him he had
spent twice as much money as
his deed showed" Robinson al
so mentioned Don Trekall and ].
F. Brown of Casa Grande as hav-
ing been dissatisfied.
Following a recess that ended
shortly before three o'clock. IT.
win Pate was recalled to the
witness chair and he explained
that the Harris bid was a condi-
tion whereby Harris paid him
$500 to make the bid and in the
same check added $500 as the
down payment on a new pickup
truck which he, an automobile
dealer at that time, yet expected
to deliver.
Here Attorney Ellis asked Pate
to explain a transaction involving
$500 worth of his checks which
he had obtained from Nose
Brown and not returned to the
supervisors office until after
Browns arrest. This was explain
ed by Pate who said Brown had
been holding number of his
checks over quite a period and
that most of the checks were old
and that he wanted to give Brown
recent check and did not have
his checkbook with him at that
time.
Ellis then asked Pate if he had
ever paid member of the board
of supervisors or clerk of the
board of supervisors a bribe or
commission. Pate answered mo"
j. A. Harris, who had just come
into the room was called to the
stand and told of having sub
mitted bid on some land near
Casa Grande which had been re-
turned to him. He testified he
was told he could obtain a deed
to the property in question
through Irwin Pate and that he
paid Pate $1100. He denied hav-
ing any knowledge that the pay
ment included $500 as part pay
ment on new truck.
Chairman Joe Spray interrupted
Harris testimony to remind him
that he (Spray) had told him
(Harris) that he could get just
and fair treatment from the board
of supervisors and that it would
not be necessary for him to en-
ploy someone to bid for him. Har-
ris acknowledged Sprays admon-
ition and declared he had not fol-
lowed his advice because l had
been told l could not get the land
unless it went through Pate"
Don Trekell testified that he
had bid on several Casa Grande
city lots only to find at a later
date the property had been sold
to Pate at the identical amount
ne had offered.
Clifford A Clements of Cool
idge testified that he had submit
ted bid on the Cramer Auto
Court in Casa Grande which was
later sold to Pate for $575.
At the end of the hearing, Coun-
ty Attorney w. G.. Truman and
his deputy, Ronald Ellis, stated
they intended to pursue the In
Quiry.