The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 6, 1895, Page 11

HE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER .6, 1895. 11 WAS 1T AN EXTRACRDINARY CONSPIRACY? Charges of Bribery, Subor-]| nation and Intimidation Made. EASTERN MEN INVOLVED The Federal Grand Jury Listens to Sensational Tes- timony. VAST INTERESTS AT STAKE. A Son of Steele Mackaye Onc of the Accused—DMore Startling Develop- ments Expected. Charges of corruption of a most sensa | tional character were the subject of inves: | with allegafion now admitted by all concerned that he 1 suffering from a severe attack of nerv prostration. the fear that Alexander has been laboring under owing to the threats against his life and the predicament he believe: for having given Mackaye an affidavit con- tradicting "his Los Angeles testimony, While the other side allege that he fears the consequences of what they claim is ver{ured testimony given by him for the cause, how- Walter K. Whatever ever, since his removal Alexander has ma- terially improved, and there is every prob- ability that he will be able to tell his own story'to the Gr: again on next Friday. In addition to the witnesses summoned to apcvear before the Grand Jury last Fri- day Walter K. Freeman has since been subpenaed. Marvin L, Freeman was the first one re- quested to enter the star chamber of the Grand Jury. His story simply bristled tions of forgery, briLvry. direful threats, chicanery and kindred moral ex- crescences in connection with what is charged as the criminal conspiracy carried out by Mackaye and Warren P. Freeman. Witness stated that on or about the 11th of October of this year Warren P. Free- man, h\s‘brother‘ appeared at Salt Lake, where witness was re: iding, and that while they were out walking togetherthey met H. S. Mackaye, who greeted Warren P. in such a manner as to give the impres- nd Jury when it meets | 1 | | ous | would put a bullet In him. One side claims the breakdown is due to | | | he is in |} | 50 in order to extricate his three brothers that Church had attempted to bribe them in the interest of his client. Marvin agreed to take part in the scheme until it came to a ‘“‘show down,” as he termed it, and then he drew out. He then told of numerous threats having been made against Alexander by Warren, he latter declaring that Alexander would have to testify as Warren directed or he Warren P. Freeman, one of the accused, was next invited before the Grand Jury. He declared that so far as his knowledge went nothing unlawful had been done by or Attorney Mackaye, nor had any- thing been done showing in any way a criminal conspiracy as charged. 'All that he had endeavored to accomplish, he said, was to get at the truth. So faras the imaginative rubber com- pany is concerned he claimed that scheme had to be resorted to in order to get at the truth. He claimed that all the brothers ew the company was a ‘‘fake” long be- fore they signed the aflidavit secured from them modifying their criginal testimony. ‘The fake company, he explained, was used because the brothers, Wallace E., Alexan- der H. and Marvin L., would talk in bis presence and admit that their original tes- timony was false, but would not so admit to others, and that something had to be done to get them to tell the truthin the ! presence of an outsider. He denies that Mackaye had taken any | active part 1n thisand declared that he did | from the trouble he charged his other brother, Walter K., had got them into by inducing them to perjure themselves when they gave the testimony in his favor. He disclaimed any ill-feeling toward Walter K. and regretted he had to act the part he did, but felt compelled to do so in order to relieve his three brothers from the conse- N « 4 S (l; g WALYACE E. FREEMAN 4 PROMINENT CHARACTERS IN THE ALLEGED MACKAYE -FREEMAN CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY. Y [From sketches by a *Call” artist.] Rt Faaniie AMES | | | tigation before the United States Grand Jury yesterday afternoon. In addition to the criminal features connected with them are circumstances that make the matter of extraordinary intesest. H. S. Mackaye is alleged to have been guilty of subornation of perjury, bribery and criminal conspiracy, and Warren P. Freeman has been charged with the crimes of subornation of perjury, bribery, crim- inal conspiracy and intimidation of wit- nesses. Each of these crimes carries severe penalties in the shape of imprisonment gnd fines, H. S. Mackaye is a New York attorney, who is now in this City representing the ‘Westinghouse Electric Company of Pitts- burg, which is a defendant in a patent in- terference case in which Walter K. Free- man is plaintiff. Depositions in the case on behalf of the defendant have been taken before United States Commissioner Heacock for the past ten day, and the pro- ceedings have been prolific of exciting in- cidents and sensational testimony, the | main features of which have already been | published in Tue Ca Attorney Mackaye | is a son of Steele Mackaye, the author of ‘‘Hazel Kirke,” and who built the Lyceum | and Madison-square Theaters, His father was also the originator of the double stage, which was first used in the Madison-square Theater, and the projector of the “Specta- torium,”’ in which it was proposed to give theatrical performances during the Chi- cago World’s Fair on a scale never before attempted, but the scheme came to naught owing to a lack of means, after the im- mense building which was to house the pl?a was constructed. Warren P. Freeman is a brother of the plaintiff in the patent case, but is allied with Mackaye, and the charges now before the Grand Jury allege that he and Mac- kaye have by bribery induced Wallace E. Freeman to commit perjury, and by the same means have endeavored to induce Marvin L. and Alexander H. Freeman to perjur e themselves. The last three Free- mans are also brothers of the puaintiff, Walter K. Freeman. It is charged further that Wallace E. Freeman, whose deposition_is now being taken before Commissioner Heacock in the | patent case, has in the course of his testi- mony here perjured himself by contradict- ing his former testimony given at Brook- lyn and which was in favor of Walter K. reeman, and that he was induced to do 80 by brii)ery. L5 In the case of Marvin L., it is claimed that bribes have at various times, both here and at Salt Lake, been offered him to change his testimony as given at Chicago &nd which was in favor of his brother. And in reference to Alexander H. Free- man, wko testified at Los Angeles in_be- half of and favorably to his brother, it is charged that not only have bribes been in- effectually offered iim, but his very lite has been threatened if he did not consent to perjure himself in the interest of the Westinghouse Electric Com&ang. Alexan- der is now lying ill at 72 ush street, having been removed there from the Lick House about three days ég, on the advice of his attorney, John L. Boone, in order to relieve him from too close association with Mackaye and Walter P. Freeman, who were and are still stopping at the Lick House. . It was first supposed that Alexander’s iliness was the result of the street encoun- ter he had with Warren P. in front of the Palace Hotel on the night of October 25, when he was kicked in the groin, but it is sion that they had not seen one another for at least years. After the meeting Warren and Marvin had a number of | meetings, in which the project of estab- lishing & rubber company on the Pacific | Coast was discussed, Warren making Mar- vin an offer of $30 a week to take charge of the electrical department of the proposed factory. The case of Walter K. was also brought into the discussion, and a proposition was made to Marvin that he change his testimony so asto favor the Westinghouse Electric Company. In re turn for this he was to be given the posi- tion with the rubber company and also a share of the profits, and as an earnest of { good faith a check for $10,000 was prom- 1sed for distribution among the four brothers, all of whom were to ‘have an in- terest in the company, the capital for which was to be furnished by William Steele, alleged to be a capitalist of San Francisco. Witness further testified that he learned subsequently that Mackaye had come to Salt Lake with Warren, that they had both registered and were stopping at the same hotel, and that Mackaye was in reality the individual represented as Wil- liam Steele of San Francisco. He added that in order to induce him to sign an agreement to change his original testi- mony in the patent case a document was read to him which purported to_be such an agreement as had been alreadfi' signed by Wallace E. and Alexander H. Free- man. He, however, refused to sign it. He finally consented to come on to San Francisco to join the company, in order, as he stated, that he might keeg vosted on the plot he believed to be hatching against Walter. On arriving he soon dis- covered the identity of Steele and also learned that Alexander had never seen or signed the agreement shown him at Salt Lake. As a further inducement to secure his co-operation in the interest of the West- inghouse Electric Company he was in- formed that neither Walter K., who was then in New York, nor his counsel, J. P, Church of Washington, D. C., would be here when the desired testimony in favor of the defendant was to be given. He was also told by Warren that should Walter and his counsel by any chance npgear on the scene the former would be shot and killed and the latter arrested and im- prisoned. Finding persuasion useless, they then resorted to threats, he claimed. He was told that if he did not testify as was desired by Warren $50,000 wounld be spent if necessary to send him to prison for perjury; but even that failed to shake his loyalty to the brother who is battling for the right to a patent involving millions of dollars. Marvin _then related how he met his brother Walter and Attorney Church on tfigir arrival on the 23d of October at Oak- land, and disclosed the entire conspiracy to them. He next told the Grand Jury of what he alleged was his experience since his arrival in this City. Atone time he wastold by Warren that there was $20,000 to be divided between the four brothers if he would tes- tify against Walter. At another time Alexander told him that §5000 cash had been offered him on the same basis. But his most startling statemént was that on last Friday, after the matter had been taken cognizance of by the Grand Jury, Warren had been approached with an offer of §$10,- 000 if he would drop out of the whole mat- ter or go over to the Westinghouse side. Marvin further related another tale of conspiracy which was directed against the well being of Attorney Church. e stated that he and_his brothers, Wailgce E. and Alexander H., were to arrange to get into a room with Mr. Church and then to claim freeman | | guences of the crime they had been led to | | commit by Walter. | This ended the hearing for the day and | | it was continued until next Friday. The | | fact that one witness from each side was | xamined and that a further investigation to be made is believed to_augur strongly | that true bills will be found. | During the progress of the hearing | | nearly all the witnesses were gathered in | the corridor outside the Grand Jury room. ! They were H. 8. Mackaye, Wallace E. | Freeman, Warren P. Freeman, Walter K. | | Freeman, Marvin L. Freeman and Frankie | | Ames. All seemed to fraternize except | Mackaye, Warren P. Freeman and Walter | | K. Freeman. The testimony yet to come promises to | even surpass that already given. | . Upto yesterday morning the proceed- |ings_before Commissioner Heacock in- volving the patent issue were open to all | comers,jbut owing to a desire to suppressa | fresh sensational bit of testimony given by | Wallace E. Freeman the doors were or- dered closed except to the parties directly interested.’ The testimony given by Wal- lace E.Freeman, and the publication of which was objected to by Attorney Mack- | aye, was as follows: | **My brother, Walter K., in order to get | me intn a fight told his wife that I was cir- culating slanderous reports about her. He told her I said she was a drunkard and a | degraded person. This story, like many | others circulated by him, was false, as T | never slandered his wife. She was a friend | of mine and once told me that her hus- band had stolen two instruments from the wen with whom he was employed. “My brother,” the witness continued, “‘is always attempting to cause trouble in my family affairs. He has told my chil- dren all sorts of base stories, and now | they seem to think me a thief. He has voisoned their minds against me.” Speaking of this testimony Walter K., said he was not surprised at any story Wallace E. might tel{ He had heard of similar tales told by him previously. He said he felt only sorry for Wallace; that he had repeatedly come to his financial aid; had repeztedly paid hisrent when his family was threatened with being dispos- sessed of their home, and had provided coal for the family during the winter time | after time. *‘I have done everything in my power,” he sorrowfully ad eed, “‘to make a man of him, but all my trouble has been for nothing, and now he has deliverately turned against me.” MILK FINES GO UP. Judge Joachimsen Has Raised Limit to $20. The case of Peter Cosper,a milkman, charged with selling adulterated milk, was called in Judge Joachimsen’s court yester- day. Cosper was not present, but was rep- resented by his son-in-law, who said he was very ill and had instructed him to plead guilty. Inspector Dockery said that Cosper’s case was an esggravated one. His milk- cans had revealed a milk-and-water sub- stance unfit for hogs to drink, let alone human beings. e expressed the hope that a heavier fine than the usual §10 would be imposed, as Cosper had been warned not to adulterate his milk, The Judge said that he had no sym- pathy for the defendant. He had far more respect for a sneakthief than for a man who persisted in a practice that the law was trying to stamp out. He therefore fined the defendant $20, and if another milkman appeared before him on the same charge he would be made to suffer, the PRESSMEN ON A STRIKE Thirty Operatives Walk Out of Schmidt’s Label Estab- lishment. PRINTERS MAY JOIN THEM, Fifteen Underpaid Girls Among Those Cailed Out by the Union for Higher Pay. The San Francisco Printing Pressmen’s Union has locked horns with the Schmidt Label Company of 17 Main street, and as a result of their differences eleven men, four boys and fifteen girls have been called out on a stri The trouble is over the rate of wages paid and the amount of work required of the operatives, the claim being that the wages are not in proportion to the services performed. The Pressmen’s Union complain that the Schmidt Label Company for the past eight years has been gradually grinding its | workmen until the situation became un- bearable. At a recent meeting of the union the following statement was pre- pared,which explains the difficulty in full: On September 7 & committee of San Fran- cisco Printing Pressmen’s Union No. 24 visited the Schmidt Label Company, 17 Main street, and asked the firm to pay the pressmen in their employ the seme scale of wages that is received by pressmen working for other print- ers in this City—$18 per week for pressmen operating one-cylinder presses or $21 per week for pressmen operating two-cylinder_ presses. Aiter several unsuccessful eforts on the part of the Printing Pressmen’s Union to amicably settle the existing differences and considering the injustice done the workmen by the firm in compelling them to operate thrée and four presses for the same pay that pressmen receive in other offices for gperating one press, ihe union decided to call the workmen out on strike. The system in vogue was such thet the em- Jloyes were virtually compelled to verform ten l\uurs' work in an eight-hour workday, and re- ceived only an eight-hour rate of pay. There | are now on strike eleven men, four boys and fifteen girls. The girls employed by the Sohmidt Company as press-feeders received at least 50 per cent less wages than are paid the same class of skilled labor in the Eastern cities. Label print- ing is high-grade work. It is special work, Few pressmen, have any practical knowledge of it, and exceedingly few are competent work- men in that branch of the business. The chances of “spoilage” on the part of the press- man are many and the Cost very great. The Schmidt Company is the ouly label house in this City that doés not pay the regular scale of wages. We are willing to submit the difficulty for ad- justment to & committee of Typothete, E. L. Fitzgerald, the Lavor Commissioner, or any committee of disinterested eitizens. 8. P. KANE, Chairman Executive Committee, F. O'NEILL, Secretary Union. Secretary O'Neill stated yesterday that everything possible had been done to pre- vent a clash, but all to no purpose. The matter was presented to Labor Commis- sioner Fitzgerald, who called upon the Schmidt people. He was told that the girls received $0 a week, when they get 4 50, 50 per cent less than skilled op- erat; receive in other establishments in San Francisco and the East. As to the men being treated well, Mr. O’Neill said that it could easily be proved that the pressmen were compelled to handle three and four presses, two men’s work for one man’s pay. When the matter was called to the at- tention of the Labor Commissioner the Schmidt people asked for a2 statement as to what the pressmen wanted. The state- ment presented was that the same pay, worlk, hours and treatment as accorded by similar establishments was wanted, and nothing more. The company’s answer was substan- tially that when men were wanted it would hire any one who applied for a po- sition, but that the men would be recog- nized as individuals and not as members of the Pressmen’s Union. ‘“*Since then,” said O'Neill, “the com- pany has been hard pressed for competent workmen and has lost lots of time 1n try- ing to break in new operatives. The girls who went out on a stirke have been sent for, but they refused to return to work un- til the difficulties with the men were set- tled. The company has threatened to send to Germany for operatives, because it can’t secure competent help in this State or in the United States, as all skilled pressmen belong to the international union.” The pressmen state that if the Schmidt Label Company persists in its course the printers may decide 1o go outon a strike until the difficulty is adjusted. NEW CITY R THE 084D One in Which All Fraternal Or- ganizations Are to Have Plats. An Addition to the San Mateo Ag- gregation of Ceme. teries. Another cemetery is being laid out in San Mateo County, and one feature of it is that it will be the one, if the purpose of the projectors can be carried out, in which there will be plats owned by nearly all the fraternal organizations. Up to thistime four prominent organizations have se- cured sites. These -are: The Native Sons of the Golden West, the Xnights of Pythias, the Improved Order of Red Men and the Ancient Order of Foresters. Thesite selected for this new city for the dead covers 210 acres, situated on the western slope of the San Bruno Range, north and east of the Jewish cemeteries— “‘Hills of Eternity” and ‘“Home of Peace” —which are north of “#oly Cross.”” The site fronts on San Bruno avenue and is easy of access from the Southern Pacific and the San Francisco and San Mateo Electric lines. The cemetery is on what for many years has been known asthe “Abbey Homestead.” It will be known as “Mount Olivet,” and will be managed by an association of which Hiram T. Gravesis the secretary. ‘‘We desire,” said Mr. Graves yesterday, ‘“to _have as many of the fraternal organi- zations as possible make this the resting place for their dead. We have made them a very liberal offer, and many of the fra- ternities have the matter under considera- tion. The land was Erocured from t] Abbey Company, and the cemetery will be munngsed by an association under the laws of the to fraternal organizations, graded and with avenues and walks all laid out and finished before turning such over to the purchasers. One-half of the purchase money is to be paid to the Abbey Company for the land and 10 per cent is to be paid to the ceme- ter?y association into a fund to which other lotholders will contribute 50 per cent of the purchase money, for the purpose of keeping the avenues, grounds an every- thing else in repair and order. The re- maining 40 per cent is to be retained by each fraternity for the purpose of beau- tifying its plats. ‘‘The site chosen rises sllfht]y from the road to the east, and is said by those who are competent to judge to be a magnificent one for the purpose. Ithasbeen graded and cleared ; feet of six-inch pipe has been laid along the central avenue from west to east, three reservoirs have been built, and now workmen are laying branch pipesso as to supply every section with ‘water from an artesian well, which has been sunk toa depth of 370 feet and fur- nishes an abundant supflly. The greater portion of the ground has already been fenced in, and work will soon be com- menced on a large receiving vault, and on which it is proposed fo make the finest mortuary chapel in the State. “The Native Sons have secured a frac- tion under twenty acres inthe extreme northeastern corner of the grounds, the Knights of Pythias have a little over ten acres in the northwestern section, while the Red Men and the Foresters have each secured a good-sized plat.” San Bruno avenue is being graded to the new cemetery, and where it extended southward it will form the boundary line between ‘‘Mount Olivet”” and the *‘Hills of Eternity” and “Home of Peace” ceme- teries. The time for the opening of “Mount Olivet” has not yet been set. ————— NOTHING IN THE CASE. Charge of Felony Embezzlement Against Caro Bros. Dismissed. 3 The case of A. W. Caro and I. W. Caro, importers of woolens, 723 Market street, charged with felony embezzlement, was dismissed by Judge Campbell yesterday, as there was no evidence to support the charge. The complaining witness was Mrs, Ella Svroles, 106 Eddy street. She had arranged with G. F. Langtry, a tailor, to go into the tailoring business with him and gave him $250 to buy goods. Langtry went to Caro Bros. and purchased $300 worth of goods, paying them $150 on account. He left the and Caro Bros. were to forward the goods to him on hearing from him. Mean- e Mrs. Sproles learned that Langtry had leit the City, and she made a demand upon Caro Bros. for the goods, on the ground that they had been purchased with her money. They refused to give her the goods, not knowing her in the transaction, and through her aitorney she swore out a warrant for their arrest on the charge of embezzlement. SOUTHSIOEINPROVENEAT The Executive Committee of South of Market Street Clubs Still Alive. It Wants Folsom Street, Between the Rails, Paved With Bitumen. The executive committee of the South- side Improvement clubs, having learned that it 1s the purpose of the Market- street Railway system at an early day to put through the Folsom-street line, and that it will probably pave be- tween the tracks with basalt blocks, is taking steps to induce the company to use bitumen instead of blocks. The committee held a meeting last even- ing in the office of Dr. A. F. Rottanzi to discuss the matter. After the president had briefly stated the objects of the meet- ing, A. B. Maguire stated that it was proper that the committee took some action, if only for the purpose of showing that the clubs, though not sctive in the past two months, are still alive and awake to_the necessities that brought them into existence. He said that if some steps were not taken to induce the company touse bitumen, it would surely lay down the basalt blocks and then 1t mizght be many years before the ends sought for by the clubs could be attained. The people of the Mission di trict, he said, want one decent thorough- fare from Twenty-sixth street tothe water front, and it is Folsom street that they want. ‘The Supervisors, he added, had not made any appropriation for the Southside and he thought it was time that the people of that section, which occupies one-third of the area of the City, contains nearly one- third of the population and pays taxes on $7,000,000, should have some recognition. But the Supervisors appropriated $15,- 000 for the Fifteenth-street sewer,” sug- gested one of the members. “That does not count,”” retorted Mr. Maguire. ‘It is notfor the benefit of the | Mission district; it is simply to drain the Park district.” Another member remarked that if the clubs had raised a good sum and placed it where it would do the most good the wants of the Southside would have been looked after. “I, for one,” said Dr. Rottanzi, “am, firstand last, opposed to any such methods.. I would not contribute one cent for any such’ purpose.”” “And 1,” added Mr. Maguire,* “would not accept any improvements under such conditions, and the sooner that topic is dropped the better.”” I would like to say that I have exam- ined thereportof Superintendent of Streets for 1894-95,”” said President Schwartz, “and find that during that period the amount expended by the Street Depart- ment for the entire Southside was $7707 08, and the work done was on the Brannan- street sewer, repairs to two blocks on Sixth street and some repairs in front of Colum- bia square.” After some general talk as to the best method of bringing the matter of paving between the rails before the railway au- thorities it was decided that a committee should call upon H. E. Huntington and haye a talk with him. The following were appointed as such committee: I. Schwartz, A. B. Maguire, Captain G. A. Reabe, H. Sommers, J. H. Wiester, F. A, McKewen, Dr. A. T. Rottanzi, George D. Shadburne and H. B, Russ. This committee will call gpou Mr. Huntington within the next two ays. CITY HALL THIRD STORY. It Serves for the Usual Exchange of Personalities at the Meeting of the Commission. The City Hall Commission is nothing if not entertaining. It has less to do for its money than any other adjunct of the big building, but its semi-monthly meetings are always fruitful of entertainment, at least to those who attend. Now that the angel of the dome has begun to sag a little in public interest the Mayor’s proposition toadd another story to the City Hall be- fore putting on the roof takes its vlace as a topic over which members may quarrel and go into personalities. Plans had been prepared by the Cit; Hall architect, but both Creswell and Brod- erick declared the scheme impracticable for one cause or another. Broderick de- clared that the plans wouid not give suffi- cient light lmf) when the architect said they would Broderick intimated that he did not know his business. The estimate for putting on the five feet of wall required was $70,000 and the Mayor said it would be cheap at much more than that, as each of the other stories had cost a million ora million and a half. The tate. We offer platsin the grounds [ City would have a million population some day and would need the additional story to the hall. Broderick declared that he thought the Mayor knew too much; he was looking so far ahead all the time that he was some- times out of sight. When the City had a million inhabitants it yould be divided up into districts, each haVing its own Po. lice courts, now central at the City Hall. The Mayor claimed to know as much about architecture, finance and city halls as Mr. Broderick “and, perhaps, a little more.”” He wanted to know why the City was spending $350,000 to build a new City Hall on Kearny street. “Because the property - owners there want it to enhance the value of their prop- erty. That’s the only reason,” said Brod- erick. - And with these pleasant personalities, and much more of the kind, the commis- sion adjourned, having done nothing else. PORT CHARGES EXTENDED, e . The Commissioners Want All the Dues Coming to the State. THE BOATMEN MUST PAY RENT. Vessels That Discharge in the Basin Will be Taxed for Wharf- age. The ‘meeting of the Harbor Commis- sioners was quite interesting yesterday. Chadbourne was absent, so President Col- non did not bring up his motion to remove the nickel-in-the-slot machines. Commis- sioner Cole did not propose that his | movement in favor of reducing the hours of work for collectors and wharfingers during the winter months should go over, and he called it to the attention of the chairman. ““The State says a day’s work is eight hours,” said President Colnon. “Our wharfingers and collectors start in at 7 A. o, and call it a day when the 5 o’clock whistles blow. Of course, the situation demands such a service at times, but [ am with Commissioner Cole in reducing the hours of service. If Mr. Cole will make a motion to the effect that wharfingers and collectors report for duty at 8 a. M., from this date to March next, I will second it.” Cole made the motion and it was car- ried, so that all the men in the employ of the commission, from the Arctic Oil Works to Meiggs wharf, will have an hour more to themselves in the morning for the | next four months. Inspector Bienenfeld caused quite a sen- sation at the meeting. He has been over- looking the building of the sheds on Clay- street wharf, and when Healy, Tibbetts & Co. put in their demand for a final settle- | ment he claimed that the work had not been done according to specification. According to Bienenfeld the lumber used was wet and not fit fora Government build- ing. The gutterways were water-soaked, and instead of being the ‘‘very best red- ‘wood,” as the contract called for, it was of the poorest kind and not fit to put in any kmd of an edifice raised by the State. The contractors denied the assertions made by the inspector, and Healy de- manded the appointment of an expert. “There is over $1000 coming to us,” said he, “and we will put that money up against a similar amount in order to test this matter. Let us get 2 man at once, and see where the truth of the matter lies.” + *We can have an examination and settle the whole matter by next Thursday,” sug- gested President Colnon. “No, I can’t be here next Thursday,” said Healy. “I have to make my bread and butter, and the letting of another con- tract calls me to Stockton. Just the same, if the board will get an outsider and take his opinion I'll stay by it.” S Chief Engineer Holmes was of the opin- ion that the work had been well and fairly done, but President Colnon will have an investigation that no doubts may rest on the stability of the structure. A point which contains great interest for ell the boatmen along the front was brought to the attention of the board. “Tommy’’ Cro\\‘le" asked permission to erect a small “ark’ on the water front at the foot of Powell stréet. A score of the same kind of houses are now on the vacant space between Powell and Mason, and not one of the 100 or odd men and boys who live in them pay a cent in rent. They are all boatmen, and at least one-half of them | are in the employ of butchers, clothing houses and boarding-masters. Young Crowley is a free lance, and wants a simi- lar privilege. His boat hangs on the davits at Meiggs wharf, and he wants a ‘“‘cottage” near it. 2 Commissioner Cole was of the opinion that all the squatters should pay rent to the State, and President Colnon agreed with him. An investigation will be held, and the chances are that at the next meet- ing of the board all the sqnatters will be called upon to pay rent. The application of George F. Damon for the lease of the lot bounded by Mason, Jefferson and East streets went over till next meeting day. In the meantime President Colnon and Commissioner Cole will investigate the matter. Chief Engineer Holmes was given per- mission to try a new scheme for the accommodation of ferry passengers. It will cost about §3000 to put it in operation, but President Colnon is of the opinion that “the game is worth the candle.” Engineer Holmes wants a double track. A hydraulic ram will keep the passage- way in position so that it will always be ready for each steamer that getsin from Alameda or Oakland. On the upper track the people will leave the ferry-boat and on the lower one the passengers who want to reach the other side will troop aboard. The upper track will lead from the hurri- cane deck and the lower from the main deck. Everything will be so arranged as to allow the teams and express wagons to pass below the passengers and thus pre- vent any chance of danger from a run- away. Chief Wharfinger Root brought up the proposition of the schooners and steamers loading and unloading in the basins. He pointefi out that such craft did not pay wharfage, and thought they should. Presi- dent Colnon looked up thelaw in the case, and came to the conclusion that every ves- sel that loaded or unloaded in a basin was liable to wharfage. He so expressed him- self, and the matter went over until the next meeting. Chief Wharfinger Root stated that col- liers and lumber schooners were con- stantly going to Mission Flats and there transferring or discharging their cargoes. By this means they escaped paying wharf- age, and the State was out just so much money. This state of affairs will be changed, and all vessels discharging in the basin will in future have to pay the State tax. HE WANTS 0 DIVIDE, Adam Grant’s Suit to Have the Murphy-Grant Property Distributed. A Day Consumed in Arguments Upon the Question Before Judge © Slack. The suit of Adam Grant to have the Murphy-Grant property sold and distrib- uted was on argiment before Judge Slack all day yesterday. There was determined opposition from the attorneys for the Mur- phy girls and at 4 o’clock none of the par- ties had finished. There were five attorneys representing over twice as many clients in the case, Mr. Deering appeared for Mrs. Dominguez (formerly Miss Mary Ellen Murphy), Miss Frances Murphy and Miss Isabella Mur- phy; A. A. Moore represented the admin- istrators of Mrs. Anna Murphy’s estate; Lloyd & Wood represented Adam Grant; Cbarles A. Wheeler spoke for Dan and Sam Murpby and for Lady Wool. Mr. Earl looked after the interests’ of v minor heirs of Eugene Murphy. The estate of Birs. Anna Murphy, de- ceased, which included fourteen twenty- fourths of the Murphy-Grant property, is now in litigation, and “on this fact the de- fendant qurphys rest their principal ob- jection to the distribution of the property. he Murphy girls do not want the Mur- phy-Grant property sold—at least until the questions now pending in the Oakland courts are settled. Mr, Deering. in his ad- dress to the court, argued that it was i: possible to properly distribute the prop- erty until the interests of all parties had been settled. Should the MurplB' girls wish to bid on the property, Mr. Deering argued, they would not, at the present time, know just what they were bidding on. They claim nine twenty-fourths of the property in question, but, in the pro- bate case in Oakland, the contention is that they are entitled to bat three twenty- fourths. Bhould it be decided that this latter figure is their interest in the prop- erty, it would, Mr. Deering said, make a vast difference in their bids on the sale, should they desire to bid. Therefore, he maintaiped, the property should not be sold for distribution until this question of inheritance is settled. It was argued on the other side that the Oakland court had to do with the Murphy interest in the property, and not with Grant's, and that, therefore, he should not be deprived of his property until the Murphys had settled their differences. The Murphy boys are siding with Grant in the suit. The case will go on again to-day. e i ik S DETECTIVE COFFEY'S WIDOW. She Brings Suit to Recover Money From the Police Pension Fund. Elten Coffey, widow of Detective Dan Coffey, who committed suicide about two months ago, has petitioned the Superior Court for a writ of mandamus to compel the Police Commissioners to pay her $1000, which she claims is due her from the police pension fund on the death of her husband. The Police Commissfoners refused to pay the money because, they claimed, the de- tective had not died by natural causes. An alternative writ, returnable Novembex 14, was granted by Judge Troutt. NEW TO-DAY. Why the Maze Is Such an - Attractive Shopping Place. The Ups and Downs of the Mer~ cantile World Make It Possible for the Cash-~Buying Merchant to Keep | His Store Attractive With Extraor- dinary Values Extracted From the Stocks of Importers and Jobbers Crushed to the Wall, and Which Are as Eagerly Sought After by Mr. Cash as the Crumbs Dropped on the Sur~ face of the Ocean Nibbled by Schools of Fish Beneath. We Only Buy and Sell for Cash. Our $1.00 Real Kid Glove Is the best in the State for the price—our word for it or your money refunded if it proves not to be. La Mazenos are 150, kept clean and in repair free. Boucle Dress Goods, 50c to $3 a yard. At any price they are bargains; our 50¢ line never to be replaced again; they cost us 724¢ at the mill and the manufacturer will nog | make them under 15¢ » yard advance. French Plaids, ¥ 50c to $1.75 a yard. Scarce as hen’s teeth; what we have ara yours at old prices. Fancy Silks Go for Nothing, You'll think that's so after you inspect our lines at 50c, 65¢, 75¢, $1. Cloaks and Suits. Take the medium_priced Jackets or Capes; a child knows the value of a#5 garment; you know what that sum will buy at other stores; see_ours; yow'll know at & glance whether it's cheap or dear; then judge the balance of our Capes and Jackets as high as $50 and corre- spondingly better value. Suits. 1f you follow our advertisements it must be somewhat of a chestnut for you to hear us re- peat that in our £6 to $10 suils we don’t get the price of the materials back. Spring was a big suit season, fall a disastrous one. They are not npfeliz[ng‘ 50 we cannot eat them. We can only sell at any price they bring. Ladies’ Tailor-made Costumes to order. Millinery. It’s true that we have trimmed the hats that some of the leading milliners wear. Artistg excell each other, don’: they? Well, ours is the finest trimmer in the city, and we ask only dry-goods store profits. German Printed Flannels, 25c. These are downstairs, and_you save from 12150 to 25c a yard on them for the stepping down. One hundred pieces to select from. Some are all wool and some all cotton. Blankets, Comforts, Quilts, Linens, Towels and Crash, At bargain prices if you need any. Send for our Illustrated Catalogue. Mailed free. “Toward evening there tea—" was How much more delicious tea is if served from a pretty table. One like this, for instance. The rim around top is raised, giving a tray effect. Fluted legs. No- tice those “bumps” on shelf be- low—put the cups there when through. Delicate pearl bead- ing surrounds the top and lower shelf. In Antique Oak, Golden Birch, Birdseye Maple or Richly Grained Mahogany. Not at all expensive, Carpets . Rugs . Mattings CALIFORNIA FURNITURE COrPANY (N. P. Cole & Co.) 117-123 Geary Street