New-York tribune., 1878-11-21
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
A sITPERFLUOUS MAN.


TupFr CHAIRS IN THE BOARD OF EXCISE CLAIMED
BY FOUR MEN--THE SALARIES QUESTION A0l-
TATED.
William H. Stiner appeared before Excise
Commissioner Merkle at the headquarters on housVoh
st, OF the Board OF Excise, yesterday, ana ueha"uou
ognition as member OF the Board Commissioner MOT
declined TO give such recognition aud then MT Suner ue
parted As either Mr. Merke or Commissioner MOTIF
son will have to give up seat in the Board II Mr'
claim granted by the courts both Of these gen.
tlemen are naturally agtated the affair George
Bliss counsel for Mr. Stiner, received lettef from
Attorney General SchOOnmaker yesterday stauhg lndt
the quo warranto papers in the case wouu oe ssueu
Immediately. Mr. Bliss hopes TO get the case belore 'e
supree Court in January and before the Court OF
Appeals in February He will also formally request
Controller Kelly not to pay the salaries OF eher Oom
missioner Morrison or Commissioner Merkle till the case
Ia decided.
Mr. stiner said yesterday: 81 have met large mum,
Der Of legal friends to-day and all OF them
me upon my prospects, think that the Excise la"
should be amended and made perfectly plain' INC
odous and farcical provision that turns every hoie
where bad liquor is sold hotel is an Insult TO re-
spectacle places of that design alton The Ia" OF lo|''
which empowered the COmms siOners In ther dsPreuo
10 license saloons whose owners were OF goOd mor"I
character the question: but the fanatics dd not
eontented until they exhumed obsolete law OF 1897
am of the opinion that odOus law should nc MADE
more odious by a strict enforcement which would tend
more TO make IL respected all the lobbying OF So
called friends of the liquor dealers ,,
Commissioner Merkle said yesterday that ne nag no
Intention Of recognizing Mr.. Stiner as member OF the
board unless given proofs OF the validity Oh tLd
geutlemau's claim. For the present lie Oel6N ma
this claim only invalid but even aOSulG Mnllt
Mr. Merkle was absent from the otce during ms Iuh
time his room was occupied by George W. morton, WHO
claims a place in the board by virtue OF Judge Ssug
Wiek's recent decision. Mr.. Morton was engaged III
turning over bOORs, and cOnYerslnE WIN one
or TWO friends VINO had called with him. lie sdld ne
had not ceased to CONSIDER himself member OF inc TX
else Board The Governors action III removing nm had
caused him 10 suspend his work III the ONCE len
porary in order TO contest his clam III the courts Inns
legal warfare, he said had been waged by Nun paIy
iu mis- behal and parity IN the interest OF Tue pun
hc The city would be benefited by clear legal decision
regarding the charter under which the EXCISE COu-
missOners held their 0ace. Juoge sedgwickS decision
had the effect Of nullying the Governors acton IN
reply 10 the question whether or not Excise Couhls
soners Morrison and NRrkle recognized hin as mem
Der Of the board Mr. bsrtOu said that tney could not
fail to so recognize Inn. Regarding Mr. StneIs calm
Mr. Morton said he bad not looked up the matter DMt ne
did not consider claim "a very plausible one Nneh
Commissioner Merkie ysurned from luUch, Mr. Mo- ION
had departed The Commissioner then asaed II r
Morton had been recognized as member OF the BOARD
of Excise He replied We have not recognized MN as
member of the board Vet. We have received no proofs
that he is restored TO s former place UItl we receive
such proofs Mr.. Morton cannot be allowed 10 UasAel
any business in the OhoS,"