The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-26
BUCKEYES INFERNO.
Riotous Meeting of the Election
Commissioners.
stro hers Curious Tactics-The Roughs Sup
port Him-zmiley's Firm stand-Dis-
graceful Incidents.

estimation OIL ueCeuL CitILeuS sdG HiHIoClA
down in the midst of some glory, but he
has brought down on his own head the
anathema of the Democratic ''heeler."
At the previous meetings of tile commits
sion the Republican element had raised
more or less objection to the practice OF the
'heeers" of rushing up and getting their
names placed on the supplemental assess
ment roll So that they might become quail
fed to act on the Precinct Registration
Boards. Mr.. SrOther maintained that the
precedent for that sort OF. WORK mad Deen
established before he went into the Audi
tors office, its legality had never been
questioned, and the thought had never &C.
CURED to him that it was not all right so
much had been said about 1t, however. that
be had taken pains to look into the matter.
and had come to the conclusion that the OBJ
lecIiUnS were well founded. lie asked at
the last meeting Of the board that it be re-
ferred to him to investigate and yesterday
submitted his report Tie Political Code,
he said, provided that " omissions, errors,
or defects in form in any original or dupli-
cate assessment book, when it can be as
certalned theTefrom what was intended,
may, with the written consent Of the Dis
trict Attorney, be supplied or corrected by
the Assessor at any time prior to the sale
for delinquent taxes. and after the original
assessment was mede in the city and county
of san Francisco; the written consent of
the City and County Attorney shall have
the same force and effect as the written
consent OF the District Attorney"
sTRorHER's OPINION.
NOV the question is" he added. "what
right had these persons to be assessed,
II. 1tair riubts the first
Monday in March, 1890, until the fourth
Monday in June, when the Board OF Su-
perylsors finished their labOTS on the assess
ment book Of personal property! IN my
opinion" he continued, the WORD omls-
sion in the section referred to, does not
mean the omission OF an assessment OF
which there is no entry. but is applicable
only where an assessment Is made ana one
or tile other Of the factors, such as the
name or location or the character or the
valuation Of the property is omitted, ana
does not convey, nor is II intended TO con-
yev. powers to make new assessments after
the assessment book has gone out of the
possession and control OF the Assessor and
the Board of Supervisors. These persons
have no warrant Of law TO be placed ON the
asses ment book of 1890, and the action
resulting thereon has been had through
miscOnception of the provisions OF the
statute. The persons whose names are so
entered are not entitled to nor can they
qualify as officers OF any precinct or cleo
ton board. no matter what their motives
are"
DIsMAY OF THE HEELERs.
When Clerk Jacobs had finished reading
the Auditors report pail of silence fairly
oppressive fell on the assembled gang OF
heeiers. Strother looked around IN dis
may ; he seemed at loss to size up the SIT
ualiUn. Always in his position as Election
Commissioner this arrogant political jobber
has never lost chance TO pose for the
plaudts of the dlsreputable gang OF buns
and political ulcers that swarm the meet
iugs. So accustomed had he become to ii
that he thought il a natural consequence of
all his acts, and when it did not come in
this instance he felt called upon to explain.
Your Honor" said he, addressing Reg
isITar Smiley, and In his confusion forget
ting that he was not himself presiding over
the meeting, i have looked INTO ms mat
ter very carefully, and although not an at
torney myself l think l have reached the
only correct conclusion of law. L have not
counseled with solitary person about the
matter, but l am convinced that am
right o,,,-,.
sthat Mr.. StTother's report be accepted as
the sense of this board. ,
'sNo l would rather not have that done,
inter- upted Strother. 81 don't profess to be
a lawyer, and before my report is aeeepte !!
bv This commission | would rather have II
submitted to the City and County Attorney
Tor his approval
Out of respect to the Auditors wish Mr..
OBrien Withdrew his motion. and the re-
port was ordered submitted.
DIPUDENT HENCHNIEN.
All during this discussion the heelers and
FOUNDERS kept swarming in. There were a
guodly number present when the meeting
Opened, but before the commission got
down to the real business for which they
assembled the auditorium was packed, and
the first Corners we're crowded to the very
throne on which the pompous Auditor sat
Bolder and more impudent they became too
ANYTHING said or done by the Registrar or
Others not pleasing to them was Jeered and
ho0ted at, and frequently vile eplthet
would belch from some nasty source.
Finally the commission saw that some
sort of restriction would be necessary 10
keep tie meeting from being turned into a
braWl Of thieves, pimps, plckpockets and
eut-thrOats.
Gentlemen, you must keep ORDER" said
MI Strother, with mOlasses on the end OF
his tongue. If he had fawned on volcano
the effect would have been more marked.
" Gentlemen" he repeated, adding little
mock severity to his tone, "this commission
has the same power and function as court,
don't want to be severe with you, boys, but
if you don't keep order you'll have to go
out"
A LULL IN THE STORM.
There was lull long enough to invite the
commencement of business and as If seiz-
ing the opportunity loud voice arose from
the left.
"Mr. Chairman it said, 81 want to en-
ter my protest against the employment in
the Registrars Office of a diSreputable
character known as FeeDy. He is an opium
fend and perjurer. as can prove, and / OBJ
Ject to these men being summoned here day
after day away from their business Dy such
men as he"
With these words W. ]. Fitzgerald pushed
his way through the crowd and f1Ourished
in the Auditors face a precinct register
of 1888 containing the name of Harry Ell
more, which he said was the name Feeny
went by at that time.
"What about this, Mr.. Registrar" asked
Strother. Pm sure l never heard Of this
II don't know anything about Mr..
Feeny's record" said Mr. Smiley, jumping
to his feet 1.-THE young man came to my
office recommended by Supervisor Ebert,
and had no idea he was not all right.
FEENY IN TROUBLE.
eyes" Clipped in a big. burly bull
faced heller in the rear Of the crowd. II
guessed Ebert recommended him coz he
gits his opium there"
Feeny is the clerk in the Registrars
Office, whose business it has been to 90
around the city, accompanied by DEM
ocratic clerk. and hunt up the residences of
tu6 pt'Sono udHtu ny lue commission 10
act on the precinct boards. The persons
summoned before the board for inyestiga-
ton were those reported upon by Feeny as
not genuine, or about whom there was
some doubt and the heelers were opposed to
being doubted and hauled up by such
as he.
1t was suggested that Feeny's case be in
quired into, and if Mr.. Fitzgerald's stat e.
menIs be found true, Feeny should be
turned out of the Office. The Registrar
said he would look into the matter at
once
BY this time the commission had got
down to the business for which it was
called. james Demas was the first party
summoned. His residence had been given
at S3l u Bush street, and Feeny had re-
ported that he could not be found there.
DemaS swore that he did live there, and
Ilad or long time past. "If that dope
mend keeny had taken few pipes less" he
remai ked, "he could have found me easy
enough"
A LIVELY SKlRAiIBH.
a murmur Of approval went all through
the crowd.
Gentlemen, you must keep order"