Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-25
Several Matters in the City
Courts.
Two Water Companies at Legal
Odds.
The Guardianship of Miss Mary E,
TOwner.
State Text Books-Chamber of Commerce
Other Items of More Than
Ordinary Interest.

LII u uuSo MChlHlcy COuII an drSu =
ment in the case of the City Water Com
pany vs. Major L. L. Stern ct al. has
been going on for the past two days.
The defendant, in company with others,
some time since obtained franchise
from the city council permitting them to
lay water pipes along the streets of the
city, announcing their intention of
bringing water from the mountains.
The Los Angeles City Water Company
shortly afterward brought suit enjoin-
ing Major Stern and associates from
laying water pipes along the streets,
alleging that the company had been
granted the exclusive right to lay water
pipes some years before. Major Stern,
through his attorneys, demurred to the
complaint, alleging that it did not set
forth grounds sufficient to warrant an
I'M JUNCTION. The argument now going
on is upon this demurrer, and brings
into question the law as to the power of
council to give an exclusive right to
lay water pipes on city's streets.
The Towner Case.
The petition of G.. E. Towner to be
appointed guardian of his sister, Mary
G. Towner, was heard by Judge Clark
yesterday and the petition was granted.
Some time ago Miss Towner, who re-
sided at Santa Monica, was committed
to the insane asylum, but was after
wards released through the efforts of her
brother.
Miss Towner stated on the witness
stand that she was willing and able to
take care of herself and did not care to
have either of her brothers appointed
as her guardian. Her father stated that
just before she was sent to the asylum
she decided lot to a medium by the
name of Miss Freeman, but upon his
going to her she decided it over to him.
He said he held it in trust for his daugh-
ter; that he gave it to her originally,
and was ready to deed it back at any
time. The wife of G. E. Towner stated
that her sister-in-law had the best of
care at his house, but that she was out
of her head half of the time. They were
compelled to use force to get her to
change her underclothing; that her
habits were filthy, and that she could
not be persuaded to disrobe when retir-
ing. Judge Clark, after hearing the
testimony, decided to appoint c. E.
Towner as his sisters guardian.
The Criminal Courts.
In the township court yesterday Frank
Worthington appeared before Justice
Savage for arraignment upon the charge
of having assaulted w. w. McArt with
a deadly weapon on Main street on
Monday night last, and he was re-
manded to jail in default of bonds in the
sum of $4,000, to secure his appearance
for examination at 10 O'Clock on Satur-
day morning next. McArt was unable
to leave his bed Yesterday, and he was
in very low condition, owing to the
loss of blood he sustained after the
cutting.
Another complaint was YESTERDAY
filed against Clayton White, the attor-
ney who is alleged to have ill-treated
his divorced wife on Sunday morning
last, charging him with the more serious
charge of assault with intent to commit
murder. This was deemed necessary on
account of Mrs. Whites condition, which
was considered by the attendant physi-
clans to be very critical yesterday morn
ing, the patient having been seriously
| injured internally, fact which was at
first overlooked. White was rearrested
and taken before Justice Austin for
arraignment, when he was ordered to ap-
pear for examination on Tuesday morn
ing, July Sth, bail being required mean
while in the sum of $4,000.
Henry Edelman, formerly clerk of
Judge Cheney's court, appeared before
Judge Austin yesterday for preliminary
examination upon the first of a series OF
charges, in which he is alleged to have
presented false and fraudulent claims to
Jabez Banbury, formerly county treas
urer, for payment about year ago The
defendants attorneys, Messrs. S. NJ.
White and Henry T. Gage, moved the
court for dismissal of the case on the
ground of the insufficiency of the evil
dence, after the prosecution had intro
duced its testimony, but at the joint re-
quest of the counsel for both sides, the
case was continued until July 1st, when
the motion will be argued.