The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-07-30
SIEBE Is READY.
He Sc0rnS Demurrer ant
Answers on the Merits.
The Case to Gust Him Continued, Judge
Slack Believing Himself Disquali-
fed 70 Try 1t.

Assessor John ID. Siebe made his answe
Yesterday to the petition aud accusation o
John L. Dunn on behalf of the CitiZenT
Defense Association to Dust him from offict.
W. II. l.. Barnes and Napthaly, FrIeder-
reich IL Alderman had been retained IS
counsel. Mr.. Siebe asked that the ACCUSE
tlon be dismissed and that he may have AM
recover his costs in defending this pr0ceeC-
ing.
The matter was To have been heard BE-
fore Judge Slack and tie courtroom doc
was besieged with lawyers and politician.
1t had been intended after the filing Of TIE
answer to go to trial Immediately, but II
this there was a disappointment. for JudH
Slack did not appear. 1t was found on cons
su!ting Presiding Judge Trout that Slack
objected TO hearing the case, because te
thought that his II years friendship ard
Intimacy with City and County AttoIuy
burst. one Of the principal witnesses, ds-
qualified him. After some discussion judge
Trout concluded TO reasSign the case 20
some ether department., and so the ca,e
went over for one week.
The answer filed was an elaborate dou-
ment, which denies seTiatim every char.e
OF wliul misconduct, and furnishes an *
PLANTATION OF each OF the eases referred "a n
the complaint. Among other charge"
said Mr.. Barnes, and eThaps the pra-
cIpal one, Is that Nj. Siebe, after the as
Sessment-rol had been acted on by tie
Board of Supervisors sitting as a cOuDy
Board of Equalization aud had been con-
plet changed the assess meut on the frau
chise of the California Safe Deposit sld
Trust Company from $4,000 to 5000.
MIR. Sebe says that he first assessed ne
franchise at $4,000 being $4,000 mre
than Mr.. NealOn, his predecessor. had s.
sesSed It. The officers Of the company
went before the Board of Equalization AID
obtained reduction on Neaiou's asses
ment Of $4,000 TO $4,000 BY some error.
although the proceedings OF the board
showed TINS reduction. II was not made 10
properly appear upon the assessment-roiL
The company, however, paid the tax on the
valuation of 5000. After Siebe's assess
ment Of $4,000 the company vigorously pre-
tested. After a dispute as 10 the rect
MI. Siebe agreed TO assess the franc
the same figure ii had been assessp
Board OF Equalization.
Upon referring TO his books
meffs APPEARED TO lie $40 00C
therefore SO assesss3-'bsN f-=ss-e
its being subsequently made TO az. -ae
the Board of Equalization had heard tito
whole ease, and had assessed the franchise
at 5000. Nj. Siebe presented the whole
record TO the City and County Attorney, and
he advised that ii be reduced 10 5000. and
the correction was accordingly made. The
other charges are in relation 10 the reduction
on steamers and sailing craft. In re-
spect 10 these charges MIR. Siebe saws that
In each case he raised the assessments over
those OF Nealon. None of the vessels were at
the time Of assessment in port, aud h c
therefore had 10 rely upon the two eircum-
stances OF age aud tonnage TO fix the yalua-
ton.
"S0me of the steamers were only golfers,
but were assessed as passenger steamers.
Some were old aud worn out, AMI, as the
facts IN respect TO them were made 10 APP
pear by affldavitS of owners and experts
the assessments were reduced 10 what were
considered just by the advice and consent
OF the City and County Attorney. Mr.. Siebe
says there was good deal of friction be
tween himself and burst as to the c0nstruc-
ton OF section 32Ol OF the Political Code,
which authorizes the correction of errors
and omissions upon the asses Sment-rOll
before taxes are paid. II appears that on
the i1tn Of October, 1890, burst addressed a
letter 10 Mr.. Ebert, chairman Of the Finance
Committee, Informing him of the condition
of affairs, and Mr.. Ebert replied on the
same date that IL was the opinion of the
finance Committee that wherever II ap-
peared that an injustice had been done il
should be rectded, as by mat course the
city could not be harmed and the taxpayer
would be justly dealt by. This was in
dOrsed by tie Mayor and Auditor and the
manifest errors were corrected.
lit is claimed by Mr.. Siebe that the
cOurss followed by him has been pursued
by every Assessor since 1865. 4 statute Of
that year authorized correction OF the as
sessment-roll In certain specified cases, a.,
Tor instance, where clerks have omitted the
dollar mark or mi5described properly, or
committed ordinary biunders incident 70
such Work. The code made the powsr5 Of
the Assessor unlimited Ia respect 10 the cor
rectlOns, and since the adoption of the code
the custom has become invariable. It's In
teresting Tn know that Mr. Siebe', ac-
who AHfif.r f, o 40,
mltted corrections TO be made In the assess
meni-roll when 1t was IN his HANDS when
proof was made OF the necessity. to the ex-
tent OF Sl,0S4, Geo. ana also PERMITTED 2; cor
reetlons OF the roll by addition of $40.
Mr. Slebe claims that by the courss pur-
sued IN the Office during his administration
The city and county has been largely bene-
hted, while he has In proper case per-
United reductions, alterations and rectifca-
uons OF errors, and has also increased rs
sessments ard added properties to the roll
as the same were discovered. without ref
erence to time when made If his showing
Is correct. he has during his term. over and
above all deductions, added to the assess
ihent-roll 30 much OF value that taxes have
been increased and paid in sum exceeding
S40OO. ho relterates in respect 10 each
charge that as TO il and every other matter
he has acted honestly, in good faith and
without evil intent, and for the benefit Of
the city and taxpayers. and defes Mr. Dunn
or any one else to impeach his administrs-
ton.
His attorneys claim that Dunr's com
plant Is demurrable and not worth tie
paper II is written on; but Mr.. Siebe has
swept aside all technical defenses and ex-
pressed his wish to try his case upon It's
merits, without any objection, and throw
the doors wide open TO judicial iuyestiga-
Hon. lie adds that Dunn's own experience
was precisely Tint of every officer before
and since his time"
sixteenth-s Street Extanston.