The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-09-06
A SEWER MIDDLE.
One Officials Head Goes
Into the Basket.
SAN LEANDRO DISTURBED.
Will Be Punished for RObbing a
Reporter.
GEORGE GREEN'S WILL is FILED.
Anton Miller in Jail Charged With
an Attempt to Burn His
Property.
GEORGE GREEN'S WILLIS FILED.

OAKLAND.-The question of lateral
sewers and private contracts has thrown
the little town of San Leandro into d
fever of excitement. and one city official
the Superintendent of Streets-has al
ready lost his head and there are threats
of several suits against the proprietor of a
certain local paper which has been roundly
denouncing the Town Trustees for their
part in the affair.
When the town decided to sewer itself
some time since the property-owners were
given permission to build the lateral sew
ers connecting them with the mains by pri-
vate contract. Negotiations were opened
with contracting firm named Williams &
Belser, and the work on the lateral sewers
was begun. The first trouble came in the
charges. 1t was said that the firms took
the work al the rate of 20 to So cents per
foot, while other property-owners said the
price would reach 30 to 80 cents per foot,
which would considerably exceed the
price that would have to be paid on pub
lie contract The Trustees sided with the
contractors and the work. even with this
question undecided, was proceeded with.
The disgruntled property-OWnerS told
Superintendent of Streets Watkins that
they would hold him responsible if ne al
lowed the work to go on as mapped out by
the contractors, and on Friday, when the
contractors started 10, Watkins was in Oak
land. He was reached by telephone. and told
Town Marshal Geisennofer to stop the work,
and he Marshal did as he was ordered.
Affairs began 10 assume serious shape In
San Leandro when il was found that the Street
Superintendent had ordered work stopped
which the Trustees had sanctioned, aud on
Saturday night last a special meeting of tile
board was called to remove Watkins from
office. That gentleman had not been invited to
be present, nor had he received any notification
q lei 10 Naa and
with his attorney Elwood Bruner, and asked
to be heard. When he attempted TO talE or his
attorney tried 10 appeal for fair play they were
crowded down, and the meeting threatened 10
break up in free fight Finally the motion 10
remove Watkins was put and carried by vote
OF 4 TO l. the negative being Trustee Bilger.
When this was rushed through the president
declared the meeting adjourned before word
could be said, and then confusion reigned In
The hall for some time. The friends of Watkins
tried 10 get in word for him, but their voices
were drowned in the hubbub.
On Sunday local paper issued an extra Bit
terly denOunclng the bOald, but IL had little
effect, for Oh Monday night the board again
met and adjourned Til Tuesday night, when it
met again and appointed w. Ii. Gray as Street
Superintendent IN place of Watkins.
The tearing up OF the streets for sewers is
again 10 full progress, and numberlesS lawsuits
are talked Of
Man of Many Crimes.
The individuals whose engagements cause
them 10 traverse the streets at witching hours
around midnight will probably be greatly re-
IloVeQ 10 know tlaJ tue police have at last
ceeded in running down the leader of the trio
OF footpadS who nave robbed at least tive cIti.
zens within the last two weeks aud beaten an
other almost TO death. The arrest WAS the re-
suit of some very clever detective work. What
The fellows real name is he Will not tell, but il
Is known that ne has at various times been
known as William Knowles, Joe Williams
Zammt Fred Edwards and Frank Leek, aud
lie has served term In prison under almost
every name for almost many crimes.
The hrst link in the chain of circumstances
against the man OF many names was afforded
by the robbery OF A. P. Leach. newspaper
porter, one week ago last Saturday night.
Three men held him up and took from him
gold watch and chain. The men were not
masked and young Leach recognized two of
them before they ordered him TO move
Last Monday the San Francisco detectives
founc the watch and chain in a Montgomery
street pawnshOp III San Francisco. From The
description given by the pawnbr0ker the Off
GERS recognized Knowles, and traced him TO
lodging-hOuSe on Dupont and Bush streets.
The place was watched all one day by Chief
Schatfer, Detective Holland and several San
Francisco officers, and il was not until well
into the evening that they saw their man. He
was bounced upon without warning and con-
Veyeo To the city prison, where he was identi-
BID by Mr.. Leach as one of the men who stole
his watch and chain, and by the pawnbroker
as the man who sold The articles 10 him. Many
other jobs on the local highway are being
traced 10 Knowles.
His prison record Is one of which any con-
htmed crook may be proud. 1t is as follows:
August 4, 1884. sentenced TO six months in the
House Of Correction; January %, 1886, sent
burglary; March %, 1889, sentenced to Fol-
som for eight years for robbery. He was re-
leased under the last sentence July 26 las, and
1t may be added that he is now well on his way
~ Dack 10 prison.
George Green's VIII.
bulky document, covered with English
stamps ana seals, was filed yesterday with the
County Cl1Tk u was the will of George
Green. the machnst whose body was found
floating on March last of the shore OF San
-Maleo County Green bad been at work I'D to
The time OF his death in the shops OF the South
ern Pacific Railroad in West Oakland. His
identity was Tor time mystery. and when it
was finally fully es a0ished. other things were
learned about Green not before generally
known one thing in particular was the fact
mat he died rich man, leaving property IN
England, his native land, worth upward OF
The document filed yesterday is dated
August u, 1879 and opens with the following
words: This Is The last will and testament of
Neorge Green, yeOmaD, native OF Ashby,
county of Lincoln"
The property of deceased of whatever nature
aDd Character is left TO the mother, Aun Green,
and at her death 10 revert TO Green's brother.
The document bears the impressive heading
Of The Divorce aud Probate Court of the county
OF Lincoln. and 10 cap all it has attached Ger
tlhcate dated August IL, 1894, bearing the
signature OF T. F. Bayard, "embassador extra
ordinary and munster plenipOtentiary to the
court OF Great Britain"
Considered Not Humane.
Judge Greene is not as humane as the Ala
media County Humane Sociey would like him
o De. an d he was very sharply criticized at the
last meeting OF the Humane Society, at which
there was good attendance.
Inc particular instance in which Judge
Greene is accused OF showing more regard for
law than for humanity is the case of the little
glrl, Barbara Corea, who was so brutally pun.
ished by her father, now serving sentence In
prison for his action.
Mrs. Sanford asked Judge Greene to make
her the chtlds guardian. This his Honor de-
cllned TO do until the petitioner brought The
Two brothers OF Barbara into court TO show
whether or not they would care for their sisttr r.
But one brother could be found, and he told
Judge Greene that he could do no more than
support himself.
After considerable delay Mrs. Sanford was
made the child's guardian but Judge Greene's
conduct IN the case convinced Mrs. Sanford
that the court did not take the lively interest
IN the Humane Society that he should
It's First Witnesses.
In the course OF the hearing OF the suit OF the
city against the Oakland Wafer Front Com
pany, which was resumed before judge Odgen
Yesterday morning, pleasant Interruption of
The inonotoDy which has marked il occurred
when the reading of aged documents was sns-
pended long enough TO hear two witnesses,
the first called by tire corporation.
George I. Aardt, the civil engineer and c.
L. HAYES, secretary Of the Pacific Improve
ment Company, testified at some length as TO
what they considered shallow water. Then
100 documents were offered in evidence and
for the remainder Of the day the monotonous
dTone OF these readers pervaded the courtroom.
A Landlsdy's Pest Arrested.
Naarlv ona war aoo a very srnooth individual