The morning call., 1894-04-07
HAS A HEARTY APPETITE.
Restaurateurs Put In Big Claims
in Court.
COSTLY CHAMPAGNE sUPPERs.
Creditors Are Anxious to Realize
on the Notes of Wealthy
Mining Man.

A dozen suits fled at the City Hall bear
witness to remarkable idiosyncrasy of
John t. Hill. These suits are from res
taurateurs and doctors and other pro-
fessional men who live by the usefulness
of their fellow-creatures, and the plaintiffs
are actually suing to recover certain
moneys which they claim. Mr.. Hill owes
them for meals furnished and medical ad-
vice. Whether the medical advice was
found necessary after partaking of the
meals the legal papers do not state, but
Judging from the unanimity of sentiment
expressed by the different professional
men, they are determined to exact certain
moneys from the distinguished defendant,
for their various attempts to kill him off.
In reading the suits one is not more as
tonished at the extent of the appetite
of Mr.. Hill than at the credulity Of
the restaurateurs. In fact Mr.. Hill had
what might be called a penchant for res
taurants. He believes in boarding out"
and little matter OF $500 for champagne
ana wines is as nothing to the eplcnre who
always avoided insulting the chivalrous
spirit of his host by Offering hard cash.
Notes he gave in plenty and it is upon
these notes that the gentlemen of the
white apron and the frogs legs are anxious
to persuade the court and incidentally
Mr.. Hill that he has had wine suppers and
expensive dinners at various places.
John L. Hill is mining man and is
credited with fortune of $500. 600, besides
real estate both in the city aud out OF it.
1t is not known why he deals in the note
system, but il has strained his relations
with good many sreStaurateurs whose
nloi bav cafis iad
some of which run up as high al $500 for
food and wine. 1t does not appear that
Mr.. Hili was mario w-minded in his choice
of place In which to make merry. Not
only are some of the plaintiffs in this city
and county. but there is piercing wall
from the proprietor of an Alameda inn,
whose modest bill is also $500. Many OF
these men have visited Mr.. HIPS Office
They claim to have pleaded with him, even
with tears in their eyes. but have not been
able to get their bills cashed. They have
even gone so far as TO refuse credit to MIR.
Hill, but nevertheless the mining man
thrives and looks well, and somehow and
somewhere gets his pate de foie graS, his
champagne and his ices. 1t is this which
creditors. They cau't make Mr.. Hill get
thin with their suits. His smile is as
bland as ever, his manner just as urbane,
and he Is the last man that pedestrian
would pause TO point out as "a man of
many suits.
Not only the restaurateur has gigantic
kick against Mr. Hill. The mixologist of
the business district is represented in
those suits filed al the City Hall. Mr..
Hill, who does not believe in avoiding any
O. the good things of life, has often gone
over the cocktail route. The amount of
liquor that must have got into the defend
ants interior. according to those bills, EVIL
dences sympathy with The fighters
against the dispensary law. But Mr.. Hi
knows thing or Two about law. according
to Boniface, and that section which makes
1t unlawful to collect more than So as
liquor bill has proved good defense 10
him.
But hereafter IN the haunts where he
was used to wander and get credit Mr..
Hill must needs do business on a cash
basis. The cocktail now has its value
in hard coin and The frogs legs will not
materialize unless the wherewithal is
forthcoming. It's a horrible state of af-
fairs for all parties concerned, and whether
the suits will do anybody any good it Is
hard to tell. hut as long as the defendant
Is credited with the. wealth he is said TO
have they will be pushed. In the mean
time, however, the doctor is condoling
with the restsurateur and both confide
their SORROWS over the bar to the cocktail
maker, and thus between them they man.
age to live. But they often wander up
into MIR. Hill's Office and ask him from
force IF habit if he will net do something
to settle his bills.
As to Mr.. Hill he is like the sphinx,
silent and impenetrable, and whether the
combined efforts of the doctor. the res
taurateur aud cocktail maker will ever
make anything out of him it is very hard
to foretell.