The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-24
But THERE Is AN AGREEMENT TO
KEEP THE AFFAIR A
SECRET.
SAYS 1T WAS ALL a JOKE.
COMMISSIONER DAVE DOES Nor
BELIEVE He HAS ANY RIGHT
Tc HIS SEAT.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,
600 DOT


The Rev. c. Edward Davis, the Oakland
preacher who occasionally does an act
from Shakespeare in the pulpit, says he
has been put to considerable annoyance
by practical joke played on him by his
brother. who is a reporter on an Oakland
paper A few days ago the engagement
was announced of Rev. Edward Davis to
Miss Fayne Strahan, an Oregon belle, and
daughter of the late Chief Justice Strahan
OF Portland The story stated that the
marriage would take place next Easter.
a few days later the Oregon papers pub
hshed the engagement, which the young
lady Indignantly denied.
Miss Strahan's brother said yesterday in
Portland that the reported engagement
was absolutely false. She met Mr. Davis
at Albany, and he called at her house a
few times. Miss Strahan has authorized
he brother to make an emphatic denial.
Rev. E. Davis said to-day that he wss
sorry the item was published, but that he
could not have denied it at the time, as he
preferred to let the Young ladv deny it if
she saw mt. ''When the engagement was
announced" said he, II was the most sur
prised man in Oakian. The report origin
ated in the creative Imagination of my re-
porter brother, to whom | had expressed
an appreciation and liking for the young
lady, not thinking for a moment that he
would fail TO discriminate between a
brotherly confidence and a newspaper
story. l have written to the young lady
explaining matters, and l suppose she has
my letter to-day"
AS a matter OF fast it has been learned
that secret engagement does exist be-
tween Mr.. Davis and Miss Strahan, and all
the explanations are merely being made
- S-Io Il I,
have it in their power to interfere with its
progress.
The Mayors Dilemma.
There is a possibility that the legality of
the Board OF Public Works as at present
constituted may be decided by the court.
Mayor Davie refused last night to take
hand in the transaction of some routine
business on the ground that he would ulti-
mately as Mayor have to pass on his own
acts. The matter itself was a trifiing one,
merely the passing uDon a requisition for
the City Engineers office, but it possesses
a much greater significance.
q am afraid, said the Mayor to-day,
that a dual capacity OF each commits
sioner is probably illegal. We all fill two
positions and we all pass upon our own
acts. AS commissioners we order work TO
be done, and as Mayor and City Engineer
we either accept or reject it. If Commits
sioner Peirsol is in doubt regarding any
City Attorney, for the needed ad-
vice. II we differ from him on
any point, we have to consult him
as he Is his own and our legal adviser. If
a contractor should bring suit to collect
bill against the city because / refused to
sign it City Attorney Peirsol would be re-
quired by me as Mayor to defend such
suit. The probability would be that he as
a Commissioner had passed such bill.
How, then, could he defend the bill on be-
1alf NE fha Ci+ E,o1a ,e
farce, and l would not be surprised to hear
OF an injunction being applied for restrain
ing US from doing as we are at present. l
presume, however, that Commissioner
Peirsol will advise himself and US in this
matter before we do much harm"
Doings of tho Council.
The City Council met tonight and the
conduct of the members presented a strong
contrast to anything seen in the Council
chamber for months. The tax-levy ordi-
nance was finally passed, but as it has
been altered in opposition to the Mayors
desire he has declared that he will veto it.
This is the second levy that has failed of
his approval, and there is nothing to in
dictate that the deadlock between the four
members and the veto and the Solid
Seven Non-Partisans will be broken.
The ordinance abohshing the Office of
first assistant of the Fire Department was
finally passed. This move let's out Miles
Doody, an old-time politician and vet
eran fireman. He has long been a thorn
in the side of the Non-Partisan members,
but as the ordinance will probably be We
toed, it will be imperative.
Big Bridge for San Salvador.
A large iron and steel bridge is being
built In this city for San Salvador and will
soon be ready for shipment. The struc
ture Is intended to span tue Rio de Tempe
and when put in place will be the longest
bridge in Central America. 1t will have
two immense spans of 430 feet each. The
steam schooner Celia is being specially
fitted up in the creek preparatory to taking
on board the bridge at Long wharf
Jewish Reformers at Work.
The efforts OF Rabbi Friedlander to in
troduce several marked reforms in the
First Hebrew Congregation are proving to
be popular with the mem bers. A commit
tee consisting of D. Hirschberg Max Mar
cuse, Joseph Harris and others has been
gathering Jewish rituals from many of the
leading congregations in the country.
They have discovered that the proposed re-
form in the matter OF having some part OF
the prayer service in the English language
has already been largely adopted.
Collins on the Stand.
Michael Collins took the witness-stand
to-day in his own defense for the killing of
Phillip Boogar. He told the history of
his life, described his meeting with Boo
gar and swore he did not pull his gun until
Boogar threatened him. His evidence was
that he acted in self-defense. There was
the usual daily quarrel between the attor-
neys, but nothing new was brought forth
that did not appear at the first trial.
Porch Climbers at Work.
Chief Lloyd has had three reports of
porch-climb bug made to him, and in each
instance jewelry was stolen. He has been
advised that after working San Francisco
the climbers have come over here and are
actively at work. He issued a recon-
mendation to-day to all residents whose
houses have more than one story to be
particularly careful after dark to see that
the upper windows are fastened. The
three cases reported are in the lakeside
district.
A New Principal.
The Board of Education tonight elected
T. w. Hall, principal of the Vacaville High
School, to succeed George H. Boke as prin-
cipal of the night High School in this city. .
Halls family reside in Berkeley and he is
an old resident here This fact gave him