The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-09
1t Is Finally Settled After a
Wordy War Between
Officials.
MAYOR AND AUDITOR CLASH.
Treasurer Widber'S Bond Approved.
Trouble Over Counting the
City'S Cash.

and Auditor Broderick dubbed over with
indignation which found vent IN warm
words addressed to the Mayor.
With this combination of moods pre-
vailing among three prominent officials it
is no wonder that when the forces came
together the result was akin to the strik-
ing of whizzing buzzsaw against hidden
spike in a log of wood.
1t was all about the City Treasury
muddle, which has been causing such
friction between these same gentlemen
ever since Treasurer Widber died and his
son was chosen as his successor.
The Mayors unaccommodating mood in
the matter was intensified yesterday morn
ing early when he was reluctantly COM
PEELED to recede from his determination
not to approve the new Treasurer's bonds
until they were satisfactory to him per-
sonally. He signed the bonds and then
concluded that some time should be fixed
for counting the cash in the big municipal
cash box.
This is an operation that is usually
superintendent by the Mayor, Auditor and
one Superior Court Judge. He also
resolved to have one more tilt with
City and County Attorney Creswell about
the law concerning his action in signing
evidently forgotten that he had ignored
Mr.. Creswells advice last week and that
that official had left him in high dudgeon.
He dispatched his messenger to Mr..
Creswell's office. instructing him to
politely ask the City's legal adviser to call
on him.
The messenger was polite enough in de-
llvering the message.
The Mayor wants to see me in his
Officer" queried Mr.. Cresswell in his
blandest and politest tones.
Eyes, sir; so he said, sir" replied Mes
senger Brown, even more politely than be-
fore and executing Chesterfeldian bow.
"Ah, indeed! Well, please present my
compliments to his Honor the Mayor and
the City Hall and that / am in it" and
there was sarcastic tinge in the bland
ness of his smile.
Eyes, SIR" And thus the mission car
ried out on the most approved rules of
politeness terminated.
Mapor Sutro only shrugged his shoulders
when he learned how polite Mr.. Creswell
was. Anyhow he did not need Mr.. Cres-
well, He would send for Auditor Broder
lex and arrange for the counting of the
cash.
The messenger was sent around to the
Auditors office, and he tried to be Just as
courteous in delivering his message. Audi
tor Broderick, however, is not trained in
the smooth and subtle ways of sarcasm's
school. He is not inclined to mince words
in expressing his opinions. So, as he is
still smarting from his last wordy en-
counter with Mayor Sutro, he emphatically
said:
''You tell him that 1 am not chasing
around the hall looking for him, to-day"
Perhaps the Auditors indignation was
partly due to the fact that the Mayor had
agreed to meet him about 8 O'Clock in the
morning and go over the cash. The Mayor
had failed 20 appear, though.
When the Mayor received the Auditors
curt and somewhat slangy reply he came
to the conclusion that politeness would not
win the day. In fact, his feelings were of
that sort which do not harmonic with
sentiments which are elegant only when
expressed politely.
He concluded as did Mohamed of old
that if the mountain would not come to
Mohamed why, Mohamed, etc. So he
strolled down to the Treasurer's Office.
where he found the Treasurer, clerks and
score of citizens in various stages of
clamorousness. eager to get money in ex
change for demands which they held. The
Treasurer told the Mayor that the County
Clerk had refused to receive fees any
longer, and the fee department should be
opened.
"Well," said the Mayor, "we'n count
the money tomorrow morning, and bust
ness can then go on
Then he went over to Sc, the Auditor
and he told him the same thing.
"I'm ready to count it now," replied Mr..
Broderick.
to meet the Harbor Commissioners at 1
o'clock and consider the China Basin
lease.
"Well, if you neglect your duties I'll not
be responsible for any loss or damage" re-
marked Broderick. There is money be-
ing collected in the Police courts, in the
License Office and other departments. 1t
might go astray. 1t can be counted in an
hour"
mo, it would take six hours" said the
Mayor.
ooh, it might in your way if you stop to
caress each piece, retorted the Auditor,
whose indignation was now bubbling.
Il can't count the money till to-mor-
row." added the Mayor, land, turning to
the Treasurer, don't you open the vault
till then"
what right have you to instruct others
how to perform their duties when you
don't perform yours" commented the
Auditor.
81 do perform my duties" almost shout
ed the Mayor.
The Auditor turning to the Treasurer,
said: "You open the fee department, as
I'm partly responsible for that Office"
Once again the Mayor protested, and the
wordy war waxed hot. The Mayor was
furious with rage at the manner in which
the Auditor addressed him. His face as
sumed summer sunset hue, and he de-
clared he could not count the cash until
Tuesday. He also assumed a threatening
attitude, as if he thought the Auditor was
about to try the effects of Fitzsimmons
swing on him.
Finally the Mayor agreed to let the fee
department open up for business, but an
other clash came when it was learned that
the books were in the vault. Mayor Sutro
objected to opening the vault.
We'll arrange that" said the Auditor.
"l'I just issue new set OF books and re-
ceipts and the work can be carried on
1twas also settled that the Mayor should
visit the Auditor in the morning and in
company with Superior Judge count the
City's funds.
The Mayor left the office with the most
frlgid sort of bow and the Auditor re-
sponded with one of the same kind.