davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10

ments, which they claim were made with
the express agreement, as contained in the
advertisement for bids, that all improve
ments made should at the expiration Of the
lease revert to the lessees. This stipuIa-
ton is admitted by the opposition, being a
part of the official record of the City. The
lease itself, however, is silent as to i'm
provements, and by a strange oversight
contains no provision relative to disposi-
ton of the buildings that might be erected
during the term OF the lease. Herein is
Involved a nice legal point, the settlement
of which will be watched with great
interest, by reason of the precedent which
a final decision viii establish.
a Supreme Court decision was found
yesterday relating to these very lots, which
has a direct bearing upon the point at
issue. The lessees go SO far as to claim
that it settles the whole question, putting
the matter forever beyond a reasonable
doubt.
The lessees of this property paid no taxes
on their buildings for the first three years
of the lease.
The City did not ask them to pay any,
thing. At the expiration of this time an
organization was effected among certain
citizens, which had in view the object of
forcing certain citizens to pay taxes on
buildings erected on land leased from the
City. The attention of the City and County
citizens were exempt from taxation by
reason of City leases. For time no notice
was taken of this organization, but it had
grown in strength, and agitated fercely,
until citizens were forced to take cogni-
zance of its appeal.
The Lincoln School property lease-hold-
ers, in common with other lease-holding
oifi 10 10
They refused. Then the City instituted
legal proceedings and got Superior Court
decision in its favor. But the lease-holders
carried the matter to the Supreme Court,
which sustained the ruling of the lower
court. The opinion was handed down in
the latter part of 1879, and closes with these
words:
We are of the opinion that for the purposes
of revenue the defendants are owners of the
property assessed and are therefore liable to
taxation.
The lessees contend that if in 1879 the
Supreme Court declared them owners OF
the buildings in question, then they are
still owners of said buildings. City prop
erty, they contend, is not taxable for pur-
poses of revenue. 1t logically follows then
that if the position OF the opposition is cor
rect, they have all these years been paying
taxes on City property.
Ryland Wallace, attorney for the les
sees, thinks that the forthcoming opinion
from City and County Attorney Creswell
will be favorable to his clients, and that
the matter will end there. He said yes
terday:
These men leased the lots under conditions
clearly specified in the advertisement calling
for bids. The stipulation referred to accom-
panied all bids. We have everything on our
side-law, equity, justice and reason. If the
City should attempt to take advantage of a
- sa.1
able, it would certainly get beaten in the
courts.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10
MORE WAR ON THE WEED
The Women'S Christian Tenn
perance Union Plans a
Years Campaign.
Matters Illustrated In North
Carolina.

War between the Women's Christian
Temperance Union and the weed variously
dubbed "divine and filthy" is eternal.
At meeting of Central Union W. G. T.
e., it was decided yesterday afternoon to
make tobacco in its various forms and uses
the principal subject for investigation and
discussion during the coming year.
In order to enlist the interest and CO.
operation of the coming generation of chill
dren ana furnish them with detailed and
technical knowledge of the subject, Gen.
trail Union will award three prizes for the
three best essays on tobacco by the school
children of San Francisco. One of the
prizes will be an exact model in solid silver
of the Temperance Unions magnificent
home building IN Chicago, known as
the Temple" The other two prizes have
not been decided upon, but will be both
ornamental and of practical value.
1t was felt that an attempt should be
made to have laws passed providing for
the teaching in public schools of definite
knowledge concerning both tobacco and
LIQUOR, and the offering of thetthree prizes
was decided upon as an opening wedge
in the agitation of the plan.
Mrs NJ. Aston of Ashville, n. c., adj
dressed the ladies of the union and de-
scribed the struggles of the w. c. T. U. of
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10
BACK TO HIS OLD HOME.
Captain Ryder, a Pioneer, Leaves for His
Native Town in Massa-
chusetts.

Wednesday morning Captain Lloyd A.
Ryder, well known pioneer of this City,
left for the home in Massachusetts, which
he left nearly fifty years ago, and where
he intends to end his days. His wife went
with him, and before reaching his destina-
ton he will be joined by his niece, who is
now at sanitarium in the State of New
York.
Captain Ryder came here from Mexico
in 1645, just as the discovery of gold in
California was beginning to electrify the
world. He did not take to mining to any
great extent, however, but as the City Of
San Francisco grew he engaged in the
business of contractor. His handiwork
was upon all the big buildings of the early
days, and also upon the wharves which
were built out into the bay from the grad
ually advancing water front. The first
pile ever driven into the mud and slime of
the bay he drove in an old pier at Benicia.
Captain Ryder owned the land upon
which the Windsor Hotel, or. the corner
of Market and Fifth streets, now stands,
and after he had sold the property
and when a hotel was erected upon it he
went back there to live. There he resided
until about three years ago, when he
moved to Oakland.
Tuesday evening a number of his friends
gathered at the hotel where he was stay
ing in Oakland and held small jubilee in
his honor. He is "a years old and says he
will come back to California no more.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10
BOOM THE WHOLE STATE,
The Half-MiIlion Club Getting
Ready for Its Earnest
Work.
1t Chooses the Executive Committee
That VIII Guide Its Efforts
From Now On.

The Half-million Club held a brief but
very important meeting yesterday, at
which it elected the executive committee,
which will elect permanent officers and
conduct the affairs of the club. Within a
very brief time the scope and work of the
club will be definitely mapped out and its
important labors entered upon.
An invitation was forwarded to the
Manufacturers and Producers Associa-
ton asking their cooperation in advanc-
ing the interests of this State.
The following executive committee was
unanimously elected for the ensuing year
in accordance with the report of the NOM
mating committee: c. E. Bickford, Al
fred Bowler, W. NJ. Bunker. A. E. Castle,
Hugh Craig, H. J. Croker, Frank Dalton,
l. ". Hellman, Jr.. H. E. Highton, ]. D.
Phelan, David Rich, Louis Sloss, Jr.,
H. P. Sonntag, F. W. Sumner, F. G. Voss.
This executive committee will very soon
complete the permanent organization of
the club by electing officers and appoint
ing standing committees whose duties it
shall be TO Investigate and make recon-
mendations along various specific lines
which will be included in the work of the
club.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10

has been marked as Exhibit A" and
passed from hand to hand.
J. w. Richards as assignee of the Cres-
cent Brewing Company, has been suing
Gustav Walter, of theatrical fame, to re-
cover $40 % on a lot of beer which Walter
refused to pay for. Yesterday Walter him
self took the stand.
He said the beer was cloudy and had
what was technically known as "stich, not
''stick," in it. He regarded it as unwhole-
some and had arranged a test whereby he
had taken down some bottles of the liquor
to Bradley & Co., agents of the Crescent
people, and opened them for the judgment
of an acknowledged band of beer critics.
They had recognized the 'stich" at once.
Mr.. Walter claimed to have some knowl-
edge of good beer, as having drawn the
first lager on the Coast. He had handled
Aurora, Anheuser Busch, Budweiser, Pill
sener, Culmbacher and other bottled East
ern beers. DR.. E. Theil corroborated Mr..
Walters statement as to the ''stich" in the
beer. He had been one of the selected
critics and gleefully announced himself as
the principal kicker" against it.
The case then went to the jury, the
court calling attention to the fact that
there might be some question as to the
validity of the assignment claimed by
plaintiff Richards from the brewing COM
pany.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10
SOAP AND CHALK WORDS.
A Divorce Defendant Who
Wrote Awkward Things on
Handy Objects.
Several Suits Wherein Dissatisfied
Spouses Present Serious
Grievances.

Several disconnected married couples laid
bare their troubles in court yesterday. In
some cases the monotonyof EN- Uttered COM
plant was varied with odd or pitiful plead
ings, and, all in all, the court was called
upon to unravel some Gordian knots.
The Smiths had tussle in Judge San
derson's court over their children. The
husband is suing the wife on the ground
of intemperance and had placed the chill
dren pending the suit in the care of a
third party. But the mother wanted her
little ones of ., ard 7years respectively,
and appeared in court armed with all a
mothers Indignation. The court gave her
the children at last and she withdrew tri-
umphant.
In Judge Hunts court Mary a. Randolph
wanted q divorce from William A. Ran
dolph on the ground OF desertion. They
were married at Huntington, Ind, January
80, 1879, and separated October, 1885, But
the wife could not tell much about the rea-
son of their disagreement, except that she
thought he loved another woman. So the
ca Sc was ordered on the calendar for trial
for further proof.
Mrs Ann Shattuck had long grievance
against Marshall Shattuck in Judge Heb
bard's court. The defendant is deaf and
listened to the tale OF his misdeeds in vain.
The couple have accumulated property on
Church street valued at $4,000 and that
was the immediate object Of contention.
Mr. Shattuck had worked for Poundmaster
Jake Undo at $40 a week, and denied all
his wife's allegations, accusing her of in
temperance.
Mrs. Shattuck said her husband had
interfered with her clothing business, had
tried to poison her with doctored whisky
and to strangle her; had called her bad
names, had written opprobrious things
about her and her family with soap on a
mirror and with chalk on a fence near
their house: had not supported her; had
kept his room in a filthy condition and
had banged trunks and things against the
walls at unreasonable hours in order to
annoy and harass.
He was accused of assailing his wife and
her daughter with many effective insinua
tions. During the recital of all these
eccentricities by many witnesses the de-
PENDANT sat perfectly unconcerned, his in
trinity wrapping him in a security which
future court proceedings are likely some
what to disturb.
In the troubles between the Shafts Judge
Murphy ordered that $25 alimony be paid
to the Ladies Relief Society for the sup
port of the children, and that the aunt and
other relatives be permitted to see the
children at all proper times.
His Honor also allowed Mrs. Marie
Schmidt to file an amended complaint in
her divorce suit against P. P. Schmidt.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10
UNDER THE NEW TAX LAW
The Reassessment of San
Francisco to Begin Early
Next Week.
MANY POINTS OBJECTED TO.
A Loss of Thirty Thousand Dollars
That Might Have Been
Avoided.

The decision of the State Board of Equal
ization that the taxes of this City and
County for the next fiscal year must be
collected under the new tax law passed by
the last Legislature has caused a disturb
ance in the Assessors Office that widens as
days pass.
The assessments which were made under
the old law will be discarded and the field
gone all over again, in accordance with the
more recent regulations. This work has
cost the City and County many thousands
of dollars, and the act of the Legislature is
directly responsible for the loss. The bill
was signed by the Governor on March %,
and went into effect Immediately. But for
weeks preceding that time the Assessor
had had his men at work making asses
ments under the old law.
'This change has cost the people at least
$4,000 said Assessor Siebe yesterday,
land 1t is shame to waste all:that money
in this manner. We will begin work on
the reassessment some time next week,
and it will be the middle of July before
we can possibly finish the task, even with
100 additional men at our command.
This new law is not just to all. For ex-
ample, firm like Murphy, Grant & Co.,
which IS assessed SoUO0 on personal prop
erty, must pay the tax at once, while the
person or firm likewise assessed and hav-
ing real estate can postpone the paying
of the tax for months if they wish. The
City will need money during the first few
months of the fiscal year to carry on its
affairs and pay its way, and it will have to
depend on the collecting of personal prop
erty taxes to do so.
''In cases where person refuses to pay
his personal property tax his office furni-
ture may be levied upon and sold,' and
though Mr.. Siebe did not say so directly
he intimated that it would be good thing
for some one to make test case and take
it before the Supreme Court.
Besides" he continued, "the new law
is very Objectionable in other particulars.
The deputy must ask all sorts OF questions
OF the citizen who is being assessed. such as
whether he pays poll taxes, etc. Now all
this requires time and will cause much de-
lay in making the assessment"
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10

uted to such arms of the service as the board
OF location shall direct. AS a fact there
are seventy-two companies in the National
Guard, three more than prescribed by law;
Governor Budd has stated that be will
soon muster three companies out OF service
and possibly consolidate several OF the
smaller companies, which is equivalent to
mastering more than three companies out
of service. The question that is being dis.
cussed is, whether after the election OF
colonel any company or companies, in the
First Regiment should be mustered out OF
service, would the election be legal? In
the event of close vote this matter is
likely TO be tested if one or more COM
panies in the First are mustered out or
consolidated
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10
MAYOR SUTRO'S ACTION.
he Gives His Signature in Hearty
Endorsement of the Cooperative
Commonwealth.

There was Joy last night in the Co-opera-
tive Commonwealth in old st. Markus
Church, Union square. Mayor Sutro had
made contribution of his signature-not
on check, but under words of indorse-
ment of the scheme, recommending the
enterprise to the kindly consideration of
the public. With three copies OF this in
dorsement the agents of the common
wealth started out to secure donations
of goods and money with which to make a
beginning.
After the establishment has been
equipped with the necessary appurte-
nances it will support itself and all its
members, the projectors say. Nearly fifty
men slept on the floor of the headquarters
last night with no other bedding than, the
carpet, and it isn't very soft carpet,
either.
Mrs. Squire, the organizer, appeals to
the public for donations of bedclothes, so
that her homeless dodgers may have a
small degree OF human comfort.
The commonwealth is negotiating for a
tract of land in Round Valley, which, if it
is secured, will be utilized as a farm, and
many men will there secure permanent
employment.
The telephone company has agreed to
put telephone in the headquarters build
ing free of charge.
The main hall of old ST. Markus Church
will henceforth be called the people s
lecture hall, and meetings of a non-rehg-
ious character will be held there every
Sunday afternoon. Mrs. Squire will speak
on the subject of Evolution and Co-opera-
ton" next Sunday afternoon at o'clock
The hall will be let for public meetings
and societies of all kinds. An employment
bureau has been established, which is open
to all corners, and help and situations are
furnished free of charge
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10
a CHEAP JOBLOT.
Bridges and Tanning, the Purchasers
Arrested for Grand Larceny.

Bridges and Tanning, the Purchasers,
Arrested for Grand Larceny.
c. NJ. Bridges and j. S. Tanning were
arrested on warrant issued from Judge
Joachimsen's court charging them with
grand larceny. The complaining witness
is julius Radston, 1024H Geary street.
The defendants, on March 5, purchased
for s25 a lot of odds and ends in the base
ment of the Geary- street house belonging
to the Radston estate. Among the articles
was box containing S2720 and ruby
ring.
This fact became known to the heirs, and
Bridges and Tanning were cited to appear
before Judge Slack to show cause why
they should not return the money to the
estate, as it was not included in the pur-
chase. After hearing their statement
Judge Slack declined to issue an order
compelling them to hand over the money,
but advised the heirs to institute a civil
suit for the recovery of the money. In
stead, the criminal suit has been instituted.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10

Inside the cylinder is a steel axle. The
cylinder may be revolved either by cogs
attached to the forward wheels of the car
and on heavy plate at the end of the
cylinder or by an endless chain which is to
be used when considerable distance be-
tween the forward wheels and the cylinder
is unavoidable. The motion of the cylin-
der, in either event, will be the reverse of
the car-wheels, and viii push upward and
forward any object that may fall in front
of the car.
The cane will be punched like broom
so as to give considerable resiliency and
when cog attachments are used a narrow
space will be allowed at either end for the
rim of the forward wheels to revolve in.
At a height of three inches from the road
bed Mr.. Little's fender will roll person in
front of it.
Superintendent Johnson Reynolds of the
Sutter-street Railway Company has seen
Mr.. Little's model, and says the fender
will work to perfection.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10
Mrs. Margaret Murray, Who Wants
Her Wrongs Righted.
from photograph

child, of which Murray is the father, but
since the marriage this agreement promises
to cause trouble.
The marriage was the outcome of a COM
plant filed by Mrs. Murray against Muir
ray several weeks ago in which she
charged that he had inveiged her into a
so-called marriage in 1898, and thus accom-
plished her downfall.
81 did not know for months afterward
that was not wife" said Mrs. Murray.
when | reproached Murray for his per-
fidy he abused and finally deserted me,
leaving me with child born May 81, 1894,
to care for. / sought in every way to have
him carry out his agreement to marry me
and legitimize my child, but he refused to
have anything to do with me. Two weeks
ago 1 caused his arrest on the advice of Sec
rotary MeComb of the Society for the Pre-
yention of Cruelty to Children"
Miss McNamee agreed not to prosecute
Murray provided he married her accord
ing to promise. He agreed to the arrange
ment on condition that Miss McNamee
would sign paper releasing him from all
liability in the matter of her support as
well as that of the child. This agreement
was signed and thereupon the marriage
followed on May 2.
cumstances of the case until the nuptiai
knot had been tied. Heithen gave Murray
a severe lecture to which that individual
listened with the air of an injured man
who was immolating himself to save the
honor of woman. The couple separated
at the door of the courtroom.
Mrs. Murray is "a years old and lives at
so Moultrie street. and Murray's address is
given as rs Sansome street.
Since the marriape Mrs Murray hoe
been advised that the agreement signed by
her before her marriage is not bind
ing. She called upon Secretary McComb
yesterday and stated that she would re-
pudiate the agreement and sue her hus-
band for support. Murray says he will
fight the case legally if his wife forces him
into court.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10
A MILITARY PROBLEM.
Complications Likely to Arise From the
First Regiments Coming Election
of q Colonel.

On next Tuesday evening the members
of the First Infantry Regiment will as
semble in their armory on Market street,
near Tenth, to elect q colonel, vice Colonel
William P. Sullivan, whose term will soon
expire. 1t is understood that the colonel
wants to succeed himself and there are
three other candidates in the feld-Major
George R. Burdick, Major Charles Jansen
and Lieutenant Colonel H P. Bush.
In connection with the coming election
is matter that is being earnestly discussed
by the citizen soldiers. Under the. law
as amended by the last Legislature there
should be only sixty-nine companies in
the National Guard of California, consist
ing of sixty infantry Or artillery compan-
les, five naval battalion companies and
four other companies that shall be distrib-
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10

at salary of S75 per month, and board
lodging and washing free.
Hubbard had the entire confidence of
his employers, but recently they began to
suspect that he was an embezzler Hub
bard, on being taxed with peculating, de-
MED it, and offered to resign if they
doubted his honesty. When an expert
was called in to examine. his books he re-
marked to an associate, ats all up with
me now" The expert found there was q
deficiency of between $1,000 and $1,000.
Detective Coffey says that when arrested
Hubbard had made a confession Of his
guilt to him and Colonel Young. He
could not explain what he had done with
the money. Hubbard married an esti-
mable young lady last December. He has
not yet been booked for the crime.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10
FIRM IN THEIR POSITION,
Lincoln School Property Les
sees Make a Favorable
Legal Discovery.
A SUPREME COURT DECISION
Lease-Holders Convinced That This
Opinion VIII Settle the Cues
ton Definitely.

The lessees of the Lincoln School prop
erty at the corner of Fifth and Market
streets are busy these days fortifying their
position for a legal contest with the City
and County of San Francisco.
The amount involved foots up the nice
little sum of 500. 900, the cost of buildings
erected on the land soon after it was leased
from the Supervisors in 1875. Mr.. Lud-
dington, manager of the real estate firm of
Easton, Eldridge & Co., estimates the
value of the land alone at 1915, 900.
The lease holders are very sore over the
proposition to take away their improve
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10

Buncombe County, of which Ashville is
the county-seat, to secure a law providing
for the compulsory teaching of temperance
studies in the public schools of the county.
law was finally passed by the County
Supervisors in accordance with the desires
of the W. G. I. U. which was practically a
dead letter for over year, till the tenn
perance women had compiled and had
printed the temperance literature they
wished used and had forced this literature
public opinion and with the aid of the
press. The law is now working to per-
lection and its good effects are plainly
visible.
Mrs. Aston was of the opinion that CAL
ifornia was sadly in need of the same kind
of law.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10
FALSE TO HIS TRUST.
Chief Clerk Hubbard at the Russ
House q Heavy EN-
bezzler.

Francis ]. Hubbard, chief clerk and
bookkeeper at the Russ House, who was
arrested by Detective Dan Coffey Wednes-
day night, is self-confessed embezzler to
a considerable amount
Hubbard is only "a years of age. He
was for several years bellboy at the Russ
House; then he was advanced to the posi-.
ton of night clerk, and when Colonel
Young became proprietor of the hotel
about two years ago he was promoted to
the position OF chief clerk and bookkeeper