The herald., 1896-06-28
HAD A NARROW ESCAPE
The City Clerk in the
Police Court
some COUNC|LMEN ALSO There
The Latter Went, However, As
Witnesses
CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE
The Wrong Man Secured a Job of
Decorating
CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE
The Wrong Man Secured a Job of
Decorating
The Court f'eard Evidence and Dismissed
the Charge
Some Recommendations Made Yesterday by
the Financial Committee Of the Council
-i1unicipaI Aid for . Charity
City Hall News

The decorating of the city hall for
the Fourth of July produced sensation
which succeeded in landing City Clerk
| Charles A. Luckenback and Charles
| Vena, one of the colored city hall jani-
| tors, in the police court yesterday af-
ternoon. Not only that but search war;
rant was issued permitting the complete
overhauling of the municipal building
from garnet to cellar.
1t was shortly after o'clock when
Police officer Robbins entered the city
clerks private Office yesterday after
| noon. He had in his hand an innocent
| looking document, which bore the Off
| cial seal of City Justice D. c. Morrison.
| The paper was legal right to search
the hall, and charged Charles A. Luck
| enbach Charles Vena and one John Doe
| with having committed the crime of
grand larceny, and empowered Robbins
| to search the city for the possession of
| certain goods alleged to be of the value.
| of $780, Officer Robbins was accompa-
MED in his quest by Sam X. Adams, the
| well known decorator and department
precinct captain. Adams was after
certain decorative pieces which had done
| uuls " elIiOcIllsi tHO AiOAAs ~ sAAS >AeS
| hall during the Fies.a. 1t had also been
used at the Phoenix carnival and upon
| various local buildings during the visit
of the hoted men to Los Angeles. That
| at least is Adams story as outlined IN
his sworn complaint.
| Adams had the contract for decorat-
| ing the front of the city hall for the FL
| esta. The city has appropriated the
| sum of SOB for similar purpose ana
| Adams expected to do the work. The
| job was, however, placed elsewhere, and
| then the fun commenced.
Adams claims the ownership of GER
| tain frames and other decorations pre-
viously used by the city. which are now
| stored away in the basement of the city
| hall. He says that Col. Freeman G. Teed
| told him he could have them after they
had done duty in the Fiesta. Teed is
| now out of the city and Luckenbach az
| the custodian of the municipal building,
informed Adams that neither Teed nor
! any one else had a right to give away
| the property of the city. Luckenbach ad
| mits that Adams owns the covering of
| the set pieces which are in dispute, but
| he insists that what is below the surface
belongs to the corporation.
Adams went to the district attorneys
| office as soon as the goods in dispute were
| refused him, and applied for a search
| warrant to recover the property, and
this was refused him by Deputy James.
| Judge Willis being, however, more ac-
commodating, Adams carried his griev
ance to Police Justice Morrison, who ac-
| commodatingly furnished what else was
| wanted and the warrant was placed IN
the hands of Officer Robbins and was by
| the latter served, as related above.
Robbins in court made a return that he
| had failed to find all of the goods claimed
| by Adams. The case was called in court
at half past four o'clock.
| At that hour Justice Morrison's court
| room resembled the council chamber
during the regular session of the city
| legislators on Monday morning. The
city clerk was on hand as was also Dep
| uty City Attorney Coutcher and Coun-
| cilmen George Stockwell and NJ. p. Sny-
| der The two latter were of the plain
| tiff's array of witnesses, Luckenbach's
| legal interests being in the hands of
| Coutcher. For the prosecution as spe-
cial counsel appeared Congressman
James McLachlan.
| Adams tried before the case came to
/ trial to erase from the complaint the
names of Luckenbach and Vena, but to
this Deputy Attorney Coutcher forcibly
objected. Adams was the first witness
called. He denied that the city clerk
held any of his (AdamsD property, or
| that he had ever attempted to keep him
out of possession of any goods belonging
to him, The case got no further Justice
| Morrison dismissing the complaint be-
cause of a lack of evidence.
THE CITY AND CHARITY.
The finance committee of the council
! yesterday decided to recommend that
| rent alleged to be due him by the city
for engine house No. 6, on Boyle
| Heights, from January to April was
not a just claim and should therefore be
| denied; also that the sum of 5000 be
| transferred from the new water fund to
the street sprinking fund. Also that the
sum of 500 be transferred from the Echo
park fund to the nursery fund; $500 from
| the Elysan park fund to West Lake
park fund, and $500 from the Hollenbeck
park fund to the West Lake park fund
| Also that the sum of $4,000 be transferred
| from the new water fund to the street
| lighting fund.
In the matter OF the report of the
commissioners for the widening of Sec
| ond street, asking that the excess in the
funds be returned to the property own
er who paid a penalty for not having
| paid his assessment, the committee will
tomorrow report that the law provides
that all assessments not paid upon 2
| certain time fixed by law q penalty ri
5 per cent be added. The law further
provides how eXcesses in the funds shall
be disposed Of, and the committee is
request of the petitioners, and therefore
recommends that their request be filed
In the matter of the petition from the
California Children's Home society, re-
questng the council to allow them the
sum of 500 per month from and after the
LIST of July for the purpose of paying tht
rent of their home, the committee vii
report that upon investigation they fine
! the home to be managed by an incorpo
rated society for the purpose of takins
and caring for orphan children unit
such a time as proper homes can b'
found for them, and that the society Il
doing a large amount of good for thu
community. They further find that tn
society is entirely dependent for it
maintenance and support upon the char
ity Of the community, and believing tina
such an association should receive tn,
support and announcement of all goot
citizens, it recommended that this ap
preparation requested be granted for TIL
term of one year from and after the Is
of July, and the city clerk be instructe,