The San Francisco call., 1896-05-09
A Change Finally Made in the
Superintendency of the
Almshouse.
TAYLoR's STERN ARRAIGNMENT
The Acting Executive Pours Hot
Shot Into the Beard and
the Governor.

Inc Board Iell upOn
the neck of Superintendent Weaver of the
Almshouse yesterday, and unless the
courts sustain him IN the contest which
he threatens his watch at the helm of the
City poorhouse is at an end.
The decapitation was to have taken
place on Wednesday, but at the last mo-
ment DIR. Williamson, who some time ago
announced his intention of voting for the
retention of Weaver first, last and all the
time and then changed his mind and
agreed to vote with the majority, experi-
enced a change of heart and told Drs.
Morse, Hart and Fltzgibbon that he
would have to think the matter over.
Yesterday he had been sufficiently braced
up by the other members to vote accord
ing to his promise, and the programme
went through without hitch, except the
usual yociferous wrangle that has charac-
terized the meetings OF the present board
ever since its members took their seats.
After the members had come together
with acting Mayor Iaylor IN the chair
Yesterday DR.. Fitzgibbon moved that the
| Office of superintendent of the Almshouse
be declared vacant.
The chairman refused to entertain the
motion, but an appeal from the decision
was carried and the matter went to a voIe
! Before this action was taken, however,
| acting Mavor Tavlor handed the chair
over to DR.. Morse and said few words
! that made the medical members squirm
| in their seats.
After briefly reviewing the fight that had
! been made TO remove Weaver he said:
II have found a business economy as
| far as the superintendent's personal efforts
are concerned, and when he was not ham
pered by appointees OF this board who
were unfit for the performance of the du-
ties devolving upon them.
az say that he has been hampered by in
com petent men, who were appointed by
! this board, and l can give you names if
necessary. The public must know it, and
! shall know it. The members of the Board
| of Supervisors-men of average intelli-
| gence, have examined the institution, and
! they agree it is q mistake to change the
management. The Grand Jury inspected
| it, and they have said that it is the best
managed institution in the City. l don't
know why this matter was brought up
| here to-day, for l thought that it had
| been settled long ago. Perhaps 1t was ex-
! pected that | might vote for MI. Weaver's
! removal without a thorough knowledge of
| the facts; but l. N not built that way.
! dent suppose l could change the opin-
! ions of any of you men, If | should talk
| from now until doomsday, but l say that
| the contemplated action of this board is
4 IL L
inclined to think that 1t emanated from
the high and exalted position of chief
executive OF the State and that it has de-
scended into the filthy pool of politics to
crafty the lust OF greedy politician.
This man, who has lived in this commun-
ity for half century and who is known to
be an honest and an upright official, is to
be sacrificed in order that the behests of a
man who has not the interests OF this city
at heart, but who is actuated entirely by
political seltishness, shall be carried out.
Ii this don't act as a boomerang upon
Democracy, then l am very much mis-
taken. The consummatlon of this con-
templated outrage upon the community
will never be forgiven"
Not to be outdone, DR.. FitZgibbon took
| the floor and demanded vote on his
motion, after vehemently denying that he
was a politician or that the superin-
| tendent's removal had any connection with
voted aye promptly, but DR.. Williamson
had a long explanation to make, the
burden of which was that he was opposed
to the removal OF Mr.. Weaver, but had
| concluded that for the best interests of the
Almshouse, which was being IN niured
| through the continual pickering and con-
| fiict of authority, he would vote with the
! majority. Chairman Taylor voted no en-
| phatically.
DR.. Hart moved that Captain Edward
Reddy be appointed to the vacant position.
and the measure carried, DR.. Williamson
refusing to vote and Chairman Taylor vot-
| ing no.
When Mayor Sutro learned of the action
taken by the Board OF Health he expressed
/ himself as follows:
81 am sorry to see that Mr.. Weaver has
been removed. So-called additional evil
dence was submitted to me last Sunday,
protesting to make some of his acts appear
criminal. carefully went through it and
with the explanation that was given me
| by Mr.. and Mrs. Weaver l am satisfied
that there was no criminal intent and that
the most that can be SAID about il is that
Mrs. Weaver may have been guilty oi
carelessness.
Il believe that on examination by a
proper court, where the value of the evi.
dence would be properly weighed, espe-
cially that coming from discharged en-
ployes, Mr.. and Mrs. Weaver would be
set before the public in light that they
they would not be ashamed off,