The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-07-18
trv to accomplish such a result by in


operations of these agents OF the CnIeI
will prove highly interesting, partlcu-
larly to those of his friends VINO can
not yet realize that his age ana nehlai
decreptitude unfit him to properly do-
minister the high Office he occupies.
II will be remembered that the last
Legislature passed a law increasing the
salaries of certain officers OF the follcs
and Fire Departments In the case VI
! Chief Lees the raise was the snug sum
of $1,000 per year, captains Slzoo per
annum, and lesser increases Tor HlIhol
officers, including detectives.
Max Pepper took great interest III lne
| law and after consulting his attorneys
concluded that the statute was not only
unconstitutional, but vicious, by reason
of the fact that if it proved constltu-
| tional and stood upon the statute
| hooks il would be a serious stumbling
block to any future efforts to secure
| home government for San francisco.
I He therefore instituted a suit against
| Auditor Broderick and obtained an IN
| junction restraining that ofnclai Ir r
| paving the increased salaries. Inc
case was tried before Judge Seaweu
and the decision went against Mr., Pop
| per- Believing there was posslDllty
! of a reversal in the Supreme Court ne
filed an appeal This was about eight
months ago. Carrot McEnerney, repre-
sented the two departments In the ac-
ton and while apparently taking no
steps to respond in the appellate court
succeeded several times IN securing
Popper's consent to grant more time IN
which the answer should be filed: 1t Is
said that up to the present time ne mas
failed to submit such document.
In the meantime Dunn q McPyKe
appeared in the action, being presumed
| to represent the subordinate ofncers III
the two departments affected py the
law These attorneys finally filed
brief, which Peppers legal advisers de-
| clare does not contain point sufflclent
to enable the appellate court to aInr1n
the judgment in the lower court. IN
short, 1t is stated that the main point
made has been decided against their
proposition in the case Of the Board or
| Supervisors of this city, in when IL
was decided that the State law did not
apply to the board by reason Of the
fact that it was purely a mun1clpal
! body.
During the evoIutions of the case
some supposedly brilliant idea must
have struck the ~reat controlling brain
of the upper Office" and it was evil
IDENTIFY decided if possible to head or
the case before it went any further:
After the several moves for delay had
been successfully made, the promoters
of the law took an opposite course and
went at Max Pepper for more conces-
sions. This time, however, the work
was not entrusted to an attorney, but
Lees most trusted and reliable men,
were shouldered with the task of work
ing the good-natured Mr.. Pepper on the
new tack.
The selection of Harper to perform
this delicate operation was not acct
dental, as indicated by the fact that
he is one of Peppers most intimate
friends, and owes his position to-day to
the influence of Ponper.
The first proposition made by the
representatives of the Chief was that
| Mr.. Pepper consent to sign a stipula-
| ton asking the Supreme Court to adj
vance the cause on the calendar in or
der that an early decision might be Sc
cured. Mr. Pepper replied that what
ever delays there had been in the case
We're due to the actions of the attor-
neys for the departments and that he
was quite willing that the action be
expedited in that manner or any other
| proper way.
The matter remained in this status
for some time, during which the Chief
in rafting around and trying to regu-
late the proceedings in the Supreme
| Court must have collfded with some I'M
expected and indurated formation, for
! Detectives Bee and Harper were in
structed to not only turn a back SOM
ersault, fguratively speaking, but to
use their influence with Mr. Pepper to
induce him to perform the same diff
cult feat.
! These gentlemen accordingly sought
Pepper and asked him to withdraw his
suit, Notwithstanding his long and
earnest efforts to determine the validity
/ of the law
What reasons were given for asking
Mr.. Pepper to adopt such an astonish-
ing course or what suggestions were
| made as to the particular manner in
which his favor would be appreciated
have not been made public, but there
/ is a very we'll founded rumor that Mr..
! Pepper was offered the political influence
OF the entire Police Department if he
would accommodate the Chief by with
drawing his appeal
At any rate the appeal made by the
| detectives was sufficiently interesting
| to cause Pepper to take the matter
under advisement." However, after
considering it thoroughly and consult
ing his attorneys he again met the
| Chiefs right-hand men and notified
/ them that he could not stand up to
such proposition, and proposed to see
! that the case went through on its
merits. AS Chief Lees has been in an
! unusually savage mood for several
/ days past, it is evident that the report
of Bee and Harper relating the ut
| ter wrecking of the queer scheme must
have been highly eXasperating to the
/ old gentleman.
| Max Pepper. when told that the story
was on the street, explained his con-
| pointed
! interview.
LEES SAYS HE DON'T KNOW
II know nothing about the matter"
said Chief Lees last night when asked
! by whose authority Bee and Harper
had asked Mr.. Pepper to withdraw his
appeal. IF anything of the kind was
done, 1t was on Detective Bees own
responsibility as one of a committee
| rpnrQSlntincr no OF "a of
the two departments. There are two
suits; one affecting myself and Chief
| Sullivan of the Fire Department, and
the other brought by the men. Carrot
! McEnerney had the main case at first,
but the men were not satisfied with the
delay and retained Dunno & McPyke
to represent them. They have filed a
| brief, which have not read as yet In
my suit I do not think McEnerney has
filed any response to the appeal. have
nothing to do with the other cause, and
do not believe that Bee or Harper ever