The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-08
SACRAMENTANS ARE IN ARMS
SUPERVISORS ASKEDTo RESCIND
THE CONTRACT.
Legislators Formulate Bills to Pre-
vent Enterprising Attorneys Re-
peating the Game in the
Future.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

SACRAMENTO, Jan. IA number
of well-known citizens, members of the
Chamber of Commerce and of the Pa
irons of Husbandry, representing the
mercantile and farming interests, ap-
peared before the Board Of Supervisors
here to-day and argued for the annull-
ment Of the contract entered into by
the Supervisors with Devlin & Devlin
of Sacramento and Rogers, Paterson &
Slack of San Francisco for the collec-
ton of commissions aggregating some
$4,000, alleged to be due this county
from the State.
Both sides had their turn at present
ing the case. The lawyers maintained
that Sacramento County had lost be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000, and it would
continue to be out that sum If it per
mitted other counties to collect the
money due them while Sacramento re-
NAMED inactive.
r. d. Stephens, a former Postmaster
of Sacramento and a prominent Or
chardiSt, asserted that the proper way
would be to allow the District Attorney
to take the necessary steps for the col
lection of the money. Mr. Stephens in
sisted that the county would eventually
the money it received from the State,
plus about $4,000 as fees for the attor-
neys holding the contract. On behalf
of the Chamber of Commerce Mr..
Stephens objected to the enforcement
of the contract.
J. H. Hayden of Sacramento Grange
declared that every member of the
Grange was opposed to the contract be-
ing allowed to stand at the present
time The Supervisors decided to await
an opinion from District Attorney
Baker. to be delivered on Wednesday
next before taking action upon the re-
quest for the resembling of the con-
tract.
Growing out of the sentiment which
The Call was instrumental in arous-
ing, several legislators have in pre-
paration a bill to be introduced stimuli
taneously in the Senate and Assembly,
the purpose Of which is to prevent the
return of taxes paid by counties to the
State and to repeal the law allowing
commissions to county officers for the
collection of taxes. The law to be re-
pealed is the one approved March 8,
1893, authorizing the allowance Of
claims against the State. The proposed
measure also provides that all actions
heretofore commenced or now pending
for the collection of money alleged to
be due the counties for services rem
dered in the assessment, equalization
auditing and collection of ad vaIorem
taxes shall be dismissed by the court
in which the same may be pending
SAN RAFAEL, Jan. THE Board
of Supervisors of Marin County will
adopt a resolution next Monday re-
scinding the contract entered into with
a legal firm to sue the State for com
missions for the collection of taxes in
the past. Attorney Hepburn Wilkins
will appear before the Supervisors next
Monday and offer reasons why the
contract should not be rescinded. All
the members of the board are exceed
ingly bitter in their denunciations Of
the San Francisco firm and allege that
the contract was secured by rank mis-
representation of the facts; that they
were led to believe the money was al
ready in the State Treasury, when in
fact If the county should win it's suit,
the money would have to come out of
the pockets Of the taxpayers