The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-04-19
Trouble Over Fees of
Stenographers.
WOULD IGNORE THE AUDITOR
THE SUPREME COURT WILL BE
ASKED TO DECIDE.
Officials Protest Against Shorthand
Reporters Being Exempted
From Safeguards Thrown
Around Funds.

Treasurer Truman and Auditor Wells
have decided to ask the Supreme Court
to decide as to whether or not the stem
ographers of the Superior Court can
draw their salaries on court orders with
out having the same audited before pre-
sentation to the Treasurer for payment.
In order to bring the matter to an ISSUE
Treasurer Truman will probably be sent
to jail to-day on a charge of contempt of
court for refusing to pay demand on
the treasury issued by Superior Judge
Cook in favor of his official stenographer.
If this action is taken by Judge Cook the
Treasurer will secure his release from
custody on bonds and will Immediately
appeal the case to the Supreme Court.
The court stenographers are the only
persons in the employ of the municipality
who claim exemption from the general
rule as to the procedure necessary for
the payment of salary demands. All other
demands must pass through the hands Of
and be signed by the Auditor before they
can be honored by the Treasurer. In the
case of stenographers a different mode
of procedure has been followed in the
past. They receive $40 for each day they
are in attendance at court, and 10 and 20
cents per folio for transcripts of testi-
mony taken by them At the end of each
week, or oftener IL desired, the Judge of
the court in which the work has been
done signs an official order commanding
the Treasurer to pay to the stenographer
whatever amount may be due for his SER
vices. 1t is alleged that as this order for
money is an official order of the court
the Treasurer has no legal right to with
hold payment so long as there is any
funds in his possession with which 1t may
be satisfied.
In this way seven stenographers draw
out of the treasury each year a sum Of
money aggregating about $4,000 The
Auditor is entirely ignored in the trans
ton, and as the orders do not pass
through his hands he is always in ignor-
ance of the exact amount of money left
in the general fund and against which
there are thousands of other demands
which he must audit.
Some time ago Auditor Wells and Treas
urer Truman held q conference, the re-
suit of which was that the Treasurer an
nounced that he would not in future
honor orders of court for stenographers
salaries unless they were first passed upon
by the Auditor. This decision was commu-
nicated to the stenographers, with the re-
suit that some of them announced their
intention of testing the matter. Steps tC
this end were taken when the Treasurer
refused to pay the order presented by
the stenographers in Judge Cooks court
Judge Cook Immediately issued an or
der citing the Treasurer to appear before
him to-day to show cause why he should
not be punished for contempt in ignoring
an order of court
The Auditor and Treasurer held con-
terday, and it was decided to take the
matter to the Supreme Court in the event
that Judge Cook sees fit to commit the
Treasurer to Jail for contempt.
This action is to be taken said Aud
itor Wells yesterday, in the interest Of
the people. 1t is not right or just that the
stenographers should be made a priv
ileged class and be allowed to draw upon
the peoples money without a proper
check to prevent possible fraud. They
draw pay out of all proportion to the
value of their services, and it has even
been asserted that the Judges are in part
nership with them. The practice now in
vogue seriously hampers the affairs of the
office, and in a degree jeopardizes the
interests of every creditor of the city
The following letter received yesterday
by the Board of Supervisors is pertinent
in view of the controversy now being
waged:
SAN FRANCISCO, April II, 1899.
To the Honorable Board of Supervisors
Gentlemen: Have watched with some interest
the workings of the shorthand combination in
the courts here. and have solicited work from
the reporters, but am informed they moth
ing but subordinates drawing half pay and
could not afford to hire a competent reporter.
The rates charged the city and county are
Is and 20 cents per folio and SO per diem.
1 hereby notify your honorable body that I
will report and transcribe any of the cases
In the courts for 10 cents per folio
Have had ten years experience as stenog-
rapher. Yours respectfully.
F. K. GALLAGHER.
1927 Howard street s. F.