The San Francisco call., 1899-01-28
Supervisors Hold Up
Their Warrants.
CLAIM THEY ARE ILLEGAL
SHEEHAN AFFIRMS HIS OFFICE
rs GREATLY HAMPERED.
A Large Volume of Business to Be
Handled and an Inadequate
Force of Clerks-Will
Commence Suit.

Owing to deadlock between Tax Col
lector Edward I. Sheehan and the finance
committee of the Board of Supervisors
the former claims that the business of
his office has been brought to a stand
still, and that the interests of the city
must inevitably suffer.
The controversy has developed over the
employment Of extra deputies, whose
claims for salaries the committee will not
approve. They are not statutory offices
and the Supervisors claim they were not
employed in keeping with the law. 1t
appears that there is no hard and fast
rule in the premises; salaries have been
paid in the past under the same condi-
tions.
Tax Collector Sheehan appeared before
the committee yesterday in person and
was also represented by Attorney E. A.
Br1dgeford. He held that there was an
implied authorization, If not an expressed
one, permitting him to employ clerks
necessary in the transaction of the busi-
ness OF his office, and that it was the duty
or the board to inform him before cut
tlng him Off. 1t had always been GUS
tomary to increase the force Of clerks at
this time of the year.
After the meeting Mr.. Sheehan said he
would sue out writ of mandamus
against the board on the first of Febru-
a ary To- TO- compel payment Of the claims.
he SAID there was over 81, 900 900 taxes to
be collected, and his present force was
inadequate to handle such a volume of
business, which must of necessity suffer
lie said he had request from the banks
alone for $500 tax bills, which he could
not get ready. The committee has pre-
pared the following report, which it will
submit TO the board at it's next meeE-
ing:
Your committee in the matter Of extra
deputies or clerks required in the several
offices believe that 1t is a necessity for
your committee to be advised of the num-
Der of extra clerks required prior to their
appointment in order that some intelligent
action may be taken prior to the expendi-
ture. 1t appears that the custom has been
to employ such extra deputies as the head
of the department had an impression was
needed and present the bills for services
rendered to your committee for approval
such custom is perniciouS, it is done
without the knowledge of your honorable
board or your committee, and must lead to
great abuse If permitted to be exercised
without control. Your committee acting
under the requirements of the statutes Of
1S1-72. was constrained to refuse to allow
the demands of extra clerks employed by
Mr.. sheehan, Tax Collector he having
made no requisition and received no au-
thority to employ such extra clerks. How
ever, in view of the fact that he only as
sumed the duties OF his office this month,
If satisfactory showing is made by him
showing the absolute necessity of their en-
ployment and If the explanation is satis-
factory your committee may under the
circumstances, allow said demands. but
that officer and all other officers requiring
extra assistants clerks hereafter
prior to creating any liability on the part
of the city, must make acquisitions in writ
ing to the finance committee at least five
days before the expiration of the month
prior to the month the extra assistants are
required, setting forth the number required
and the particular services for which they
are required, so that your committee may be
advised of the expenditures made prior to
the liability being created and in order that
the rules and regulations may be observed
will submit resolution to that effect for
your action.
The deputies whose warrants have been
held up are: J. A. Mcdonald, Charles H.
Ward, Joseph A. Fitzpatrick, P. ]. Nee
han, John Toomey, John Doyle, 0. v.
Mendenhall, H. c. Mcguire and Homer
Warren.