The San Francisco call., 1905-06-08
Park Commissioners Listen
to Testimony Concerning
Employees at Boathouse
ONE Man DISCHARGED
Mrs. 0hnimus Is Exonerated.
but Advised to Preserve
Her Temper in Future


day afternoon at room 1000 Palace Ho-
tel A. 5. SpreckeIs. president of the
I commission; Reuben H. LLOYD. w. ].
DinSee and superintendent John Nc
1-aren attended the session. The meet
ing was called TO investigate charges
OF lnclvility to patrons by the manager
and attaches of the Stow Lake boat
concession, Golden Gate Park
Charles H. Harwood. who recently
went TO court with his grievances, was
the hrst witness called. He stated in
general terms and in response to in
quiries propounded by MIR. Lloyd and
Mr. Spreckels that he was spoken TO
IN a harsh and insulting manner by
Oscar Hilton and Mrs. Ohnimus af-
ter he had hired "a boat and was row.
ing away with lady. The testimony
developed the fact that Harwood
talked back in spirited style 1t was
shown that Ohnimus and Hilton COM
manded him to bring the boat back af-
ter he had paid for its use, and upon
his refusal they went after him and
compelled him TO surrender the oars.
He complained OF the harsh treatment
TO Officer Frank Z. Mahoney. but the
police officer declined TO interfere.
The testimony of Mrs Ohnimus Os-
car Hilton and Everett Hilton was to
the effect that Harwood was brought
back 10 the office for a renewal of in
structions regarding the use of the
. boat Mrs. Ohnimus testified that she
offered to refund to Harwood the
money he had deposited for the use of
the boat, but he declined to accept it.
He testified to the same fact.
Mrs. Ohnimus. who holds the conces-
sion ana manages the boating enter
prise on the lake. made a good impress
sion as a witness. She described at
some length the obstacles which she
encountered in <her endeaYors to pre-
serve her property and TO enforce obe-
dience to regulations which were es-
tablished many years ago. She main
/ tanned that Harwood was reported as
refractory and that his boat was
brought ashore. so that he could have
q Renewal OF instructions at the office.
HILTON Is DISMISSED.
The Commissioners in executive ses-
sion reached the conclusion that Har-
wood was obeying the regulations
when he was forced to give up his ears
and come ashore and decided that the
services of Hilton as an employe at
Golden Gate Park should terminate.
The complaint OF NJ. S. Kohlber, mer-
chant, that Mrs. ohnimus was the most
uneivil person he ever met in a public
place" was investigated. Testimony
was to the effect that Mrs. Ohnimus
| and Mr.. Kohlberg had quite an alterca-
! tion. The loud and angry talk was
heard by the bystanders. It was shown
in the testimony that Mr.. Kohlbergs
son hired the boat Lucille and paid into
the Office a deposit of SO 25. With two
other youn gsters and two young ladies
he roWed away. According TO the tes-
/ timony considerable splashing was done
! by the young ladies, who were per-
mitted TO row for a time. When the
/ boat was brought back after the third
Or rrfn fTin he a Ho o.
Rohlberg was told that he could not
get back his money deposited as Sc
curity for the return of the Lucille un-
til the boat was dried out. At this
period in the diversions of the day
Kohlberg Sr. appeared on the scene
He demanded immediate restitution of
the money, planting himself in the line
of patrons so that business could not
be conducted.
Commissioner Lloyd, with all of his
skill as a lawyer and cross examiner,
was not able to bring out from wit
nesses the precise language used by
Mrs. Ohnimus or that employed by Mr..
Kohlberg, but ii was clearly shown that
each said something and said it with
an emphasis that arrested the attention
of bystanders.
Mrs Ohnimus declined to recognize
Kohlberg Sr. as a factor in the trans
action. as he did not deposit the money.
S1e IeSIlneQ IuaJ ne threatened 10 nave
her published in all the daily news
papers of San Francisco and to report
her to the Park Commissioners.
Testimony was conflicting as to the
quantity Of water shipped by the Lu-
ellie while under lease TO the Kohl
berg party. Boatman Hilton said cush-
ions which cost from SO to So apiece
were afoat. Young Kohlberg and his
companions said the boat was only
damp. The Kohlberg party testified
that the Lucille was rented again and
went out shortly after the boat was
brought in. Mrs. Ohnimus and her en-
ployes insisted that the Lucille did not
go out again that day. One of the Kohl
berg witnesses, who testified that he
saw the Lucille out with another party
later in the day. said on cross exam NINA
tion by Mr. Spreckels that he was not
absolutely sure that he saw the boat,
but was pretty certain"
VOICES RISE IN ANGER.
Maurice Brandt was the star witness
for KohIberg and Fred Brelesky of
the Protestant Orphant Asylum and G.
n Roy were prime witnesses for Mrs
Ohnimus. Many leading lights of the
Schmitz administration were on hand
to vouch for the capability and courtesy
Of Mrs. Ohnimus.
Maurice Brandt's testimony was quite
pointed. He said to the Commissioners:
When the boys reported to Mr. Kohl
berg that they could not ger their
money back. I resolved to bring the
matter TO focus by hiring the Lucille
The bOatman did not know me IeaSI,ed