Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-31
LICENSE FIGHT IS
TAKEN INTO COURT.
POLICE COMMISSIONERS AND
CITY CLERK MUST APPEAR
They VIII Be Asked to show Cause
Why License, Once Granted
Then Revoked, Should Not
Be Granted

BY order of Judge Conrey of depart.
ment five of the superior court yester-
day petition for a writ of mandate Il
compel City Clerk Harry j. Lelande tc
issue liquor license was entered fol
hearing and next Friday the city clerk
and the police commissioners will be
compelled to appear In court and show
cause why the license should not be
granted.
The court proceeding is an after
math of recent war between William
N Schmees, who wanted to open a
wholesale liquor house in the Vernon
district, and the residents of that sec
tion who did not fancy the liquor traf-
fic.
Schmees made his application for a
license to conduct a liquor establish
ment at 5722 Central avenue. He filed
the petition with the police commits
sioners and later 1t was taken UP and
discussed and then granted and an or
der given to the city clerk to issue the
license.
About that time the citizens of Yer
non learned of the proposed establish
ment of a liquor house in their neigh
borhood and they registered a dissent
ing vote.
OSbtiSOo WdNS
For more than two weeks the citi-
zens of Vernon and representatives of
Schmees wrangled over the liquor
missioners reconsidered the question
and under the petition of the citizens
refused to grant 1t.
Yesterday Attorney Pardee, repre-
senting Schmees went before Judge
Conrey and contended that the police
commissioners did not have the right
to reconsider their action in granting
the license after they had gone so far
as to order the license issued.
This question has proved a thorn to
the commissioners in more than one
instance and according to the court
proceedings of the past few months the
present commission has made no end
of ridiculous blunders in the perform
ance of it's duty.
Some months ago liquor dealer
from Pomona was granted a license to
establish a liquor house on Central
avenue. Later the license was revoked
on the ground that the man had be-
come too greatly interested in politics.
1t was later alleged that the real reason
was because there was another strong
political applicant for the license. In
that case Attorneys Dockweiler and
Pardee proved that the commissioners
had made the most peculiar kinds of
mistakes in trying to fix their minutes
at a special meeting.
Another Complaint
Several days ago the attorneys again
appeared in court and complained that
the commissioners, with high-handed
methods, had revoked the license of
Henry Tossman, liquor dealer, with
out informing the man of the time to
appear and answer the charges. against
him.
At that time the revocation occurred
at a hurPiedly called meeting at an
hour just before midnight and the case
was hurried through. 1t was alleged
at that time that officers who had gone
to Tossman's place to arrest a man
had been badly handled and so the
license was revoked.
When the case was argued last week,
before being submitted, one of the at
torneys stated in court that the COM
missioners had revoked the license in
order that they might issue it to one
of their friends.
Yesterday was the third case within
the past six months, and after the pc
tition was granted Attorney Pardee
hurried away to serve notice on Clerk
Lelande. The liquor dealer, through
his attorneys, claims the police commits
sioners or any other body of public Of
ficials have no right to reconsider an
action after they have given that action
a just and impartial consideration.
TO that end the officials will be COM
PEELED to appear in court Friday and
explain or issue the license as they have
already agreed to.