Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-09

License Collector Johnson yesterday
warned Mayor Harper that all special
permits issued under the McAleer ad-
ministration had expired and that all
holders were likely to make new ap-
plications.
AS result takers will have hard
time of it getting legal permission to
ply their business as far as the may
or's office is concerned.
Mayors Secretary Herbert Kennedy
issued one permit yesterday, it being a
renewal of the paper held by Mrs. May
Delaine under the previous administra-
ton.
81 issued this permit because it was a
renewal and l understood both the
chief of police and board of charities
had indorsed 1t as a charity case,
said Secretary Kennedy. ANY more
who come to this office will have to
show us. We want the chiefs and the
charity boards Endorsement, and may
want more. The Herald's exposures
and what Collector Johnson has said
put us on our guard"
Permits Are Illegal
Permits for which no legal rights
exist were issued freely in the Nc
Aleer regime. The city attorneys
office has advised against the practice,
as the ordinances provide the form
to be followed in these cases. The
plea has been that pencil peddlers,
have been given privileges as an act
of charity, Nbut abuses have crept in
repeatedly and Mayor Harper will try
to end the practice except in extreme
cases. He will set down his foot hard
in the cases of slate, writers, medi-
ums, clairvoyants and others who do a
f1ourishing business, and exhibit these
permits when the police find it neces-
sary to call on them.
The stub book Of the last adminis-
tration shows seventy-five special per-
mits issued since September. Many of
these are for the privilege of holding
street meetings, given to evangelists,
ETC.; but proportion of them is to
mediums, clairvoyants and the like,
and 1t is against these that many COM
plants exist. Flower peddlers, it is
stated. have also abused the privilege
by taking station in front of florists
shops who pay rents for the right to
do business, and chasing other peddlers
away on the plea that the permit gives
them monopoly.
Will Discourage SwindIers
1t is not believed Mayor Harper will
encourage takers and confidence work.
ers by wholesale issue of free per-
mits. City Attorney Hewitt has de-
clared the permits illegal and says
they have no standing in law.
1T is bad enough to have to issue
licenses to frauds and swindlers when
they pay the legal fee," said city off,
cial last night, "but when it comes to
letting a horde of these humbugs in
without restriction 1t is indecent.
THAT the permit issued by the may
or's clerk is illegal there can be no
doubt. There is a case in court now
against one of the mediums who oper-
ated under one of those permits.
"At police headquarters the story
that the police are powerless to pro-
ceed against the takers is characterized
as absurd.
1.-The city issues licenses to certain
men to sell liquors. Must we allow
them to become swindlers because they
have license? Their license does not
provide that they may break any law.
Rest assured we shall get them.
Kern Denies Story
IT am not authority for the state
ment that there is no way to reach
the swindling fake mediums or other
said Chief of Police Kern yes
terday afternoon, "and it is my inten-
tion to go after these takers as hard
as possible, and as soon as l get evil
dence against them they will be ar
rested.
There is fund of money laid aside
for the pay of agents to run down
those who do not pay their licenses and
that is one way In which we can get
to them. Getting money by false pre-
lenses is another charge we can fire.
quently get against them, and 1 have
frequently had instances Of fraud
shown me.
"There are two persons under ar
rest now awaiting trial on the charge
of telling fortunes without city Ii
eense and it is probable others will
be arrested soon.
1.-THE license collector has always
been given as much money as he de-
manded each month for the purpose of
watching these people and seeing that
they pay their licenses, and feel sure
the new council will continue paying 1t
= IL. Z