The San Francisco call., 1907-02-23
GRAND JURY To- PROBE
F|RETRA THEATER FUND
Special Agent Burns Will
Produce Men Involved
in Scandal
NICHOLS IMPLICATED
Tax Collector Declared to Be
Culpable in Issuing
Certain Licenses
NICHOLS IMPLICATED

On Tuesday next the Grand Jury will
have before it the proprietors of the
shack theaters Of the city who have
engaged Ruef at fee" of $12, 900, to
see that the Board of Supervisors does
not legislate them out of existence in
a zeal to protect the theatergoing pub
lie from the dangers of incineration.
Special Agent Burns discovered the plot
of the theatrical men and will bring
before the jury the parties involved in
the scandal.
Supervisor Sam Davis, proprietor.
with his brother Mo- of the Davis
Theater on McAllister street, was tear
fully surprised to learn that Burns had
discovered the bright plot of the mag
Mates Davis tried hard yesterday to
reason out the situation. but found 1t a
difficult thing to do and devoted him
self to going to playhouses trying to
trace the leak with the light of reason
Davis, with acute logic discovered
that his place was entirely fireproof
because it was built before the build
ing ordinance was passed. even though
it was built of wood and canvas and
had a minimum number of aisles and
exits. nearly all of which were partly
blockaded
NICHOLS AT FAULT
When before the Grand Jury last
Tuesday Tax Collector Nichols as
sumed virtuous air and declared that
he had not erred in issuing licenses to
theaters which violate every clause NJ
the building ordinance. Assistant Dis>
trict Attorney Heney has been inquir-
ing into the law and has discovered
that Nichols was culpable in issuing
the licenses The charter provides
that the Tax Collector shall issue no
license to a theater save when the
Board of Public Works has issued a
certificate attesting that the place COM
plies with the clauses of the building
ordinance. In the case of the Orpheum,
American and Colonial Theaters the
Board of Works did issue certificates
to the effect that the buildings con-
formed with the law. In the matter
of the firetrap playhouses the Board Of
| Works, through Secretary Louis Levy,
simply ordered that licenses be issued,
making no mention of the law one way
or another.
1t will be claimed by the District At
torney's office that Nichols violated his
oath of Office in issuing the licenses on
the latter class of permits.
Another matter to be investigated by
the Grand Jury on Tuesday next is the
f1ourishing of vice in the Barbary
Coast section of the city and the com
b1nat1on or Golden cate avenue saloon
keepers to force the Police Commission
to permit them to operate their back
rooms" where fallen women congregate g
and drink with men. On the order of
Captain of Police Mooney these places
were shut to women visitors and
straightway the dive keepers collected
a fund to make fight before the Pc.
lice Commissioners. 1t is reported tha /.
Attorney Henry Ach, chief counsel for
Ruef in the extortion cases, is to lie
retained by the saloon men. From
Ach's hand to Ruef's ear is not a far
cry, and the Grand Jury is watching
the history of this corruption fund
| closely and is ready to pounce upon
the entire crew of clients and attorneys
when the premeditated violation of the
law is consummated.