The San Francisco call., 1908-12-29
No Standing in Law

In law the police commissioners have
no more 10 20 with that money than
they have 10 DO with the conscience
fund OF Tibetan monastery. but Presi-
dent Cutler OF the board has stubbornly
refused TO permit the money TO be
turned over to the tax collector, and
Mayor TAYLOR supports the commission
on the ground that the money is moi
city money yet, because il las not been
paid in IS license fees. So the $l.460
rests in a safe deposit box. the keys Of
which are held BY President Cutler and
Secretary Charles slzeIly Of the police
commission.
Under the law dance hall keepers
must pay a liquor license to the board
OF police commissioners and city
license for the dance hall permit to
the tax collector. Under the vicious
usage Of the Rnef regime the tax col
lectors did not demand the dance hall
license. contenting themselves with the
fact that the city occasionally received
the liquor license. The dance hall
license is SO q quarter
Bush Demands Tax
Tax Collector Bush decided when he
came into Office that the dance hall
license should also be paid. He made
demand on the dance hall keepers for
the amount. but they. to the number of
20 or more, refused to pay. They made
q test case in the justice court and
Justice Of the Peace 3. l. Flood decided
an favor OF the city and the tax col
1ector. The dance han men appealed
and the cause is now pending before
Judge Seawell in the superior court.
while the action is in the courts the
police commissioners refused to grant
liquor licenses to dance hall keepers
until they would put up an equivalent
80 the dance hail license. This was
done. but Commissioner Cutler had the
money put up with the board instead Of
with the tax collector.
Ask TO Transfer Funds
Five or six dance han keepers. it is
reported by Low. have decided that
the decision Of the justice of the peace
should be binding on them and have
made application to Cutler, it is re-
ported, to transfer their deposit to the
tax collector. This Cutler, it is said.
has refused to do.
chief Deputy Tax Collector Low said
yesterday:
4 sent a deputy to Secretary skelly
OF the police commission asking that
the money be turned over to US. skelly
replied that it would not be turned
over without an order from the com.
missioners. Then ! saw Cutler and he
repeated what skeIly had said. Since
then have not seen him nor heard
that the commission has taken any ac-
tion In the matter. The Jaw is clear
on the point. The money should be
paid TO the tax collector. The police
commission has no right to hold it. The
license committee Of the supervisors
takes our view OF the matter"
The point is also raised that the
money is in a sense city money and
under the charter can not be deposited
save in the city treasury
Mayor Taylor last evening sided with
cutler in the issue. The money is not
city money because it has not been
paid in said the mayor. 1T is simply
keld in escrow pending the decision in
the suit have every confidence in
the integrity OF Commissioner Cutler.
know nothing Of the charge that Cut
lef has refused TO turn over money
which the dance hall men desire should
be paid the tax collector
Commissioner cutler showed his
ia abituai stubbornncss in discussing the
case. Il can't help what Low says in
the matter he said. The moneys in
our hands and viii be paid over when
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