Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-26
SCORES VACHER
AND THE MAYOR
MRS. GIESE CLAIMS MINORS
WERE EMPLOYED
CITES CITY CHARTER TO SHOW
pERELIcTIoN OF DUTY
Declares Four Visits Paid to the Chief
Executive All Proved Abso-
IuteIy Barren of
Results

Mrs. L, e. Giese, who has been one
OF the leaders in the fight against the
present system of catching and i'm
pounding dogs, has entered the lists
against Mayor Harper, whom she ac-
cuses of falling to enforce the city or
dinance, although she called his at
tention to the fact that they were be-
ing violated.
IN particular, Mrs. Giese charges
that George Vacher, the dog catcher,
committed an offenSe by appointing
minors as deputies, and providing them
with stars as special policemen
Regarding this alleged dereliction or
duty on the part of city otficiais' MIS-.
Giese says:
"In the middle of last March / dis
covered that ordinance No. S137 was
being violated by the poundkeeper ana
his deputies.
Section / of the ordinance provides
that all deputy poundkeepers must
take the oath of office. 1t also pro.
vides for the form and character OF
the star which they shall wear. 1t
creates them city officers.
Section 203 of the city charter pro-
vides that no person shall be eligible
to any municipal office under this char
ter who, at the time of his election OF
appointment, is not a qualified elector
of the city. All officers must be
SAD. Deputies possess the same power
as principals (Pol. Code, 1861, and be-
fore entering upon the duties OF their
office must take the same oath OF OF
flee as the principal (Pol Code, 9lOl.
'sIntruding into, or exercising the uu-
ties of, an office to which the mtruder
has not been elected or appointed is
a misdemeanor (Pen. Code, 7b), ana
impersonating another in an official
capacity is a felony (Pen. Code. 529).
Acting as public officer, without
having taken the oath of office, Is
Inisdemeanor (Pen. Code, 65).
II went Immediately with this mat
ter to Leslie Hewett, the city attorney
with the ordinance in my hand. he
looked il over carefully and told me
TO see the mayor and put the matter
before him. Accordingly / called at
the mayors office. Mr.. Kennedy. his
secretary, asked me my mission, and
told him, stating that the dog ordi-
nance was being violated by the pound
keeper.
Mayor Was Invisible
MIR Kennedy went into the mayors
inner office, remained few moments,
came out and said the mayor was en-
gagged Just then, after having previous
ly told me the mayor was at liberty.
I was not to be put off with such
flimsy excuse and insisted upon some
AcLlon IN tne Hudtlei, az thc p0opio
were being assaulted by the dog
catehers employed by George b.
Nacher
'.Mr Kennedy returned to the may
or's office the second time, came back
and said TO me: Madam, what is 1t
you want us to do?' 1 had the ordi-
nance in my hand and said: Enforce
this ordinance, and, If your pound.
keeper is guilty. put him out of office
lie turned to me and said: Madam,
don't YOU know his money is invested
ther?' / said: Don't you tell me
that--coming from this office-put that
man out, he is unfit for his position.
He excitedly exclaimed: why, we
cart put that man out, 1t would up
set the mayors office
I'm the meantime reports were COM
ing to me from all parts or the city
and from outside the city limits, that
the citizens were being insulted and
assaulted by dog catchers, of all ages,
some in knee trowsers, wearing the
stars of authority, acting as city offi-
cials, inmates of Whittier Rerorm
school on parole. were allowed to take
the oath of office and go forth to net
and corral animals. Not only the dogs,
but even larger stock sucn as cows
and horses, were oftentimes united, or
the ropes were cut and the stock taken
to the pound Some of these dog
catchers were boasting that the city
was back of them. You had better
not interfere with u.s. said Dog
Catcher Britt, showing his official star,
after he had torn the sillSen garments
from womans shoulder and struck
her a blow in the face which almost
cost her the loss of an eye, when there
was no dog or other animal involved
In the case.
During another visit to the mayors
office | handed him a copy of the dog
ordinance, which l had with me, and