Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-26
DOG CATCHER'S
FATE IN DOUBT
COMMITTEE TO DECIDE AFTER
HEARING BRIEFS
FIGHT ON vAcHER MAY BE CAR
RIEp TO MAYOR
onnonents of Accused Pound Keeper
VIII Fight His Appointment
If Present System Is
Changed

Attorneys for both sides in contro-
yersy over the dogcatcher business are
busy in the preparation of volunmlnous
briefs to submit to the speclal coIl-
inittee of councilmen relative 10 the
charges against Poundmaster WAGNER.
The hearing required two sessions yes
terday. and to wind it up the council
cornmittee agreed to receive submls-
sion of the case on briefs.
AT the outset Councilman Dromgold
and other members of the committee
warned Attorney Wideman that ne
must keep his objections within reason
able bounds. After the session Thurs-
dav afternoon he was called aside and
told that his policy was only injuring
his clients case and that an inter
minable delay might result in throwing
out the hearing of witnesses LOT
Vacher, so he accordingly subsided. But
to make sure that he had not forgotten
the admonition over night Councilman
Dromgold opened yesterdays meetihs
by pointing a warning finger at Wide
man and told him to be good II ne ala
not want a spanking.
Wideman attempted to kick over sew
eral times, but was Immediately called
to order, so that he did not take as
much time yesterday as was given to
the examination of witnesses.
II have heard so much from Wide
man." said Chairman Lyon OF the COM
mittee after the hearing, that l feel
as though shall need no more law
yers' oratory for the rest of my life"
The other members of the committee
agreed, and so the lawyers were told TO
submit their arguments in brieTs. Inc
committee will consider these and the
testimony and make a report to the
council. The committee itself has only
power to investigate conditions and re-
port its findings to the council, which
has the power to take action.
Members of the council committee
would not discuss the nature of their
report yesterday. 1t is surmlsed by
those who have followed the hearing
in the council chamber closely that the
result will be a change in the city
pound system by which the fee plan
will be abolished and the work will be
made a department under the super
vision of the mayor. In case this Is
brought about Mrs. Giese and her
friends propose to carry the fight into
the mayors office and will endeavor
to prevent any consideration of Vacher
for the position.
vacher Admits System Is Wrong
The Vachers freely admit that the
present system Is an undesirable one
''We know the fee system is all
wrong" said Tom Vacher. I'VE don't
make any bones about admitting 1t, but
we're not to blame for that"
The testimony at yesterdays hear
ings was on lines similar to that in
troduced the day before. David Martin
and F. M. Simpson, clerks Of the police
court, were on the stand and produced
court records to show that Vacher' s
deputies had been arrested and fined
for disturbing the peace. Cecil Apple
ford testified that he had worked for
Vacher as a deputy poundmaster fol
several years before he became q
years of age.
William Kipling testified that dep
uty poundmaster, whom he described
as a boy Is years old with an official
star had seized his horse while he had
it tied to his fence and was within
twenty feet of it greasing his wagon,
and that he paid the boy 81 rather
than have trouble over the matter.
The incident impressed Councilman
Dromgold, for there have been times
when l might have been held up my
SELF he said.
Some witnesses were examined in re-
buttal on behalf of Vacher, but if the
committee had given way to the list
still unheard from both sides they
would be busy for a month. The law
yers are not certain that they will be
able to have their briefs in so that the
council may pass on the question next
week.
In the meantime City Auditor Mushet
has become interested in developments
and is holding warrant in favor of
Vacher for $109 until the shadow cast
over the legitimacy of Vacher's claim
is cleared away.