Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-31
ADMITS WORKING
MEN MORE THAN
8 HOURS A DAY
CONTRACTOR LEONARDT GOES
BEFORE SUPERVISORS
HEARING OF CASE CONTINUED
UNTIL SEPTEMBER 13
Feeling of Opposition to Petitioners
Apparent Among Members OF the
County Board-Union Labor
Question Introduced

A DISTINCT feeling of opposition
u perYaded the county board of su-
"A perVisors yesterday when the
hearing of charges against Carl Leon
ardt, contractor, accused of violating
the eight-hour law, was called The
opposition was directed, not openly,
but none the less apparent for that
reason against the petitioners, who
seek to have the provisions of the law
complied with or a penalty imposed
for its violation.
Leonardt himself was present and
tried to defend himself. A moment
later he was sorry he spoke, for he
made the admission he worked his
men overtime, thus relieving the petit
TONERS from large amount Of labor
in proving their charges.
The attitude of the board in this
matter was quite apparent when after
Supervisor Eldridge said to the con-
tractor You should never have opened
your face" the members grasped at the
straw held out by G. Ray Horton,
deputy district attorney and legal ad-
wiser of the board in the absence of
Hartley Shaw, and voted almost hys-
terically to continue the hearing until
September 13.
The hearing was taken up reluc-
family a half hour after the time set.
Leonardt was given a seat of honor,
occupying the chair of Captain Man
ming, who was absent from Yesterdays
session, and the reading of the charge
that the contractor had compelled
twenty-five carpenters and twenty-five
cement workers TO labor more than the
number of hours prescribed by law
on the buildings at the county hos
pital was listened to with little in
terest except on the part of the petit
toners.
Charges to BE Disputed
Attorney Charles S. Burnell, repre-
senting the petitioners, stated their
case. 1t was incumbent on Leonardt,
he said, to dispute the charges adding
the charges were not brought with
any intention of causing trouble for
the contractor but simply to see that
the law is obeyed.
"The purpose of the law Is not to
create hardships for the contractor.
It's objects primarily are to render
property safe" he said IF man
can be made to work overtime, even
if he is paid for it, he cannot do good
work and others must suffer"
Then it was learned by the legal
adviser the complaint was made "on
information and belief" and with this
as cue. Leonardts attorney, Sew
ard s. Simons, declared it would be a
before the board on a charge contain
ing such phrase.
The attorney sat down and before
anybody could prevent Leonardt was
On his feet.
'I admit have worked my men
more than eight hours" he said. THE
motive of these charges Is to compel
me To employ union labor. If I work
my men nine hours j pay them for
nine hours is that a Crime2''
Il had hoped The question Of union
labor would not Be- introduced at this
FYearfrg." said Attorney BurneI- Since
1t has been brought up l VIII say it
does not matter ONE whit To this board
whether union OF n0n-union labor Is
er1Iluye6 and the board should not
consider that question Leonardo has
admitted employing man TO work more
than eight hours and it is up to the
BOARD To- administer the law
A profound silence followed Attor-
rlpy Sim1gnE rrhUlkedf the contractor IN
whispers and Le@nardt Whisperingly
tried to EXPLAIN Them he turned ap-
pealinF1y to- ElllrIdEe-
-@Yuu sbUulh newer have opened your
fanp" WAS all the consolation he re-
cn1vesH from the EynTatfetiC SUPERVISOR
Smiles zr,e.atllad the faces of Burnell
and the TWO petitioners sitting near
htrn. but a feeling OF gloom and uncer-
tai11ty IeIYadEId in other portions OF the
rUICTn-
The r1tuatinm WIS relieved when the
1ggal adviser Ca1re 10 the rescue Il
pprcefvc" be said that compliance
with the e1gtt-hDur law is a provision
off the cCntrart a-d would suggest the
rnatter be continued until such TINA
as the petitioners caan bring in their
4Y5diesncH in the regular manner through
the Testimony of witnesses"
Mo Ub5autiCr WIS Tade by Attorney
Bur7naTI and the hearing was postponed
1rrtT 8 U'ucl0Ck. September Is. at which
time the allegations as to overtime on
the Hall of Records as well as on
c1rEumty hospital buildings VIII be con-
EidGT,BG-