Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-31
TURNS KEY ON
OLD OFFICIALS
DOORS OF SAN PEDRO CITY
HALL LOCKED
EXPERTS ARE PREVENTED FROM
WORKING ON BOOKS
Custodian Appointed by Los Angeles
Board of Public Works Meets with
Difficulty in obeying
instructions
Especial to The Herald. ]

Especial to The Herald
SAN PEDRO, Aug. 3O.--Citizens of
this city have looked forward to d very
quiet time as soon as Los Angeles took
charge of affairs here, but the events
of the day at the city hall have dis
proved any such anticipation.
The board of public works of Los
Angeles left Fred w. Lloyd of this city
in charge of the building Saturday,
with written instructions not TO LII
any one into the building prior to S
o'clock this morning, and then to allow
only duly authorized deputies of the
various departments to enter the Of
fees.
All of the keys known TO be out
standing were taken up and the doors
locked. At a few minutes before s
o'clock this morning, however, Mrs.
Emily Wunderlich, the former deputy
city clerk, entered the building with a
key at the front door and proceeded t.
the office of city clerk Mr.. Lloyd told
her he was custodian and showed her
the letter from the board of public
works.
Il don't want to see that letter"
said Mrs. Wunderlich. L have in
structions from City Clerk Il. j.
Lelande to open this office al o clock
and l am going to do So.
Experts Resume Work
Rather than have any trouble Mr.
Lloyd awaited advice from the attor-
neys office. In the meantime, Dl.
Charles Phipps and his assistant, Nj,
Simpson, We're admitted to the clerks
office and proceeded to the work of eX-
amining the books under contract from
the city of San Pedro. This contract
.e.-1
secret meeting of the board of trus-
tees last Friday morning at o'clock.
the contract later being signed by
Mayor Walton and City Clerk Mason,
1t provides for a payment OF SIS Per
day for as many days as may be re-
quired to finish the job, the total eX-
pense not to exceed $1,000.
Former City Tax Collector Ben NJ.
Baker also was admitted to the office.
He turned over to Mrs. Wunderlich his
keys to the safe of the city clerk and
the key to the strong box therein.
On the arrival Of Deputy City At
torney {. D. Houghton. Mr.. Lloyd re-
ported TO him, but no action was taken
until the offices were vacated at noon.
1t was then that the custodian and the
attorney got busy With the assistance
of the police the front door of the city
hall was closed and a new paddock at
tached. A notice was posted by Mr..
Lloyd asking all comers to use the
Front street entrance. On the doors
of the tax collector and the city clerks
office were attached staples and chdins
with strong padlOcks and a policeman
was left on guard for a few hours.
Are Locked Out
When DR.. Phipps and Mrs Simpson
returned after lunch they found them
selves locked out and when Mrs. Wun
derlich returned she was loath to ac-
cept the situation. She refused TO
give up her key to the office or TO the
outside door, claiming the authority of
entrance to the building and to her
office given her by Mr.. Lelande. But
arguments were of no avail. Later
Deputy Clerk LOWE arrived, but he
took in the situation and did not try
to enter the office.
w. B. Tribit and A. T. Anderson
from the auditors Office were on hand,
but decided not to do anything with
the books today. Former City Clerk
Charles Mason took a hand in the
free discussion of the situation in an
endeavor to get his former deputy into
the office, but without avail City
Clerk Lelande was appealed to by
phone but what his reply was could
not be learned.
Former Collector Ben M. Baker stat
ed this afternoon he would not try to
contest his removal from Office by the
consolidation election, although he said
his lawyer had advised him that as he
was elected by the people for four
years he could not be legally removed
even though the Legislature had passed
Il consolidation act.
New Developments Expected
1t is said the refusal Saturday by
city officials to turn over the books un-
til Experts Phipps and Simpson had
finished with them was done in the
hope Los Angeles would mandamus
them for possession of the rec
ords. If that was the case it appears
the action of the board of public works
and the city attorney has fOrestalled
them, and it is now up to them to en-
deayor again TO get possession of the
old records of the city of San Pedro
which now are the property of the con-
soldated city, although claimed by the
former officials of San Pedro as their
property until the examination has been
finished.
Be this as 1t may, the custodian is in
possession and apparently viii remain
so at least until tomorrow, at which
time it is presumed the books will be
taken to Los Angeles and turned over
AS to what standing DIR. Phipps viii
have with his $1,000 contract is not
known, but the citizens here are in
dignant that $1,000 of the peoples
money should be spent for an auditing
which will have to be done over again
by the auditor of the greater city if
he desires to examine the records of
the old city Of San Pedro
1t is pointed out that Trustee Til
ton, who made such a protest to the
fee of $3.50 which was asked by the
experts a" I moved to reduce it on
August "a to $400, was the very person
who at the secret meeting moved to
make a contract for $1,000. Duffy sec
onded the motion and all the trustees
present voted for it. Trustee Peck was
absent from both meetings. As to how
a contract for more than $500 can he
made by the trustees without adver-
tisement is likewise puzzlng some of
the citizens.
New developments are expected to-.
morrow.
Tropico to Have Street Lights
count of the votes cast at the