Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-10
SHERMAN ASKED
TO LEAVE WATER
BOARD BY MAYOR
CITY ATTORNEY SAYS HE is
DISQUALIFIED
INTEREST IN CENTRAL BLOCK
MAIN POINT AT ISSUE
In Statement Made Last Night, Los
Angeles-Pacific Head Says
He VIII Refuse Re-
quest
GENERAL NJ. H. SHERMAN, pres

~ ENERAL NJ. II. SHERMAN, pres
,dent of the Los Angeles-Pacihc
" railway. Is disqualified from hoio-
t, o6ica az a water commission
er nv reason of the fact that I
he IS a stockholder of the Sehlla .a a.
building. where the aqueduGI uGpai ~
ment leases lone entire hoor' InIs 10
gist of decision rendered ps C.y iax-
torney Leslie r. Hewitt 10 MeSoi
ander Yesterday. 49,
AS soon as the mayor received the
communication he made an eIIort W
get into touch with General Sherllldi,
10 acouaint him with the city attorney
decision. His efforts were unaNaIllhs
until about o'clock last night, WleIl,
armed with a copy of the decision anu an
another document which he had writ
te,, earlier i'm the day, he personally
went to the Westminster hotel, Wnere
General Sherman lives, and gave MN m
the COPY of the decision with the QUIZ
er docTrnent. The other document was
a request, signed by the mayor ask
ing General Sherman to resign ms po-
sition on the water board IN cohloii III
ity with the decision of the city attor-
ney. ,, ta
clined to accept the mayors suggestion
that he resign, despite the city attor-
ney's opinion.
Based on Charter
Mr.. Hewitt bases his verdict on the
general charter provision that no Iiiu-
nicipal officer may pront py q Ilulllci I
nal contract The aqueduct depart
nent navs thousands of dollars year
IN the CORPORATION owning the Central
building for the rent of one entire moor,
and as a stockholder and officer In thls
cornoration General Sherman receives
his dividends partly PAID py city
money. At the same time he is
member of the water commission ana
assists in administering the Guys al
fairs where water problems are con-
cerned.
General sherman has been a mem
ber of the water board for number or
wears. For more than a year the aque-
duct department has leased quarters In
the Central building, and the same
question of General Sherman being
proper person TO sit on the water board
by reason of the fact that he was re-
ceiving money from the city in anoth-
er capacity has existed since the Cen
trail building rooms have been leased
by the, city, but the question was not
raised until few months ago, when
the Democratic league sent letter to
the council and one to the mayor call
Ing attention to the fact.
sherman's Statement
When asked about his stand in the
matter last night General Sherman
made the following statement:
"I understand that my resignation is
to be asked for as a member of he
water board. lam now serving my
third term, and originally accepted the
position by reason of the importuni-
ties of my friends and prominent citi-
zens of the city of Los Angeles who
were desirous of having me serve in
that capacity l accepted the position
much against my will, and greatly to
the sacrifice of my own convenience
and business interests. l have given
to the city what service l could render
freely and without compensation all
these years.
time, for my resignation as a reflection
upon myself personally and upon my
service on that board, and under the
circumstances 1 feel that it would be
an implied confession of culpability on
my part to resign at this time and un-
der these circumstances.
For these reasons / consider it due
to myself that the imputation conveyed
by this request be resented and that a
determination Of my right to continue
to serve the city as 1 have served it in
in the courts in accordance with the
implied suggestion made in the city
attorneys report to the mayor"