San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-15
Resolution Before Council
Would Direct Action
Against Sluder.
MAY INCLUDE MAYOR.
Claims Executive Paid for
Legal Services With
out Authority.

SUIT TO recover SlJUU PAID 10 Judge
James I. Sluder for services rendered
the city in connection with Mayor
Blacks plan for municipal ownership
of the local gas plant is proposed in
a resolution drafted by Tax Commits
sioner John p. Pfeiffcr Thursday
morning.
Commissioner Pfeiffer stated that
he would introduce the resolution at
the council meeting Thursday after
noon and would make public state
ment regarding it. Judge Sluder al
ready has filed suit against the city
for S1750, alleging that it constitutes
the remainder of fee of $3.50
charged by him for his services.
although the resolution drawn by
Commissioner Pfeiffer provides that
suit shall be brought pgsinst Judge
Sluder for the recovery of the $500
~, il also provides tiae the city
attorney shall file suit against "any
other parties as may be proper parties
to the suit 1t may be. the tax com
missioner said Thursday morning,
that the city attorney may find that
Mayor Black is proper party to the
suit.
Says Payment Is Authorized.
The resolution sets out that war
rant in the sum of $500 payable to
j. L. Sluder was executed and de-
livered to Mr.. Sluder, purportins TO
be in payment of services rendered.
The tax commissioner contends that
the appropriation was never authoriz-
ed by the council.
The said warrant the resolution
says, was not drawn against an APP
preparation duly passed and approved
by the commissioners of the city oi
San Antonio in accordance with the
law as provided in the charter Of the
city Of San Antonio"
Says Money Wrongfully Paid.
"A Vii lUT NuCn SttNtCCc. tuC itoo
luton says, had been rendered TO
the commissioners of the city of San
Antonio and the majority OF such COM
missioners refused to approve said bin
and TO appropriate the money there
for.
The said warrant was drawn
against an appropriation made for the
purpose of paying election expenses
and il was not the intention of this
commission M the time of adopting
said ordinance TO use any part of said
appropriation for the payment of SER
vices of the said j. L. Sluder.
Subsequent to the adoption of the
said ordinance appropriating money to
pay the election expenses. a majority
of the commissioners refused to ap'
prove the said bill and refused TO ap.
rropriate money out of the funds oil
the city of San Antonio to pay said
bill. the mayor without authority OF
this council and contrary to the direct
provisions of the charter of the city
of San Antonio ordered said Warrant
drawn against an appropriation made
for the purpose Of defraying election
expenses
y, "Now. therefore, be it resolved by
the commissioners Of the city of San
Antonio, in meeting assembled. that
the city attorney be and is hereby. d.,
rected to file suit against the said j.
Il. Sluder and such other parties as
may be proper parties to the suit TO
recover the sum of $500, wrongfully
paid out TO the said J. L. Sludcr.
Say Mayor Got Verbal Sanction.
1t Is understood that the explana'
ton which will be offered by the
mayor in the matter will be that be
obtained the sanction of Commission
crs Phil Wright and William @. RE
den for the payment of the money.
Commissioner Wright has stated that
the mayor called him over the tele'
phone and told him .that he had some
money in one OF his funds which had
been appropriated but not expended
and asked IL he would agree TO paying
Judge Sluder $500 out of it. Com
missioner Wright says he told the
MAYOR it would be all right with him
IL the other commissioners would
agree. Commissioner Pfeiffer saws hi
knew nothing of the payment of this
money until the mayor announced il
in council some time later when he
introduced an ordinance approprintins
the rcmaining $3.50 which the council
voted down.
3 Commissioner Pfciffer takes th'
.pcs:.;.a That merely the verbal sane
non vi, s-~v commissioners would ~w;
nss~ uuynossn-0 vre Mayor 10 Y;as M;
sis esUOn Nst ttet an or:'ssrce en-
proprintinc II, aud specifying for what
purpose II was used. should have
been passed In open council