The Daily Alaska empire., 1944-10-26
Has No Building Code; Martin Found Moi
 Guilty of Any Violation

jury in the Martin case yesterday afternoon by Defense Counsel H IL. Faulkner, and may, although the jury was not allowed to so state in it's verdict, have been the reason why verdict of not guilty was returned absolving Ralph Martin Acting Manager of the Alaska Electric Light & Power Co., of al- legged violation of the building code.
 Defense Attorney Faulkner pointed out in the early stages of the trial and proved from the City Clerks record books, that the or dinance, when it was proposed in 1886, never had been passed, that there was no proof copies were posted as required by law in three places for 30 days before it was put in force, and that the ordi- nance was never balloted on. This was during I. Goldstein's admins tration as mayor of Juneau. Case Is Opened
 Hugh B. Antrim opened the case after the jurors were selected. He stated that the case involved a fragrant violation of the building code, and that the defendant had tried to break the ordinance while he, Antrim, was serving in the capacity of building inspector.
 Antrim said he had requested Martin to cooperate but to nc avail He said further that the violation of the law endangered property and life.
 Faulkner then stated that tht ordinance was long document ] land was evidently copied iron Chicago or New York. He said il was full of high-sounding phrase. and evidently had been the law since 1886.
 Ordinance Never Passed
 The lawyer for the defense depre- ciated the good the building code had done, saying it was too strict , and then, switching his tactics Faulkner stated the ordinance was never passed by the City Council
 Calling J. E. Kearney, City Clerk to the stand, he had him read the minutes of the Council meeting of April IT, 1886, where it was discovered that the ordinance hac come up for the third and final reading. After that date there was no further record.
 Going back to page 1l9, Rear ney read where the ordinance had passed the second reading.
 No record was discovered to show the ordinance had been posted as called for by Ordinance 49, Sec tion 123, repeating Section 23 which provides that one copy is to be posted at the City Hall and two additional copies in other places within the city. Without such posting for 30 days a bill may not become law, it was ex- plainod.
 Witnesses Called
 Antrim, acting as lawyer for the prosecution, then continued his presentation of the case against Martin.
 He called Mrs. Ruth Maurstac to the stand and she admitted that the A. E. L. & P. Co. had in- stalled a new electric range in the Maurstad Rooms but said she knew little of the details, as her husband, John Maurstad, guided the electricians about.
 Faulkner then interrupted to say that he and his client admitted the installation. I. Goldstein, as owner of the building, was called and Antrim asked him if he knew of the wiring
 The defense counsel said Gold stein did not have to answer the question as it might incriminate him. After some discussion, how ever, Goldstein said he knew of il as he had paid part of the bill
 Job Explained
 In an effort to find out wher the job was done and under what conditions, Antrim then called Fred McDaniels, stock room em. ployee for the Light Company James Barragar, bookkeeper, Her man Porter, meter reader; Georg' Shaw, Allen Johnstone, Hal Winso and James Smith to the stand.
 Smith and Winsor were fount to have been the ones who dit the wiring, while Smith turned oi the power to the meter. They dit not find any building permit or the premises, nor did they motif. the City Engineer when the jol