Jones

— This is an appeal from a judgment which resulted from the issuance of a peremptory writ of mandate in the court below.

The following facts are taken nearly verbatim, from the statement of the ease appearing in appellant’s opening brief:

Charles A. Jones, the respondent herein, for many years was a member of the police department of the city of Los Angeles. On or about the fourth day of January, 1922, he was the duly appointed, qualified, and acting chief of police in said city, at which time he was regularly retired from further service in said police department; that at the time of his retirement he had served more than twenty years in said police department, and at said time there was in effect an ordinance of the city of Los Angeles which, among other things, provided as follows:

It also appears that at the date of respondent’s retirement the salary attached to the rank of chief of police was the sum of $400 per month; that after the retirement of respondent, to wit, on the eighth day of November, 1922, there was adopted by the electors of the city of Los Angeles an amendment to the charter of said city, which said amendment, among other things, contains the following…