The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-23
rELHAM,S LITTLE ROW.
The Town Counsel Invites Investigation
why the Tax Rates Were Raised.

| The Town Counsel Invites InVestIEntioA-
why the Tax Rates Were Raised.
An account OF the controversy between the
! town officials OF Pelham was published in yes
! terday's Sun. in which Justice OF the Peace
| John ?. Hawkins accused Supervisor Sherman
Il. Pell of trying to boss" the town. OF mis-
managing its finances failing to report his
transactions to the Justices. and acting gem
orally in so negligent a way that the tax rate
| has been raised very materially. One OF the
| men included in the Justices criticism was
William II. Lamberton Of 16 Exchange place. q
lawyer. who practices In this city and who has
been counsel for the town off and on since
1888 He IL n large rcal estate owner there.
and President OF a local railway. Justice Haw-
kinss remarks were called out at this time by
the fact that Judge Dykman OF the Supreme
Court had granted a petition OF twenty-six
citizens Of Pelham asking for an examination
into the finances Frank NJ. Buck was sp-
pointed commissioner to make tho exRminR-
tion. Lawyer Lamberton gave the other side
yesterday to a Sun reporter He said:
1t Is true that twenty-sx alleged taxpayers
OF the town have applied for an investigation
OF its accounts. and that Judge Dykman has
granted the application. Tho signatures to
the petition were obtained IN many cases by
Misrepresentation. and seven. at least, Of the
signers now wish to withdraw their names.
We do not propose. however. to permit them to
do 30. They have made their bod and must lie
on T. II they fail In their proceeding they will
lie liable lor all the costs, amounting to per
rrosecuton for crmna I'll libel S similar GaiJ pro-
cceeding lately terminated in the town OF East
unsettled. Nothing whatever was accomplished
In that case.
SO far as Supervisor Pell's connection with
the Pelham Bay Park matter is concerned II Is
evident TIE SUN was misiniormed The
amount collected or saved by me as counsel for
fne bSS Wss g o OF hs 5000
Town Hall. went to the Supervisor. About
$S90lO went, TO the Collector for the taxes Of
Ing, notwithstanding the fact that deci -ions Of
the Court OF Appeals were directly against mo-
against Dark lands. the awards for which have
not been confirmed or settled.
For seryiee S in this matter extending over
of the town in several other matters. l submit.
ted bill for s1,4i4. The auditors cut the bill
readily be Judged from the fact that they re-
fused to allow me anything even for actual
printed Tor sGbmisson to the Gemerai Term "
the supreme Court on behalf of tho town
paDers that the, General Torn would not re-
ceive unless they were printed. or course |
refused to receive the amount audited and in
tended to take the prorer proceedings to re-:
the members of the Town board. recognizing
the Injustice of tho action of the auditors. re-
lingness 10 vote in favor Of COMPROMISING the
claim by giving me 5000 in addition 70 the
amount audited. provided | would accept
that sum. Tho fact that Justice Hawkins was
the one who introduced this re- olution Is a
efficient answer TO his remarks about me in
to-day's SUN.
The statement that Supervisor Pell is at
tempting to be the boss Of the town Is childish.
and Is only based upon foolish statement Of
Justice Richards.
so far as the charge is concerned that Mr..
Pell has not submitted n statement OF his Of
ical financial affairs to the Justices, 1t ia true
lie IL no more bound to submit his accounts to
them than he is to the poundmasters. The
people have elected Board Of Auditors to OK
anime his accounts. To them he is hound to
account, and to them he has accounted. ANY
examination by the Justices would be usuIp-
alton OF the powers not only OF the auditors.
but also of the people.
have teen paid in the town, but with these the |
Supervisor has nothing to do. So far Us these |
bills are concerned am unqualitledly In favor |
OF the investigation. tut SO far as the Super |
visor Is concerned inasmuch as he was born |
and raised in the town. and his forefathers be- |
fore him, and no one has ever known anything |
derogatory to him or them, | deem the pro- |
ceeding deliberate insult
Justice Hawkins's assertion about the in |
crease in the tax rate IS wholly unJustihable. |
When he made 1t he knew. as we'll as do. that |
the increase in the tax rate was wholly due to |
the large approximations made by the people |
for road purposes and TO the exemption from |
taXat on OF between 100000 and 100000 Of |
taxable property by reason OF the laying out OF |
Pelham Bay Park.
Isaac n. Mills. County Judge OF WOstches- |
ter county. has been retained with me to de- |
lend the interests OF the town in this matter" !