New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-23
WHALEN ABUSES COLER.
SAYS THAT THE CONTROLLER DOES NOT
KNOW WHAT HE rs TALKING ABOUT

Controller Coer went to Suffern N. Y, for
| days rest yesterday, the Department of Finance
being closed the holiday. Corporation Counsel
Whalen gave out a statement declaring that he
would have no further controversy with the Con-
troller. He began His statement follows;
1t is useless to argue with man who does not
Tee me rs s IS and man s
asserted in reply TO me that he would like to know
tablshed the prevailing rate of wages He is 80
ignorant of the conduct of his office that he did not
| the figures. In letter. which. by the way, ne
tmates thar Was rns o Break Ee an old @
tabshed and tried system of settling claims
| After quoting from letters and the law to show
that there had been change within sixteen years
IN the method of Investigating claims against the
city. the Corporation Counsel winds up his state
ment with the following
! But for the first time to-day I caught faint
wants a reform in the method of settling claims
The way to go about it is to address me, not to
On on the public business through newspapers. If
| to hereafter let him do so in the proper way
l have no time to pose as the only official who is
| Mr. Coler is at an end.
In argument submitted to the Assembly Com
mittee on Cities IN favor of an amendment to the
| charter of the city TO prevent the Corporation
Counsel from confessng TO judgments against the
| city without the permission OF the Controller and
the Mayor. Controller Coler has declared that the
charter plainly intended have the settlement of
| claims against the city in the control of the Con-
| troler. Commenting the provision of the char
ter that all claims against the city must be APP
proved by the Controller before being paid. Tex
cept in the case of Judgments" the Controller says:
This last exception ought to be conclusive as to
the intent and spirit of the law. Judgments need
nor be audited by an auditor of accounts before
| being paid by the Controller.
Why? Because it assumed that judgments
would come to the Controller for payment after an
m 90 th I'm most thorough efciency-the trial of
supposed to have the protection of court, and its
Yet in the last two years one judgment in ten
that has been paid out of the city treasury has
represented anything but the sole, uncontrolled and
unchecked action of appointive officer. Where
judgment is entered by consent or by default or
sents nothing but the acquiescence Of the de-
officer to acquesce in behalf of the city and under
these circumstances to use the empty Judgments
ton counsel is prostitution of the judiciary sys
tenn of the State.
In the conclusion of his argument the Controller
says:
venture to say that If the power of. the Con
yond controversy. there will be greater danger
of any detriment to the cys interests than there
the contrary that the necessity which will thus
arise for consultation between two of the chief
officers of the municipality in matters of such i'm
portance as the citys rights is much better calcu
case If power of such vast and far-reaching i'm
portance be left solely to the control of the legal
adviser
Mr.. Whalen, when seen last night said:
Controller Coler's daily advertisement of claims
sgainst the city Of New-York is the cause of all
aEa5st Of b 9 hayng the 5 SHAGGY C of claim
Of dollars is claimed is Of no Importance and the
he seems to be trying to misiead the public that
RAD on the city treasury for something like
ridiculous ind in the judgment books I pG Of @g
0dff1ce that while about 100000 claimed in
siS5,oo5 JUG menus a'io"eo amounted TO only