Evening journal., 1902-02-27
HARTMAN GETS
NICE LARGE FEE
Council Allows Him 50 Pei
Cent. Of Tax Collected
HIS SHARE ABOUT $4,000
Special Counsel for CitV Council
Produces Contract and Makes
a statement

For collecting for City Council taxes
on the real estate of the railway and
as companies doing business in this
city. Robert G. Harman, special attor-
ney engaged by that body, will receive
about $1,000 Should the court decide
in his favor i'm the telephone and tele-
graph companies suits. now pending.
MIR Harman will receive al least So
500 more.
According TO the agreement made
with James Kane. chairman of the FL
nance Committee. and NJ T.. Cannon,
another member of the committee of
Council. Mr.. Harman was TO be paid
at the rate of 80 per cent on the
amount of money he collected from
the companies In or out OF court
The members who made the agree
ment tried to keep II quiet, but the
matter leaked out this morning.
Mr.. Kane. when spoken to on the
subject said that although Mr.. Har-
man was hired on a percentage basis, he
would not get so per cent
Thomas NJ. Monaghan. another mem
Der of the Finance Committee, said he
knew nothing Of the matter.
Mr.. Harman Explains
When Mr. Harman was seen this
morning he was very indignant that
the councilmen had denied all lmowl-
edge of the subject. Mr. Harman gave
figures showing the amount so far col
leoted as a result Of his suits
They arc. Wilmington City Railway
Company. S7.053.70; Peoples Railway
Ifftff rlsH I.nfr Q
gas company $1,000 The telegraph
and telephone companies cases are
still I'm court If they are decided in
favor of the city, $4,000 more will be
gained. The case against the steam
roads was lost but for work I'm the suit
! Mr. Harman received $3.50.
When Mr. Harman was asked for a
statement today as to how tho agree
ment about the pay for the work was
reached. he gave the following signed
statemet:
Some two years ago the City Coun-
ell discussed the question of making
the railroad. street railways. telephone,
telegraph, electric light and gas COM
Ipanies bear their lust burden of taxa
tion
This action was taken at the in
Stance of Thomas S. Lewis and Eugene
NJ. Sayers, who were confident that the
above corporations could be made to
pay taxes on their rOadbeds wires and
pipes. respectively. and the matter was
referred by Council to the then city So
licitor. An adverse opinion being re-
ceived from the then city solicitor. the
Question was submitted TO me for an
l n nrr fefN 1sa oh ItIa
/ gave an opinion favorable 10 taxing
the corporations. / then, by appoint
ment. met the Finance Committee Of
/ Council. consisting of James Kane,
/ Michael +. Cannon and the present
/ Mayor, George NJ Fisher. We discuss
ed the matter fully and then and there
/ decided upon what would be my fee
IL submitted two propositions, each
one typewritten. The first proposition
was to allow me a certain sum In each
case even if l lost it. and certain
sum in each case If won. though less
than one-half the amount involved
The second proposition was 10 allow
me nothing at all If lost the cases, or
collected nothing and Onc-half of what
/ ! collected If won. This proposition
was accepted by the committee unani-
mously Mayor Fisher insisted on the
l proposition that was accepted. on the
ground that if / lost IL would cost the
city nothing whatever and If / won, the
city would get revenue IT, never got
before. and the corporations would
really be paying me for my services
then. before / would act in the matter,
insisted that the then city solicitor,
Henry c. Conrad be shown the con-
tract and have him approve Of It,
Chairman of the Finance Committee
James Kane. took the contract to the
then city solicitor, and he approved
lof it. Tax Collectors Eugene NJ. Say
ers and Thomas S. Lewis also saw him
before Mr.. Kane. and he. too. then, ap'
proved of my being retained as special
P counsel I'm the matter. ! also. six
= months ago. showed the contract and
the letter Of approval Of the then city
solicitor. David ]. Reinhardt. and i
8 met with his approval.
About four weeks ago Walter II
I, Hayes. William S. IIillcs, City SOlici
tor Reinhardt, Chairman of the Financ
COMMITTEE James Kane and myself dis
lcussed the settlement of the matter il
my office About three weeks age
Chairman of the Finance Committc
James Kane, Hamilton Stewart an
Thomas NJ. Monaghan. of the Financ
e Committee; President of COunc
b Charles H. Blaine and Building InspcC
G tor John F. Cassidy met I'm tine Mayor
u lofficc. and. after discussing THE matte
. accertcd the terms of settlement
n verbal resolution to that effect bein
o passed unanimously. Before this resc
n Tuition was passed, my fee for my service
was brought up and it was then an
there stated by Chairman of he n
< nance COMMITTEES James Kane that
:. was to receive One4half OF all / collecto
Continued on Third Pagel.