The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-09
ROWS AT HEARING
RECORD AND ARMSTRONG
IN SHARP TILT.
Jersey City Corporation Counsel Refuses
to Apologize to Member of State
Board of Taxation.
Especial to the Evening star.l


JERSEY CITY. Aug. 9.-It may have been
tipathy thai made nearly every one cross
at the hearing of the railroad tax appeals
by the State Board of Taxation in the
city hall. Jersey City. for a number of
scraps developed. Corporation Counsel
George l.. Record and h. Amber Arm
strong. of the State board, showed a strong
mutual dislike. and Major Carl Lentz,
president of the board. was highly exas-
perated by William d. Edwards. of counse
to the railroads.
Tax Expert J.. II. Ehrehart. who was
the engineer of the New York State Board
of Taxation. was testifying for the city
as to how he arrived at the valuations
placed on shore front property owned by
the railroads. Mr.. Ehrehart spoke of value
that attached to land that could be used
for ferry purposes and used the term,
ferry rights" Mr.. Armstrong said the
witness meant franchise and that the
city could not assess that.
Il do not attach much Importance to
the testimony Of this witness, as it seems
to hurt his own case" Mr.. Armstrong as
serted.
THAT is a highly improper remark for
a man occupying a judicial position to
make" Mr.. Record declared with much
emphasis. ut Is practically prejudging
this case. It is outrageous and insulting
for a member of this board to make such
a Characterization of my witness. What
show has Jersey City got when her wit
nesses are openly treated with contempt
by a member of this board?"
Former Judge Armstrong; ire rose as
Mr.. Record went on, and he tried to trans
fix \the Corporation Counsel with a look
that was as sharp as a dagger. Mr..
Record was white with anger Mr.. Arm
strong was red with fury.
Counsel is trying TO insult a member OF
this board, but he will not be permitted
to do so. He has lost his head, and
imagines that l belittled his witness
testimony. l was e~ndeavoring to ascertain
what the witness idea was in regard to
arriving at valuations. l did not sneer at
the witness, and the counsel owes me an
apology for his discourteous and unprofes-
sional language"
II have no apologies to make Mr.,
Record emphatically answered, for ]
know what took place"
Mr.. Edwards, who had been moving un
easily in his seat during a row in which
he did not figure, started to sick on" Mr.
Record, and was called down by Majol
Lentz. who remarked that all through the
hearing it was as much as he could dc
To prevent people from flying at each
others throats
ut has been a constant effort on the
part of the board to prevent counsel from
indulgrng In personalities" the Major an
nounced. You are h chief offender,
Mr.. Edwards"
Expert Ehrehart showed by a record OF
purchases of land by the Lackawanna
Railroad for its terminal in Hoboken and
Jersey City that 1t had cost a million
dollards more than Railroad Expert Edlow
W. Harrison had sworn to as the value
of 1t as railroad property.
Mr.. Harrison had testified that the rail-
roads ran their ferries at a loss and that
they stood this loss because of the train
passengers.
Mr.. Ehrehart complained to the board
that he had been refused Information that
would enable him to compute what rail-
roads charged as the cost of carrying train
passengers. IN the ferries.
I'VE will rave that information put up
in the shape of baby food" Mr.. Edwards
retored.