New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-05-12
BLOW TO TAX DODGERS
FRANCHISE BILL SIGNED.
Attorney General U7M Noe Push
Cases for Unpaid TdTes an Court.
tBy Telegraph 10 The Trihune.I


Albany Nav u-CsoHernor Hughes signed to-day
the Wadde bill intended to make possible the col
lection Of about S40eoa0o0 special franchise taxes
by vacating the refereeships Of all disputed assess
ments and authorizing the Governor TO call spe-
cial term Of the Supreme Court in any county to
adiudcate disputes taxes levied there
This hill represents the attempt Of Attorney Cen
eral O'Malley and Governor Hughes TO compei uie
contumacious corporations which owe New horN
City some 100000 and other cities about Sl4Woom
TO settle Up.
Political favorites who at various times have had
fat refereeships given them may also be upset ny
the new law In many instances protracted hear
Ings have produced no visible results toward the
settlement of disputed taxes. In some fragrant
cases proceedings have dragged along for several
years and stiII are unfinished. while not even the
Attorney Generals Office has the falntes' ho'oit u
the amount of referees fees.
Attorney General OMaIIey intends to stop this
Under this new Law he will ask for special court
terms and. where referees have failed TO get re-
suits will try what actions before the court VIII
accomplish Where referees have made good prog
reSs toward the settlement % cases it is prooaele
he will not interfere with existing proceedings
There are now 22a cases whore corporations IN
New York City have disputed their assessments.
These have been sent To referees rive OF 'heee
referees handling 1sa cases.
Attorney General O'Msiley, in letter 70 Gov
ernor Hughes last March suggesting the recon-
mendation 81 this legislation. criticised the referee
system IN unrnessured terms. Among ether things
he said
In the city Of New York so many Of these pro
ceednes have been referred individual referees
that if they We're sit every day. II would take
several years to Try these cases Four-hfths 81
| the cases brought during these years nSp-o9 and
referred are in exactly the same position to-day
as when the order Of reference was made
OF the New York city cases, William A heener
has thirty-seven assessments against gas com
panies the Consolidated Central Union, mutual
Ges Light Northern Union. New Amsterdam,
chit md
Union F,eevated railroads The assessments total
about s21S mo non In most Of the cases ex-Juoee
William y. Cohen whose name was brought ou'
! in the QuiEE "acceeration" hearings before the
Public Service Commission, was designated ettor-
! ney 10 the referee
Alexander 7. Mason. deputy attorney genera
under Julius Mayer has twenty-eight cases al
street railroad disputes E1-Judge Ernest Hall
who was concerned in some fashion in the Qulge
'.accelera ton is referee in fftyfour cases IN
| volving assessments totslling some S25e0oou, on
the Metropolitan Street Railway Company ana l's
subsidiary lines from 1901 to 1905 In one case
| the Third Avenue 1905. William N Cohen was
| named as counsel David Mcclure has twenty
two cases all street railroad assessments for 1907
| year for some reason not devoted to MI Han
list Of refereeships.
| job z. Hedges also has twenty-five cases al
| street railway cases for 1905,
| J. q. Graham, who secretary 10 Governor
| OdeH and later deputy attorney general under
julius Mayer is referee in eleven cases. eight OF
which are disputed assessments on the New 1orH
| Central. totalling about Ss.GA.N1.
| A H Jone. no~ of the receivers for the
Metropolitan Railway, has four cases against
the Consolidated Telegraph and Electrical Subway
| Company.
| Ex-senator Martin SAKE has nine cases against
| BROOKLYN railroads for years from 1901 20 1895.
| Julius Mayer, ex-Attorney General, mas hVe cases
| against the Manhattan Elevated for 1SS-lss; totai
| assessments. s216.900ono.
| Attorney General O'Nalley said tonight that he
| would endeapor to bring all the cases in which no
referees have been appointed before the courts Tor
| trial In cases where some evidence has been
! taken, and where the referee has been ap-
pointed in the proceedings Of any relator COW
ering series OF several years. mo doubt an ar
| ranEefnent can made that all those cases
| can he tried one case as the evidence would Dc
| substantially the same in each year.