The sun., 1910-05-05
SPLIT OYER COHALAN BILL
BOARD OF ESTIMATE NOT so
HlPPY 4 FAMILY NOW.
ComBtFOlleF Takes q H0stiie ToRe-The
Controversy Draws Letters and state
ments Prem several OmciaIs. and a
Taxnarer Tlr,nrs a nasttf,sat.n S,,lt

A split in the Board ol Estimate Is
threatened over the contention about tho
responsibility for that $4,000 payment
10 Dan COhaAn for his services In Ool-
leoting special franchise taxes. The
contention which was in the first instance
between Mayor Gaynor and William R
Hearst, took more acute stage yeste--
day. Mayor Gaynor repeated that hs
had nothing 20 do with the signing Of
the warrant and in that he was supported
by City Chamberlain Hyde: ComptroIlsF
Prendergast asserted that the check was
not countersigned in the City Chamber
lain's Office until January Z. and was a
responsibility Of the present administra-
ton; former City Chamberlain Martin
said that the warrant had been signed
on January 4 by Deputy Chamberlain
Walsh at the direction Of City Chamber
lain Hyde; Mr. Walsh said that he had
never consulted Mr.. Hyde about the
matter. hut that he signed the warrant
under the power conferred upon him
by the law without saying anything 10
Mr.. Hyde about IL: Mr. Walsh says, As Mr.
Hyde does. that Mr.. Hyde never saw
the warrant and that Il was signed by
the deputy In the usual course. a. thou
sands Of warrants ara.
The Mayor opened the day by sending
this letter 10 Mr.. Hyde:
The records Of the ofhce Of tho chief elsrk
here. whose DUTY IL is TO receive and sign
all warrants on the Chamberlain for the
payment OF claims adjusted aud audited
a. legal liabilities against the city. show
that on Dcvember u last a wa rrant was
received by the said clerk from the Comp
;r0lieF payable to the order OF D. y. Cohalan.
said warrant being dated December q.
Isol. aud signed by the Comptroller. and
that on the same day II was signed by the
said clerk and delivered hy him % the Cham
beFlain. who gave a receipt therefor In the
usual course. dated December a. io01
which receipt Il on lle Ia the said clerk's
ofice Will you please give me the record
ana full history Of the said warrant, 20 Tar
as u appears in your ONCE Very truly
yours " J CArNOR
In reply Mr.. Hyde wrote:
beg 70 say that the record in this ONCE
shows that the warrant 70 Cohalan which
you mention was received a. this ofice on
December 81, 1919. and that on January 4
1910. the said warrant and the check there.
for were returned 70 aud delivered "a and
LEFT % the Comptroller's ofice. and tho
receipt therefor given that day by the Comp
irollrr = representative h on iile in this once
The said warrant was afterward pad
In the ComptrOllers ONCE by delivering ths
said cheek 20 COhalan. a. / am Informed
Such payments are always made BY tho
Comptroller. and not here. Ne audits and
pays all claims. Opposite the entry of tbs
said warrant In this office. its number being
7.lgD. i- the following ~. .iaa returned %
the MavoT az his request ! am informed
that thy predecessor. Mr.. Martin. had tho
entry made and then put the warrant IN
bic pocket
know nothing further of II. except that
am informed boy the Deputy Chamberlain
that when ! took onics on January Z ths
warrant va, here aud was returned 10 ths
Comp'roller's Office that day. as / have
stated above Respectfully.
lnAHLEs ". HynF.
Chambcrlaih
Then followed this slatemeu. mada
by ey-Jhamberain Martin:
4 put the warrant in my pocket on the
afternoon ~ December - 10 take Il %
Mayor Mcclellan az his request now
desire Mr. Hydeto inform Mayor Gaynos
who brought the warrant from Mayor
GayuOr's Office on January g. Ask Mr.
Hyde Il be- didn't bring the warrant ovsr
IN hiz own pocket
10 this Mr. Hyde retorted.
i never saw the Cohalan warrant unta
after April Is. when the alleged facsimile
Of it was published My letter 10 tho
Mayor speaks for itself Mr. Martins
imputation j. beneath contempt and I DO
not care 20 discuss IL
Mr Martin came back later with this.
The records Of the Chamberlain's = oiloB
show that the Cohalsn warrant was re-
turned 70 Mayor Mcclellan on the after
noon Of December a. Ireturued IL 70 him
personally
i was in the Chamberlains once 90
January on another matter and | asksd
Deputy Chamberlain Walsh what had be-
come OF the Cohalan warrant He AAid
he had signed il two days before az the
direction OF Chamberlain Hyde
1 ask again. Who brought the Warrant
from the Mayors ofice 70 the Chamber
lains office on January ~
This was shown to Deputy Chamberlain
Walsh. who said.
1t is not true that I signed the Cohalan
warrant by direction Of Mr.. Hyde. That
warrant came 10 me from the Chief
Clerks Office IN the City Hall. as all war
rants do which are sent over there. and
I signed II just as sign hundreds Of
Others every working day of the year.
/ never mentioned the COhalan warrant
90 Mr.. HYDE for the reason that therO
was no need for mo 20 do 30 because 1
knew that it had been passed upon and
audited in the Finance Department
Answering Mr.. Martins question a. %
who brought the warrant from tho City
Hall 20 the City Chamberlain's once, Mr
Walsh said he supposed IL was hpsught
over In the usual course by a msssangsr
from the Chief Clerks oflce.
The Comproller's statement said:
have iust read copies Of letters that have
passed this morning betveen his Honor
the Mayer and Mr.. Chamberlain Hyde IN
reference 70 the sO-Callsd Cohalan mat ter
u would appear from the Chamberlain
letter that SITTER i've OF six days Of tOrtuOus
attempts 10 define the real responsibility
la this matter they are gradually moving
over toward the present Comptroller's onlca
~. =.