New-York tribune., 1910-06-28
.C0HALAN MAKES REPLY
Special Franchise Tax Counsel
Explains Records.
NEW YORK CENTRAL MATTER
Statement Issued Yesterday
Substitutes New York G.
Harlem Railroad.

Daniel F. Cohalan explained yesterday
that In his bill against the city for legal
services In connection with the franchise
tax assessments his charge for the work
on the matters of the New York Central &
Hudson River Railroad. which was shown
by The Tribune to have previously paid its
franchise taxes for the years in question.
was meant to cover the special franchise
taxes assessed against the New York &
Harlem Railroad, of which the New York
Central & Hudson River Railroad is lessee.
Unfortunately, In his deposition he stated
that his work was on New York Central
franchises, and as his designation by
the Attorney General made separate state
ment OF the New York Central and the New
York & Harlem matters there was moth
ing available in the record to show that the
charge in question had anything to do with
the latter company.
MI Cohalan also pointed out that though
many of the proceedings were not carried
to completion during his term of office he
should have credit for the work done in
connection with them. In its article yeSter-
day The Tribune particularly pointed out
that fact, saying:
''Some of the cases on which Mr.. Cohalan
was employed were not settled until after
his designation was revoked, but have since
been settled by others. Some other cases
are still pending In these cases 1t may
well be that Mr.. Cohalan rendered valuable
services tending toward the settlement,
even though he did not effect it. and Of
course was entitled to fair compensation
for the work"
Mr. Cohalan's statement, as issued. was
as follows:
My attention has just been called to an
article in this mornings Tribune about the
special franchise proceedings OF which 1
had charge some time since. The article
has very greatly confused the facts: FOR
instance, the New York Central hudson
River Railroad Company matters referred
to in my statement were those having TO
do with the special franchise taxes assessed
against the New York & Harlem Railroad
Company in the Borough of Manhattan, Of
which the New York Central Railroad Com.
pany is the lessee, and an examination OF
the records will readily disclose the fact
that until 1909 no payment on account or
these special franchise matters was made
by the New York Central company.
AS to the other matters, the questions at
issue had to be tried and disposed of, even
though the amounts involved in any one
case were comparatively small, as the qe-
cisionS tended to settle principles dppllcdpie
in many other cases
not necessarily be stopped even "nere ere
paid greater than the amount finally heid
to be due a refund would be made ana IN
terest prevented from running In the IN
terim. H..
The Tribune, to be fair, should state that
the assessments in the proceedings OF WIlch
tions amounted to over 81. .O0o 600 and the
taxes thereon to about s2oeo0,oco and the
proceedings had to do with most or the
pI,hlic utility franchises in the city.
In the nature of things. these proceed
ings could not be all carried to conciusl3n on
in any defined period, but credit should De
given for the work done therein.