Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-06-17
SHERMAN DECLINES HELP
City Attorney Will Not Work
with NJ. l.. Powell.
A Idle rmcn Rcscind Former Vote Ac-
rcpting Grntuitous Services of
senator In Handling Question
of Wnrd hank stock Taxes.

lively session Friday evening fOlloWlnE
reading letter from city Attorney a. l..
sherman which was "A reply tn N one
sent in Monday night by Attornc& Max
l.. Powell offering his services gratis III
presenting. with the city attorn y, the
question of the legality of assessing the
Louise II. ward bank stock for local
taxation which, it has been agreed by
the city and the Burlington Trust c"u-
pany, trustee for the stock, shall b" sub
mitted to Judge j. ". Rowell. the PARTIES
interested to abide by the decision
The proposition of Mr. powel's, il will
be recalled, was accepted by the board at
the regular meeting Monday night Mr.
Sherman in his letter su1nitted Friday
evening asked that he be released from
serving as city attorney i'm this par
tiCuar ease or the case be relieved of
the gratuitious services of Mr. Powell
After a long discussion, in which Mr.
sherman and Mr. Powell spoke, it was
voted to rcscind the vote of Monday ac-
cepting MIR Powel's services, the vote
being to ..
Soon after the letter was read. Mr.
Sherman was asked What the process Of
lbmittng the question to Judge Rowel
would be. He replied that # would con
sst of sending an agreed statement of
fact. the stipulation as entered upon be
tween the city and the Burlington Trust
company, and the presentation Of the
legal question for Judge Rowen to de
eide which is in effect, whether the 81
shares of Burlington Trust company's
stock held In trust by the Trust COM
pany for Mrs Louise Il. Ward was for
the years 1913. 1914 and 1915 subject to
! local taxation.
| Alderman Baylies stated that if Attor-
ney sherman had wanted help h" would
undoubtedly have come before the board
and asked for it. Aldermen Boucher and
i Dwyer Wer" of the opinion that the city
attorney should not object to assistance.
Alderman Buell. thought that help should
not toe forced upon Mr. sherman.
/ In reply to Alderman Boucher's state
ment that there could be no harm in Mr..
Sherman's consulting with Mr.. Powell,
Mr.. sherman replied that when Mr..
Powell sought to advise him by starting
with an insult he could not work with
him.
! Mr. Powell then came into the council
room and read Nj Shermans letter He
said, when he had finished it. that he re-
GREETED the city attorney felt insulted.
and repeated statement from his own
letter TO the effect that he had no intent
or desire to reflect upon the city attor-
,ney. All along, he said, the city attorney
has been lukeWarm about tho case. Mr.
| Powell added that tn" only objection to
his appearing before Judge RoWel in the
matter had been THAI il was a case of
spite on his part but such an idea was
folly. Mr.. Powell admitted he lidn't
,n.
1''i ""' '' "''''"
''''' ''''"
na' ever "'s"'''" inc Sp'ah'f ia'ner'
Ms "'NoN'F' WAS NOT the Issue. M
owen S"" '""u ne "au iouhu 'h"' Mr'
war" was h"' PAYING MS taxes on GER
IAN ""hN sl"'h ana II" ''lu MAYOR lurhe
OF H. ne ma" aus" spoken I" Nr' Sh'r-
ma" ABOUT H. hu' MT. SHERMAN had
Always Sal' inal the city old NOT nav"
a case against 'f' trust company ME-
! rowe" aus" stated t"at MI sherman
"a" "eeh lhSuN't1" i"Nf or NV" months
az" |" proceed against the trust COM
PAM at one" IN AN rndeaNor I" collect the
I"caI TAX on the hahK stock IN question:
pUt ne had not zone as the BOARD direct
ed The city's caSe said MI Powell
should be presented by ON" wh" believes
in the justice of his position and who
would do his utmost too for the interest Of
the city. If Mr.. sherman mad any heart
in the case he had a very queer way or
showing il. Mr.. Powell said he was a
member of the Senate Of 1910 which had
made the law relating to the exemption
of trust funds from taxation and a mem
Der of the Senate Of 1914 which had re-
Vised the law so as to remove the words
! cor otherwise" which had made all the
trouble He said the question Judge
Rowell would be called upon to decide
would be what the intent of the Iegisla-
ture of 1910 was
Mr. powell further stated tina, whether
the citv decided to accon, his services
or NOT he would nresept his hriaf of
the case ia Iulgo Roweu which he had
MAYER NJ, pov.ll asked ubat Mr. Sh.r-
man was afraid ,f l1o e,id h.. talked
Of h.iru h,sul,.d Inn, tho ,v,,de in m,
cI,v nttornov,s lot,., ,.tb., o,. ,,bo t,ioe
ia o,,ain son,othiro fo,.. no,bi,y usuallv
gels nn,bin,, for sn,,o,bi,r" was mo,
oxac,I,. ,,,,,r,on,. ,rh ro,1 ,,s,,, ,,b,.
Mr. sherman was so ukoworm about
I'M. cnso Mr. pouou said was h.caus.
Ni,vor rurke had fire, s,ppasted the
uossibili,v of COLLECTING. the taxes I'm
question
And said Mr. p,uou 81 ,hinL / an,
iust ne good a lawv.r nc NJ, sherman
and 7 am no, concoited uben | say that
The only ronson wb, ur sherman OH.