New-York tribune., 1874-03-07
GEORGE BLISS, JE.. AS SANBoRN'S COL
LECTOR

us CIRCULAR LETTER To COLLECTORS EEQcHiN'
THEM TO REPORT CLAIMS TO HIN FOR SANBoRN
BENEFIT.
II was shown in Tuesdays TRIBUNE that
District Attorney George Bliss jr OF TINS cItf' ac'ed
for s,uborn in numerous cases Collector Of Taxes on
iegacies and SUGGESTIONS, and that In the te case Vi
John l. Paeps hs helped collect the tax before it was
que aud that sauborn obtained hall the amount palu'
In II cases named in single letter OF Stubborn referring
TO the aid M Bliss hal given him. the great farmer
Of the revenue received Sg225 - Tor Nr Bsss service
N preventing the r. a.r slarIei officers from collect
ing tAe various SUM. These taxes were due on the
estates Of such prominent citizens as Mr. Phelps ana
Wan. Gurus Noyes, whose deaths and whose bequestS
were published far ana near. that revenue Oucer
could hardly far to see and enter the claims.
letter obtained from the Office Of one Of the Collect
ors in this district shows clearly the system under
which Mr.. Bliss operated to ard Mr sanborn Inc
iatters contract distinctly says that no sdt Tor tDe
recovery of taxes could De begun by olnOorn WltAou'
the written consent of the Secretary d the Treasury
and the laws Of the United States which are or once
werel a stil higher authority than the Richardson con
tracts say (see Bri.htcy's DgesO that no suit OF
tbis character could be begun without the authorize
lion of the Commissioner OF Internal Revenue Although
Commissi ioner Douglass knew nothing officially OF TIC
existence OF Sanboru's contract previous to JAN H. 1914
and could not therefore authorz, suits for his benefit
Mr. Bliss had previously given notice OF the beginning
of many suits he has represented single case
whenever it was desirable IA take claim out OF the
hands of the regular Collector Ssnhorn furnished Mr
Bliss with the title o. the claim, and the latter dis
patchc the following circular letter TO all the Super
visors and Collectors in mis- District dir citing them Eo
10 collect the taxes o. il was their dnty to do;
l. s. ATTORNEYS OFFICE. June u. 1873.
SIR: herewith TIA. suut list OF names OF executors
administrators. and successors ludelrd 10 lhe u .
direction Of The secretary Of me Treasury aud monty
you the fact that YOU may refer sucu persons 10 me
as max. application you with reference TO the same.
Your O.odIcut servant, GEORGE hiss l. = All y
The letter which has come into the possession of THE
TRIBUNE is dated above, but numerous Others were
issued and may be found with the bsts Of names still
attached the various Offices Of the several Collectors
in the Southern District Of New-Yo-k. and in almost
every case il was found that the claim in process Of
regular collection For his action MI Bliss had the direct
authorization Of neither the Secretary OF the Treasury
nor tie Commissioner Of Internal Revenue. The only
authority which appears in the report Of the Secretary
Of the Treasury be found in the following extracts
from i. G. Blnleld Solicitor OF the Treasury
INSTRUCTIONS 10 SIZE.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
OFFICE or TIE SOLICITOR OF TIE IREAsURY,(
WAsuINGToN D. c., Dec. 20, 1873.
SIR: You are hereby authorized TO institute suit IN
any se presented 10 you by Nh SlnbOrD arising under
his contract when IN your opinion The facts presented
justify he institution OF suit +, e ,bASIltiD
Instructions 10 Collector not 10 collect.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
WASHiNGTOS. d. c. March p. 1873.
SIR IS prOper nat notice should De gran 10 Me Coi
leo5rs no! 70 c,oeie payment IN cases embraced in M
saun0rns contract being understood ldt his contract
relates claims which are not OF record IN any OF the
Collectors offices. am very respectfully,
l.. { BANFIELD. solicitor of Treasury.
George Bliss, jr, UDEed States Attorney, New-Iork
1t has been suggested proper inquiry to be made
by Congress- aud gwen as a supplement to the report
already published Mr Bliss should be called 10
state the Number of notices served, the OF the
person, ON his lists, the collected for sanborn,
ana the amount received by himself the District
Attorney Cwo Der cent?. and the amount OF extra COM
pensaiion a. Mr. sauborn's Collector At the same
time examination shOud be made of the books of the
Assessors TO learn how many OF these appeared
on their books The Investigations OF DisrictAtorney
Tenney Of Brooklyn indicate that the results OF such an
inquiry would be very startling.