The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-04
TAXPAYERS RIGHTS.

All taxpayers in this city who have had occasion to
call at the Tax once in relation their property need
not to have described 10 them the system pursued
that asylum for superannuated and dccayed politicians
the manners want thereof the efficiency or in
efficiency Of those employed therein. Such taxpayers
will be Interested 10 know, however, that has
just been decided in the courts which establishes an
important right in their favor, in opposition 10 the
fantastic tricks heretofore born Of the Stupidity laz
ness and arrogance OF the bcnencaries OF the Tax
pficc. II appears that Mr. David Dudley Field
had for many years regularly paid taxes on
house and lot Sixteenth street be-
longing TO HIS daughter. but about year ago
he was astonshcd TO discover that this property had
been sold for nonpayment OF taxes Tor the year 1885,
the purchaser, Mr.. Pinckney. claiming possession
under tax lease for 900 years from The CITY Know
Ing that ne had paid his taxes the property for the
year l,bS and all other years such taxes became
iuc. Mr.. Field instituted an investigation, which
resulted In the discovery that his lax receipt
or that year contained the proper number of and
OF the street the ward in which 1t situated
ma the valuation OF the property but the wrong ward
number. and that the ward number to which payment
credited that of an adjoining lot The man on
whose lot Mr.. Fields credited refused pay
his taxes claiming that they discharged OF record,
and the city authorities refused Mr. Field right
claiming that u was through his fault in giving the
correct ward number that the mistake occurred and
that he must look to mis- neghbor who got the benefit
Of the error for such PREPARATION rs he could get Mr.
Field then instituted suit In the supreme Court In the
OF Mr. Pinckncy, who got the lease as result
OF The Tax Once error to have the lease vacated and
set aside, the ground on which the suit
based being that when taxpayer states In
the Tax once to the proper Official the ward IN which
his property is situated, the street and number OF tho
Street and the distance from the corner OF the next
cross street, he has given them all the information
That can be ectimaicy within his knowledge and all
that is necessary to enable them TO Identity the prop
that IL they choose TO have In the Office other
eabaiistc sign Identifying the property such Us map
number on the ward map they and not the taxpayer
hold the key 10 the cabala, and II is them in
tcrpret IL On the part Of the city il claimed in
the SUIT that tho taxpayer - bound 10 60 the
mysteries of The Tax once and find the ward
map number of his property at his
risk, and that the ovcrworkcd clerks in the
Tax Once bound search for IL
even after the owner has given such description OF
The property as to make IL easy Tor person OF
binary intelligence Ak its Identity with the cabasc
sign which they have attached 10 IL Judge Van Worst
however who has now decided the case, look differ
cnt Wow OF the extent OF their duties from that
tanned by the tax officials for themselves lilo hol Is
with Mr.. Field that the description he gave OF his
property Is all that any taxpayer i bound to give and
sufficient for us identification. and that IL Tor the
clerks from that description. N the number OF the
property on the ward map at their risk The result is
Judgment annung the lease TO Mr.. Pinckncy and d.
recng that the tax records be In Mr. Fields
favor, with costs OF the action against the city