The New York herald., 1878-10-28
PATERsON'S DEBT.

TAxEs-wHAr TAXPAYER CHARGES AND
FENCE.
Ever since the tax fraud trials In Paterson, N. j.,
in ls7e-77, when the most astounding disclosures
were made In reference TO the operations OF cor
rupt ring which had run tho city government for
several years prior thereto. . sharp eve has
beer Kept on the municipal authorities. II has
been held by many that .the half was never toid.n
more rotten municipality than was Paterson during
the decade preceding the nnal unearthing OF tho
doings Of this ring could not probably be found any
where Il Jid not comparatively, find Its parallel in
New York city even tho palmiess days OF the Tweed
regime
Recently, after much research savant and
social scientist OF Paterson, by name Dr.. David
Robinson, CLAIMED have made the most
startling discoveries to frauds perpetrated
upon the taxpayers OF Paterson. Or. Robinson
Is Scolchman OF the old school, IN tho regular prac
tce OF Medicine, but who hnds much time to devote
to public affairs in which. being a large property
owner himself, he Ia naturally Interested.
Rumors in reioreIce to this matter led q HERALD
reporter to visit Paterson Saturday. and nr Robin
son was called upon No. 81 Division street, and In
terviewcd. The Doctor Is the very ideal native Of
tho ..Land o. Cakes," rugged, hard featured and
severe in exprcssion with lines OF deep
t00ugnt WEIGH snow COuCluSVcy tnut LIS
nty-nve or sixty years have been
years Of idloness AT first he not especially
communicative, and the IDEA OF ''chiel taaxin'
noots' seemed rather rcpugnant; but after while.
he settled down to talk. eyes" SAID the Doctor.
at true that conspiracy has long beenat work to
sell out this city,"
''How done ?" quer,ed tho interviewer
CHECK AGAINST DISHONESTY.
'Wel you tue financial system OF our city Is 50
that our Alderme enabled In spite OF
Mayor In spite OF all opposition, TO take from
tho people much money as they please"
81 don't understand how that can bc---"
ono, OF course you DON'T But say that there is
no check An them whatever"
"plcase explain"
~ Will. What VIII you say, then, whom tell you
that the books containing accounts OF the city's
finances for ten years past nave bcen burned or
otherwise destroyed; that bogus debts TO un enor-
nous amount have been piled up. and that, since the
war, unoer tho CLOAK OF taxation. the people have
paid Sa5 SO per capita per annum, while according 10
social scientists cities average moro than $40
per capita annually OF net earnngss"
.Why, but this is lncrcdloieI"
"IncredDle, is II? Now WILL tell you the result.
OF the people could not pay, this
Taxation rapidly absorbed their capital Ihen the
authorities The city papers with ADVERTISE
ments smaA type Houses were SOLD ior taxes w
the Tho sand ana plots ground in all quarters
knocked down ior just what tney would Dring. low
The last sale was held. aud now virtI-
ally than half the city IL sold out ior taxes VI
course there were many mortgages ALSO and the ac-
llon oil CITY Drought down q tornado OF lore
closures aud snerln's sales ana law expenses COM
pleted the ruin"
..Aud 80 the city is more than half sold out2"
..More than half sold Tor taxes" repeated the
..Bul how could such enormities be porpretated2 2"
inquired the reporter.
Simply because tue Municipal Board is ali-power-
ful. rney rule even the assessors. Tho Aldermen
the mob their back Tor tue last twelve years
aud have taken tho whoic accumulated earnings u
the people and sunk them IN deUt beside. Ihcy ore
not Aldermen, but a club OF politciaus.o
ENORMOUS CHARGES.
"But what becomes VI all The money; how is u
uscd2'
..rnat Is what nobody can fna out to q certainty.
One year there gwen $50. 200 Tor whitcwashing
CITY Hall SO 10 speak. building Tor winch tho
Aldermen actually paid 50, 600 more than was asked
Al another time mere shed III tho OF the C.ty
Hall lor the use OF the police cost $4,000 II cost
700 al timo Tor conveying thirtecn unatics "
deeds, on to the ena of tne chapter"
"AIa you say tney Ourncd The books OF accountr'
..lhoy burned or otusrwise destroyed them; they
cannot DO Iound.n ~
"And has tnero boon no outcry-has no ono pro-
tested against sucn h'gh-haadsd proceedings"
puDuc meeting was held IN the Msswani to make
stand against the general ruin. A band OIL rowdics
groaned ana shouted prevent inc people
ing how tney had been piundcrcd -
s.And SO IL was aband0nedyn
alt nua 10 be- Then Que OF the speakers published
pamphlet showing tnat since Inc war tue psopio ot
the county nad been robbed OF over sll, 900 by
over taxallon."
ELEVEN miilionsl"
"Ay., eleven millions ana that in twelve years
.Wni you. Doctor, please bc moro expicitY'
.ExpnciiY Wnai couiobc paincr alter what have
told your ln TINS small Guy the tax should not DO
IN ,rc tnan SO so per capita an o uaiiy. That would
have announced, say IN the past eleven years. 10
amounted to So 4O cxcoss OF S. 5U2 9Jl.
Ine debt aDd taxes oi tnis unfortunate c.iy during
the eicven years huvc amounted 10 S772.99l
styl.u LII
standard vi taxation or moro Lnan $50 80 per capa
per annum TOR me medium population, S0.oOo"
Sand this pamRhic-diu IL CAUSE III ucn excitement
among the taxpaysrsf"
sslL dId, and more yet at the City Hall, ior they
were just preparing ior another Wholesale
OF properly past due taxes, but they 10
u. Aitor the excitemcnI was somewhat
allaysd the sale came oil tnas 10 10 say but si~rs
'.we,l, but about the s11.ooo,ooo, Doc.ors You
havoa't explained that"
sI,m coming 10 II; have told you that Patterson
was piundegea 10 tho amount oi $500 9l: ball
OF tne sll 0oO, 900 was ,aScn from nc county"
"rhen The ireenoiders were US corrupt older
men2"
sJust tho same: thousands were paid for
BRIGGS thu were nevur built ana la other ways unli
tns aggregate OF the over taxation In city uLd
county amounted 10 81, 3l3 9U0"
"What elect aid lhe pampu'et haye"
sO thugs nave gonc better since then the Alder
men uidn't dare 20 on as they did before; but my
pnlst would have had more effect Dut ior tno
PRIMERS"
.rne printerss"
"Aye, the printers. Tho newspapers hore all shared
In tho piundcf anu ~ was snpossioie 70 lave Joo
Goue corrcctiy. tney garbico my pampnie,.'
sGarblcd ltY"
you snail Here, for instance, where In
tended 1874 ana 1876 tncy have made ~ 1874 AMI
1916, thus setting inc BACK Just $40 yeurs.U
.But this Is monstrousp
"Il WA the best could do. They did IL pur-
pose luey feared the ciecs Of my implicit
"But ID there no ono eise 10 protestY Docs other
taxpayer revoItp
..Wnal good would II 40 tncmY Tho Aldermen have
/. all their way. Eesides II any threaten TO DO
lroub osoine they just remit tncr taxes"
.howfD
..Thcy remit their taxes. There's Watts Cooke.
President OF the Passac Rolling Miii would pay
the iniquitous taxes ana declared lie would his
men-anl he has . small arny-beiorc he would sub
Ini 80 has not paid dollar IN years Ncitncr has
H. Boudnot Colt ior that hnc property opposite tuu
Court House-docsn't pay cent. so Wan many
othsrs. Ine poor men pay all tho taxes"
.Doctor. am 10 understand you that half the
lvr taxesf"
sBoln; both the half in value and tho hall In
sofa, aud an cxaninaon 81 tna books al me