The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-13
MN. Il. VANDERBILT'S CASE.
rBY THE MILLIONiIRE PAYS NOTHING
on MS PERSONAL PROPERTY.

The iUifN ifultNN VI ldol Huu u |
crtoon containing fac-simile of tho tax no.
No, for ISIS .lat wns served on Mr.. William II. |
vanderbilt. and was returned with the endorse
ment Of Mt Vanderbilt that he owned no per-
.onal property in excess Of his debts. The no.
ice reads;
NR-p potse bring mi. notice With you.
n.k Ling loIla Page c5I
p,rmrvt,r os riSrs ,Sp AssrssuSSrs
ttr, uA.l fAHN, - CnASnsRs stRsst.
es Il "a,s q 90; ySgF ryg'SpI % h h,'e1s se lSr
M it fwr. 81 trrcnc must b, corrected before
N. Csrr..io"crs before the SFli day of Apui
TAtortv l-' confirmed at that amount; nom which
AlnrRr sroRSp. Secretary.
Railroad .t,.k. telegraph and coal stocks.
AeuI y is7s Il hereby swear that the value OF nv
brna prog, rv subject 10 taxation dc, not exceed e.
H. dcht,,Ncc,G Il taxable personal property
.sgreN Wv. II VANpKRsmr
IT,, within correct copy Of the original anidt
tllin tiis uarc. l.. j. CApwxLL.
ll-.7-s- Deputy r. c.
One Of the Tax Commissioners said yester-
day. in auswer 10 inquiries. Yes. that is a cor
ro,i COPY oj tho notice. Ninety-nine persons
out oi hundred would say. at nrst thoughts
that Mr. Vanderbilt must have periured himself
iu sw,aru. 90 such a statement. Personally |
d. no. know him-never saw him. in fact-but l
ht,. no @ uht that he told the truth. The laws
are So defective. the exemptions Of property by
tie United States and State laws are so numer-
Gus. ami the means OF evadng taxation are so
many and .1 simple that am almost surprised
hat any one pays n tax. Our entire system
OF personal taxation is little better than
a farce Legislatures and courts have
iniertcrcd with IT, and tnkcred 1t to such OK
tent that 20, larg" properties escape taxation.
anl the burden falls upon widowe and orphans
who's property Is in the Surrogatc's hands. and
I'D
place their possessions wherc they will escape
assessment II you look at tho law carefully
you will see low men like Vanderbilt escape
taxation on their personal property. The
United States laws exempt United States bonds
UnUcd States coupons national currency.
United Stdirs notes. Treasury notes. fractional
notes, checks for money ot authorized officers
Of the United States. certificates Of indebted
ness Of the United States and certificates Of de-
posit Of tn United States.
THE laws Of New York exempt metal
bullion. or coin in the custody Of tho United
States Assay officers: imported merchan-
disc In original packages in the hands
OF tho ini urter. goods and chattes owned
by residents Of the State. that are stu
ai"d out oi tie State; property situated in the
city owned elsewhere In the State; personal
property in % foreign State. when securities for
resident agent; goods Of nonresident owners
sent here for -ac. without the reinvestment OF
the proceeds here; savings bank deposits and
tie accumulation Of life insurance compa-
nles. Pulli' securities OF every kind. no mat
Ter where they originate are taxable only In
the place whcro they are found Well. Mr.
Vandcrbiits Nrw York Central. Lake Shore
Michigan Central Western Union. and other
: sre ii. arc sa II sns he 49qd nop Inc NT dT
II he owns = bonds OF, any Of those rriyate
eorporati"n--l mean bonds. not stocks-he can
De d-S''~srti iNr taxes on them.
Just her %" law throws the door Il os'arf
widc open. u tlowS aman todeluct his debts and
obligations from the valuation Of hia porsnnn
property. nui b" paws tax only on the alanca Il
u"fe IL az. lou AN sec now u i-,win man
ers gel in Lrrat Operations liz" Mr. Wander
hi.t. II - n.wUya using lar<" sums Of hor-
rowed MONEY or inrurrng obligations on con
tra. = or Otherwise, 50 that his so-cHlel debts
are eauruous. II he takes say five mil
them ns 'o,iat-,ul for a loan oven t1r los ,han
ei IN M" - uul ulO he may hNvson hand as the
result q. because the law lei~ MIN call tho
/ Grey ir,t un The securities. = when MI
Nail rli' F.'s notice tia: h9 l'.s h,'u u~,nsS' "a
q 81 n1oFi' ~ p.rsonnl properly, he Is prob
ally 40 % o~ition io saytruthfpIlytiIt his debts
eH'""'l ai' ni- personal possessions ~ several
mlti.n- the point made against Mr.. Van
S.ti M nE% .E:r II has 6een r9'7 n e vars
paid N,r. small personal tax FOR man Of his
W. no. u goods were not taxed under the
Jaw irS, "A.n 49,. lr.ns imported goods IN t.er orig;
~ 'nu retail dealer bought them he
III IA o n the Tax Oflce that the stress Of
bard ta'- has caused hundreds of wealthy
n.eu o. -w.ur ou part oi thor personal
nr,.r tnI! ont. TIL Vani"rli'i property
L-f0re i pu--.A into the hands II william II.
'l"rith i.. .lw}s iaid @ vH YAK on pers g,naliy IN,
y@Ht- n"'"r questioned tue right of the Tax
sll.i...',,. j r. g assess him for good round
pr .n1l f1N. 4nd he always unid whatever sum
ID" '"mmi-7loners named. Thcy fixed tho
yHur ~ ms i'Hrsonal property FIRST nj 81 lnJOOW.
lr" hi- ,.'tu tIcy marked l. i'm ul'tp 80 I. 5000.
Il sali trA flr id Commnlore swore round
y M ih" y y a- and that he maien vow that
o. would - h"'orG the Commissioners and
-N"Hi y ltr.' part of the next ysur's as.
ts-Hrni. L'.9r" the next tax wgs collected
q nli tommo lore WAS dead and William II.
Nni"rhih lad Inherited his fortune OF $780,
An old .,-rk in the Tax Department relates
many iu' ~ riuS experiences with uers ms who
lr. supposed 20 30 Tie city's heaviest taxpayers.
Am'."raie assessment was made out on the
pIYpriy 4 director in halt n dozen great
'Nrv .rNiou5. IN whose elegant residence up
own many notable receptions are given ryery
|'"'r. T. f"Hilemaan entrreea The TaY ON g
ler." s." inquired. II live in Wcstrhester
,un'y. und Hrn taxed enormously there. |
loh iu'"nl % pay two assessments." Inquiry
u Wee sir. County. whore he owned sum
nl"t -. .-t"'. rli'!led the information that the
llN zee q ii Nalf HillaNN tllht MS itTholul
lrnp'.tY W.- worth S5uOu.
Tho President of one Of the city's great cor
= h' ."ua 'uIoys a snlHry and income Of about
War iie lives in costly house On
M"fiti HI. tui his IOss .sslons OF bonds,
Mlr- is,~. tA' other taxable securities are
'uil -"' o. be large. lie was assrr-ed on per-
tH'i urNl"uy in this city, He made return
, he ln. uothng tnnt was subject 10 taxation.
tDl.r AL. ',r -Nd that he was n farmer Dy Oc-
."tal "h, tlat lis r"silence WAS in another
iYr.
j. rS'ns visiting Europe nre usually followed
t5 TIE uts not co., and il is not an unhcar,l-of
N- o u'm . - before an American Con
HuI make fidHyit that they are no longer
.l' 'h- . g. tlited States, In few months
~ Hlr back again IN Now York. and engaged
H. Il"ir usual business.
D." story IS ,oll Of ono wealth merchant
~" r"moN.l from tho city 10 Weschcster
J'NAy, w. r' uc built a costly residence In
a., AL'AuNl" ~ The two uppor wards no was
as 100 hr.ns't within the city limits. He
IluN-' n'r.y ,ll his house ana bought prop
1i} u N"" jersey, whore be could escape the
e it tx. The TAX on lis real estate he did
aim. '1" '@ ''
Ih"i ~" thousands u residents ~ Brooklyn
w. 'Nh NNHal.e personal property in Now
: it Whl q N.r Now York asscsslrs rannui g't