New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-02
THE LATE Z. d. GALE A DEFA UTTER


A LARGE DEFICIENCY IN HIS ACCOUNTS.
RESULT OF A PosTHUMOUs NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
| MssiNG-AN OFFICIAL WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE
TO no ONE.
Soon after the death of E. d. Gale the late Attor-
ney for the Collection of Arrears of Personal Taxes,
which occurred on February ii. the Commission
| ers of Accounts, Messrs. Sherman and Barrow,
were directed 10 examine his books and papers to
| see if everything was correct They have nearly
| completed their work, but not sufficiently so to
make formal report. They know, however that
| there is a discrepancy of about $4,000 between
the amount of moneys received by Dir. Gale and the
sum which he paid to General NJ. T. McMahon, Re
| ceiver of Taxes
Mr. Gale was appointed to the office which he held
at the time Of his death on September /. 1875, by
the then Corporation Counsel, f. Delafied Smith
He had served for several years chief clerk In the
| Office His predecessor was General Harvey, law
| yer, formerly of Buffalo. The Attorney was for
merly appointed by the Controller, the law creating
| the Office being passed in 1867. During TweeG's
supremacy the office was used by politicians and
their friends to escape the payment of taxes, the
Attorney having practically the power to remit the
| amount assessed Under the provisions of the law
OF 1867 he is not obliged to return any TO the
Receiver of Taxes except where the Court has re-
duced the amount of taxes Its then he returned
for correction All moneys received by the Attorney
| are ordered TO DC paid to the Receiver of Taxes
and all costs collected are to be paid
TO the City Chamberlain. When the
charter of 1873 was passed. the appointment of
this official was taken from the COntrolerand given
to the Cooperation Counsel. No change was made
in his duties the limitations Of the office. The
Attorney holds his place at the pleasure of the
Corporation Counsel When William c. Whitney
succeeded f. Dclafied Smith he found Mr.. Gale
holding Office and retained him.
In his term Of office MIR. Gale paid over to General
Mcmahon the following amounts: On February .,
1876, 81 .OG3 o.; March .. 1876, $l65 10;
January Is. 1877, S27O0 %; January "a,
1879, 1902 95 February ., 1879, S1,sl0 II
total, S6,71l 10. After the last-named date
Mr.. Gale pad no money to the Receiver
of Taxes General Mcmahon said yester-
day that h. had on very many occasions asked Mr..
Gale to turn over the money which he had collected
| IN order that Ais books might be written up. Mr..
| Gale invariably promised 10 do 50. but when
pressed to do y he would say that he was sick and
| the matter. General Mcmahon wrote to
| John Kelly when Controller protesting against
| the delay Of Mr. Gale IN making returns, and
| the latter vas ordered by the Controller 10 turn
over to General Mcmahon what moneys ne had col
lecfed Mr. Gale promised 10 do SO, but when again
reminded by General Mcmahon he pleaded illness as
| that the MaIshals employed by the Receiver of
| Taxes were sharp and persistent i'm duunIng the
persons to whom notices were sent that there was
| nothing let tor the Attorney to collect. His
| duties were practically limited to taking
cases into court and having the persons DISCHARGED
on tie ground tina they were not aneDabe 10 tax
alton There another cur Gus fact, SAID General
! McAahOn Mr. Gale was practically responsible to
| no one. His bureau was not one OF those of the
| Law Department. and while his duties the
| same when the bureau belonged to the Finance
| Department, the appointment Of the Attorney was
vested in the Corporation Counsel Ills salary was
| formerly $1,000 but under the Public Burdens
| Act it was reduced 10 per cent.
| Controller Campbell SAID that when Mr. Gale was
appointed he gave bond for $1,000 his sureties
! Adam Runkle of No 239 BrOcmc-st Each of these
| suheties justified III the sum Of $4,000. The city
| will sue them for the $4,000, and effort will be
made to recover from the estate OF MIR. Gale the
mander. In any case the city cannot lose much.
| Mayor Grace said that tie recent letter to the
Legislature asking Tor the abolition OF the office
was called forth by the discovery that Mr. Gales
| counts lot straight, and that he was practi-
cal5 accountable to 10 one for his Official action.
! Ii was time TO abolish such an office.
| II was suggested hy some persons cOnvorSant with
the facts the embezzlement that the city might
ure OF Mr. Gale to credit The city with amounts paid
| him by various persons he returning their
| cases as discharged by the Cort. Gen
| crll Mcmahon SAID That TINS could not have been
done to any considerable extent. This had been
done formerly, but if anything of the kind were at
! tempted how II would be very soon discovered by
the Marshal, WHO endeaNO ied 10 collect ali dchn-
qucnt taxes before handing the papers over to
| the Attorney.
| Nj. Gao was for a time wcll-known
| TaIuuduy politician. Ills father, Moses
Gale. was a prOnin ut East Side Democratic
politician, and the son followed i'll his foot
| steps H. ID. Gale for several years a clerk in
the District Civil Court where Ms father presided.
lie va, admitted 10 the bar and practised in a small
| way When the Iamlnany General Committee was
recognized 10y John kelly, after the downfall of The
Tweed Rmg, young Gaze was given the control of the
| delegation rom the With Assembly District lie
was chosen one of the Secrf taiies Of the COMMITTEE
on organization and held that position being success
siyely reelected, until 1881, when he adhered to the
political fortunes OF Mayor Grace and Judge DOnO-
| hue ia their controversy with John Kelly, and was
| di0uped from the Iammany organization. For
| some time before his death Mr. Gale lived at
| Jamaica, l.. L., although nOminally living Ill the
| Tenth Ward III this city. lie was extrayagant III
ms habits, driving fast horses ana otherwise living
in il 81, le hey ond hat his salary would warrant
Those VINO III position 10 know say thai he las
not l0lt much that will reimburse either the city u