The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-04-02
+. D. GALES DEFALCATI0N.
TAX dRREIRS ENTIRELY At Ills
MERCY FOR SIX YEARS.
No Knowing How Much he Appropriated
Detected Dencits Amounting to $4,000

, The announcement made exclusively in
THE SuN Of yesterday that the lato Edward
D. Gale who was Attorney for tho Collection OF
Arrears Of Taxes. was defaultcr to the city,
was the town talk among politicians. They all
knew Ed" as the old time and long time
adhorent of Tammany Hall. He was John
Kely's leader Of the Eighth Assembly District
and nominay lived il the Tenth ward. TO
the day of his death he claimed this city as his
residence In reality he lived in Jamaica l.. l..
where his family was established and where he
had a stock farm and raised fast horses. He
was well known on all the drives and race
courses around New York.
Gale was one Of the most active and powerful
OF the Tammany leaders. Ho spent money
literally. was always loaded with tickets, by no
means complimentary. to all sorts Of dances
and picnics, and was prodisal In opening
wine" and setting them up for the boys"
About two years ago he got up and paid for
mammoth picnic Of the 4. u. Gale Association
ut Bayside. On several occasions he paid the
claims against poor families OF his district about
to be turned out for non payment OF rent. All
this made him worry popular in Tammany from
1872 to 1880. He was by no means wholly de-
pendent upon the IS, 500 salary Of his office for
his income. Judge Donohuc and other Judges
appointed him to many lucrative places as ref
cree and receiver.
Personal Taxes was peculiar. By the law of
1867 ii was made a bureau in tho Conptroer's
Office. In 1873 the Counsel to the Corporation
was empowered to appoint the Attorney. The
place has been held by John a.. White. vi. Mil
M and S baF lar ae h aea six ySa6 s
returned to the Receiver Of Taxes. Gen. Martin
4. McMahon between $1,000 and 5000 of
three years past he has made no returns, al
that f he was only required 10 make returns
Of the amounts collected, and that since he
The taxes Mr.. Gale had to collect were claims
that had already been passed through the
hands OF the city marshas. OF course the mar
their emoluments depended upon their success.
When they could not collect they turned the
handed it over to Mr. Gale. 1t is impossible to
say at present how many such accounts, were
many OF the claims were against rich men who.
In one way, or another, had cvaded the payment
SonpTomi;ed with a number, Of 5ich men Tor
less than the original claim. In all such cases
he was required by law to get the courts TO
succeeded in some cases in getting the approval
OF Judge Donohue, To ascertain the facts in
amincd. Men who have paid taxes to Mr.. Gale
must he hunted up and their receipts com;
that that no S'' power short short of a Legislative
Committee has authority to do this.
ahs s esaysq al sSss s the ss sE GoSk
dertaking to go over the books and compare
the vouchers to see how many accounts haye
been placed in Gales hands and how many he
has returned. That work is now being done by
the Commissioners Of Accounts, ~
he had made no recent returns OF taxes coll
lected attracted special attention, and he was
was that lie was all right, and that nobody
could rcm9ye him In fact, il appears tia, no
ago. after Mr.. Gales death tho attention Of the
Comptroller and the Mayor was directed TO the
unsettled state OF his. accounts, and at their
request the Commissioners OF Accounts took
possession Of MI. Gales Office: They discov
pred at once that the PRINCIPAL books and pa "a,
away nearly all the records. The index book.
which would afford the best clue 10 the defaca-
tions, is gone, and stray slips of paper upon
which accounts were kept are the main reliance
therefore working. in great measure. in the
dark. and months may eapse before they can
approximately estimate the amount Of the de-
Commission William Pit sherman said yes yes
terday, the deialcations discovered amount to
ties should they reach $4,000 i was in Mr.,
claim that he was satisfied was unjust or ex-
orbitant. How many claims he did thus can
paid to him. nobody knows.
Necessarily. the accounts placed in Mr.. Gale's
hands fs WeTe 81 SsG sandng II dhsTs h9%
unpaid personal taxes and the amount Is con
stant!y increasing. Some OF 1t ought never to
have been levied some is unjust; some is IN.
ceeetygn 1ySf hsN n sSas
cd or should have collected and RETAINED from
collecting remain to be found out.
The cSmmssio1ers OF Taxes had nG az mn TO
point him he was not respcnsible to them. and
they had no means OF knowing what he was 90,
2S or mot dGnga M he
him. and ffd' often boasted that i would take
an act Of the Legislature to get him ont. Al
the Receiver Of Taxes that. Official had 10
power to make him report i he did not see fl
70 investigate or remove him but depended for
his knowledge Of the doings of the Office uron
the reports OF the amounts paid to the Receiver
Comptroller Campbell noticed that. while
Mr. Gale made PROMPT collection OF hs So 800
CATION was found out Comptroller CamI~ll.
Mayor Grace, and Corporation Counsel Whit
turo stating that IN consequence OF he fail
ure Of the law Of 1873 10 attach the bureau 10
any c,y department. thcrc is a l9ck Of account
Temedted. II was recommended 10 NJ Les
StEre that tho 9 H. tR@nG G aG2shsH or
the Corporation. The Corporation Counsel
said he could have the work done oy zoo
suggestion yet but ii is not at al unlikely ttIat
before it does so an Investigating eommitt"c
present attitude OF the ruling powers OF me
Legislature toward the county DEMOCRACY, 1t
is not AZ al Improbable tlldl tllS course VIII it
taken. When John Kcllys power was waning
in tho r!ty Government, in isso. i was con, ID,
stampede from Tammhny Han. and il isnot
unlikely that Iammany will be willing, there
fore to have his dcfacatons investigated.
Comptroller Campbell said yesterday that rs
soon as he heard OF the suspicious OF Mr. Gale
he set the investigation going that he would
give It the greatest publicity, and Immediately
institute suits 10 recover from Mr.. Gales sUlc;
ties. Philip Goldman OF % Division street and
Adam Kunkle Of 239 Broome street. They
gave bonds for 10000 II i said that there is
no possibility II collecting anything from Mr..
Gals's personal estate. He left his family i is
ssid. not very well provided for. III spite Of his
liberia personal Expenditures. many Of his old
friends Yesterday, who wondered what Ed y
Gad done with all his money. He had a clerk nj
LOO "a year 10 help him receive arrears 81
personal taxes, although lie had made no Ic-
turns for three years
The collection Of taxes now involves varlons
deparmcnt OF the city Government The
Commissioners OF Taxes. make out the lists Of
real and personal taSeo which 60 to the Com
mon Council for confirmation. After the Com
mon Council confirms the list 1t is sent to the
Receiver Of Taxes for collection. What taxes
al l,,,,. ~.