New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-21
THE CITY LOSES MILLIONS.
STATE TAXES AND EXEMPT PROPERTY.
clicks THAT WORK WHILE POLITICIANS DRAW

cLsEKs THAT WORK WHILE. POLITICIANS DRAW
THEIR PAYNE. COLEMAN's OPINIONS.
The first witness before the Senate Comu1ttee
Yesterday was Michael Coleman, president oil the
Board of FAX Commissioners After detallIng tue
operations of the Department. he eXPreSsfeu one
omuion that personal taxation should DC dlsc0h-
tinueu. Wealthy people avoided payment ny
temporary investments in Government oons ahH
the burden fol- upon those VINO were TESS SS
ful in the manipulation of their means; lakes
should be raised from Teal estate =, anu anu
corporations. The latter should bc required 10 pay
percentage on their gross receipts Wcal'n snoilu
Inc attracted 10 the city and not be driven away Dy
taxation, Tnere was too ample properly Ill inc
municipal, limits that was exempt from luNa,iVi.
I'm this class be included the grounds occupied Dy
= rinitv Chnrch am graveyard, St. Paups Church
and other properties of ike character belonging 10
Catholic, Protestant and Hebrew denomlhstlon t.
Tue Bloomugda.e Asylum paid no taxes on us
many acres of land, and yet no one c0uid W 10 au
united except on payment of from Slo TO cou "
week. NOne but wealthy could ENJOY the pi TIL
lcges of the Convent OF the Sacred Heart. A lew
men could get together. buy up out4lns
properties conss' ing OF t HG ,ndUe eati in,
mates name the Institutions after somo Ca't nd.
or Protestant saint, aud secure exemption iio '
taxation at Albany. In few wears unov can ct
the old men aud women out ana I'D nave u Isl, ,is.,
class investment on winch no taxes have been
paid. there were $780,, 100000 worth OF ex
enpted m9pSrty in t IT any the Masonic lem
ole. the Academy of Medicine were all eXohlPl, anu
vet the city was taxed TO protect each structure
p3rtIcs were really deriving al the benefits.
the W tuess saIo that fair computation WOULD
show thai since 1867 the city had been robbed Oh
S2O, 900 O00-thrOugh the payment OF cAc cess.
Stafc taxe,. Probably 100000 year was iosi 10
the city through the present system OF hithaRinS
the water front. The piers are leased, ana polnR
city property are exempt from taXaVOn, anu ho
matter how great the improvements maze upon
them nothing is derived but the mere p'liaucc ~
rent lie suggested that all piers and buik cads
leased by tn Dock Department sh'u'd De snoot1i
to the same taxation as any "tor 'eal ~ nn
irlrtincnt was run altogether by IT'S supoIutu'tc.
The Commissioners did not have courage eho'S
20 take the rcins IN their Own Sii, ,o naTnS
AS 10 the Aqueduct Commissioners they recelyeo
s;S Goa n wear. but were practically mere h9uIe
ieqd-. He was Oppos 10 u man occupying tnsi.
non IN the city governmt LIT WHO did not have time
to the joard of Assessors the witness said that
he had favored the removal OF MIR, J"e'9us ana
Mir LydrckeT from the old board. io had iouhI
,nnch Nork pIgeOu-holcd in the office wncn shpulu
have been disposed f lOnI before. The present r.
SCISSORS were selected from iiSt fnfnisheo Nv
The Tue afternoon session was devoted
largely 10 the hearing Of the ie,-
ti1nony of George StraSslor formerly st n0Graphcr
of tbe Vth District Court presided over 10y JnHge
Met artny, and of Maurice j. q Conhoi NS""H-
rapher Of the With District Court under me Gnafgr
of Juope Kelly Mr.. StTassuer testified that during
ms term of service, extending oNerA perio or near
ly three wears he Ia paid ar9ciy through one OF
tnr court officers about fo,o?P ne u,S, ""o o vi
two payments were placed III an enFeoP1 aa 10
handed 10 Edward McCue. AZ cue uhe allCi 1T
nd behaved the monthly payment the court olhreI
reminded him of his delinquency by KING nun II
he had RCach's uIar ready. The perSon thus re-
fprred to- he sand, was AsScmblyman hoach, Oi
the WITH ID strict. SoiDe Of the money was pald
nv check aud on one Of these when returned was
Reimbursement -. II. Mccarthy" per his hroiher
VINO was clerk of tne court. W hen H. bl'hE le-
In ed TO pay more nc was drought face 10 race WIN
Roach and then almost came Ito colilSion W lie
discussing the matter OF payments. on"l'N "i'o'-
ward he was dismissed by Judge McCarhr:
Nil U'ConnOr testified that III the ' ln i)lslTlct
C1urt Michael Crcgau vas the nominal cleIh, but
lanes O. Farrell was the active clerk. Peter WOOD
WIS assistant bur tue witness mad been there SIX
or seven months before ne had seen NM
Creean came tuere occasionally. lie saw MN
adjourn the court three or 10 tlihe'
in the absence of the Judge. II would lie an eN-
aggeraiiOn TO he had seen Wood there SlA tihes
lug the thee years. The witness hau pau Id
monthly instruments $2939 - 10 q faIrel uuI.hg
his time of service. lie understood at iTst tha' II
was IN he form of a loan to Judge k"Il,. I""aIu
the latter part of his time he had sever couFel,G
tlons WltbJu &c keIIy the subject aLd hdd many
heen dismissed Nv that officer wncn lie ceased 70
make Iii. monthly contribution. Suit rs now pend
ing for the recov ~ of the amount. lhe witness
sue lt nearly two hours liz detailing the circniu-
stances and created great amusement bY his
grotesaue style of delivery. Inc committee ao-
iourneu TO Wednesday al l o'clock.
Monmouth b. Wilson. the broker VINO reused l"
answer some questions put 10 him before tle com
mIttee was az an before Recorder Smyth yeSleT-
day his counsel Charles a. Hess, entered he
murrer to the Indictment, and the ease WIS set
down for November 30. wilson VIII pro"aol! US
TO purge himself OF tie contempt.