The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-21
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TAXES ON JAY GOULD'S ESTATE.
His Personally Now Assessed at Ten MIL
lion, Though He paid OH $500, 900 Only.

1t was announced recently that George
]. Gould, representing the executors and
trustees under the will of his father, Jay
Gould, had made application to the Com
missioners of Taxes and Assessment for
reduction OF the personal assessment
OF SO 900 600 which has been placed Oh the
Gould estate.
President Barker OF the Tax Depart
ment said yesterday that this was not
true that such an application Is not ne
cessary. All that is required Is the fill
ing by the executors and trustees OK a
schedule of the personal property of their
fathers estate, wherein the Commits
sioneTs viii determine what IS assessable
and its value. AS II Is necessary under
the collateral inheritance tax law TO file
such a schedule with the Surrogate, 1t
is not believed that that filed with the
Tax Commissioners will differ matcri-
ally from the one flied in the Surrogate $
office
President Barker said yesterday that
George j. Could had visited the depart
ment on business connected with the per-
sonal assessment against the estate, but
that he came not 10 protest but 10 get
information. He was told what descTip-
ton Of personal property could be as
sessed. and that he had until April 30 to
file his statement of the taxable person
atty of his fathers estate.
Ex-Congressnan Jack Adams thinks
there is a good chance TO sue the Gould
estate for back taxes in view of the state
ment furnished by the executors and trus-
tees when the will was filed for probate
that the personal estate amounted to
$40. 000 600, and the fact that before his
death at no time did MIR. Gould pay taxes
on a personal assessment Of more than
$1,000 Mr.. Adams conh1ed his bright
idea TO paper and sent il TO the Corpora
ton Counsel's office. but it created no
commotion there nor in the Tax Depart
ment.
THE trouble is" said President Barker,
that every species of personal property
is not taxable. None of the stocks, of
which there are millions in the Gould
estate. are taxable The corporations
themselves are taxed and the holder of
stock feels it i'm his dividends, if he's
fortunate enough to get any. Bonds are
taxable, but who shall say how much of
the Gould estate is in bonds and what the
bonds are worth? No schedule was filed
with the statement that the personal
property of Mr. Gould amounted 10
s0,O0OOO0, and we could not determine
from that how much we should make the
assessment. From other sources we se-
cured information which ed us to believe
that the taxable personally VI the esta.e
was at FEAST $4,000 900. and we fixed IL
at that amount.
During his lifetime. Mr.. Gould never
paid on so large a personal assessment
as this, and some years he actually paid
no personal tax. For d number Of years
he paid on 100000. Four years ago the
amount was fixed at half a million dol
lars. and Mr.. Could protested vigorously.
He filed an affidavit denying the right Of
the New York Tax Commissioners % tax
his personal property IN this city. allog
ing that he was a resident OF lryington,
where he was taxed for his personal
property. and that even his New York
real holdings were incons.derabie. The
Tax Commissioners told him that If he
wanted 10 try the question OF residence he
could 90 TO court. They would keep the
half million assessment on the books.
Mr.. Gould didn't try the case, and paid
his tax. He paid on the same sum mp 20
the time of his death-Washington Post.