The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-21
MR.. GASCH EXPLAINS.
Bank Stockholders Members of
the Municipal League.
EvAo,ae PAYMENT OF TAXES.
The Motive That Prompts These Men to
Oppose the Employment or Private
Attorneys by the County.
Seattle. Jan. ., 1896.

Seattle. Jan. .. 1895.
| To the Editor: j notice in this morn
| ing's issue or the Post-Inse liigencer that
| the Municipal League objects to the
| employment by King county of d special
/ counsel 10 attend to the national hank
| cases. and I therefore deem 1t my daty
| 10 make this public statement IN refer
| enca TO the matter.
Seven national banks in the city IF Sc
/ attic refused to ray their personal frcp-
erty taxes for the year 1884,, and when
seizure OF their property was attempted
In order TO enforce collsc1ion OF the same
/ five OF them commenced suit IN tie cir
cult court of the United States and two
in the state courts TO restrain the county
and the treasurer from collecting said
tax. which. with accrued interest and
penalty, amounts row % ahoat $sa,ts0i.
The banks claimed that tue tx
sessed was void. in that the revenue law
OF the state and the assessment made on
the shares OF stock Of sad links was
contrary 10 the Revised Statutes of the
United States.
Two OF these eases have been decided
in favor Of the county Ii tire supreme
court Of the state. but are being appealed
by the banks to the Supreme court CT the
United States.
Five cases are now pending in The
United States circuit court. an. f de-
cided in favor OF the county the banks
viii undoubtedly take ;aem 10 the United
States circuit court of appeals. and IL oe-
feated there unquestionaoly appeal to the
supreme court of the United States, end
if the county is defeated the same course
Will be pursued by it.
This will necessitate. IN all probability.
work extending over a period of several
years by Mr.. Piles on behalf of the
county. as the iilatory tactics of corpora
tons are well known. especially where
the cole ction of a tax is involved.
The commissioners were of the opinion
that in view of the fact That MIR. Piles
WAS thoroughly fam liar with these cases
that ii would be to the public interest to
have him defend than, as several Pre- Sc
cusi Is attorneys migls come into oiIis e
before their final determination in the
supreme court of the United States, and
for the further reason that the board
knows by actual experience that the pros
ecuting attorney himself has not the
time. owing TO the large amount of Grim
inal business in this county, TO give the
care ana attention TO these cases that
their Importance to the public demands
This is we'll Illustrated by the cases
against ex-Treasurer Hill and his bends
mal.
notice that many members of the
Municipal League who are cenSuring me
are stockholders or officers in some of
the banks that are endeavorIlgg to defeat
the couEsy in its attempt to collect from
them a legitimate ard just tax amount
ing to many thousands of dollars, which
they honestly owe the people Of this
county. The public Is therefore invited
TO look into the motive of these officers
and stockholders of banks who are con-
demning me for looking after the public
interests.
As to the compensation to be paid for
defending these cases an examination of
the contract will show that no annual
salary OF s., 100 is TO be paid. but that
that sum Is to be paid to conduct and
attend to the defense OF said cases TO
final Judgment in all the courts to which
they may be taker.''
1t is a weli-known fact that 1t takes
several years to get case through the
supreme court OF the United States.
where these cases VIII unauestlonably
so, and the compensation To be paid
covers several years labor.
: / do not, therefore, believe that we
could have done better than 10 have en-
gagged counsel who is so thoroughly IA
'niliar with these cases to defend them
from the beginning to the end. / leave
it to the people who pay their taxes with
out contest and the nsarnbess of the Mu
nieipal League who DO likewise Respect
fully yours. FRED GAScH.