New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-09
Mr. ROCKEFELLER'S TANES.
u,-cr,,OXy AS TO THE ALLEGED AM
NUS OF THE ASSESSORS.
WITNESS DECLARES THAT PROPERTY In
wrsrcIrfsrEE COUNTY HAS SUFFERED
cerArrY FROM THE HEAVY IN
POSTS PLACED OK LARGE

,vrsTcrrrsTEE COUNTY HAS SUFFERED
GREATLY FROM THE HEAVY IN
POSTS PLACED OK LARGE
ESTATES.
Tho second hearing in the suit brought by John
, rockefeller 10 have the assessments placed IN
.co- ., his property in Mount Pleasant. near Tar
- -, Westminster County. reduced, was held
.!.or5ov morning In the Office OF the Commission
=, Anuralsal for the New-York Water supply.
,hs Manhattan Life Building. before W. h.
,,sd, OF Goughkeepsie the referee H. /.
IO; Of White Plains and II. II. Morse. Of
,oyn acted for Mr. Rockefeller and Frank
,;r,srd. OF Tarrytown. appeared for Michael j.
~. David llagh, and J. Hatfield Newman OF
,r,own assessors for the town OF Mount Pleas
-. vr Martin was also present.
The assessors placed an assessment OF something
M. 1851 90 on Mr.. Rockcfcilsr's property In Mount
'so,, AZ the first hearing before NJ. lioys-
~. os referee Abraham Hyatt. OF SrG Sing,
ai estate expert placed the value OF the property
:. s,0eO At the hearing Yesterday William II.
~, VINO lives az Tarrytown and has an Office
=, Va Vanderbl-ave.. was examined as real
,,a,c EXPERT 10 determine the market value OF the
...o,.v assessed Later hearings will bring out
...s,nony 10 show whether or no; the assessments
,area on the Rockefeller property were out Of pro-
or,ion 10 tho on other property in the
S..r,c. Mr. Rockefeller's lawyers have also moved
- ,l,ce costs for the action upon the assessors.
This REQUIRES that malice on the part OF the latter
80 ,owr % mat 1t is likely that testimony will be
,oper % prove that the assessors Intentionally put
. hir, valuation on the Rockefeller property The
,nor NJ the referee OF the reduction OF the assess
,ne,t on william Rockefeller's property was put
into The hands Of Judge Barnard last Friday, but
ha has not yet acted on It.
CASE FOR THE ROCKEFELLERS..
Al the opening of the hearing yesterday the op-
nosne lawyers agreed TO have Inscribed on the
records OF the John d. Rockefeller hearing con-
.ldarable amount OF the testimony taken at the
william Rockefeller hearings, referring TO the
nroperty valuations. In order to save time VIII
- u Hoyt was the first witness put on the
stand.
Mr. Dykman. for Mr.. Rockefeller. before examin-
tns Mr. Hoyt. made short statement OF what ne
proposed to show and Of tho testimony In the Will
lam Rockefeller case 10 be used. In l%z SAID
Mr. Dykman. when William Rockefeller acquired
his estate in Westchester County. John D. Rookie
seller decided 10 buy I'D about one thousand acres
~ land near by and build mansion like his
bro.her's Mr. Ioyt made purchases OF small prop
critics for Mr. Rockefeller. but 1t was rumored
about that Mr. Rockefeller was buying. and prices
OF property he was anxious 10 get were raised.
when the TRADE against the wealthy people along
the Hudson was begun, Mr.. Rockefeller aban-
doned his scheme OF building the mansion. He had
then bought up. among large NUMBER OK estates
the Parsons. Wadsworth. Blackwell and Davis
properties He allowed the houses TO stand on the
property and the only improvements he made were
In building roads and the like.
BY 1891 Mr.. Dykman went on to say. the market
value OF all property in the aeighborhood had de-
creased on account OF various causes and ne gave
Instances IN which the value OF property had de-
creased from 10000 10 10000 and from $4,000 10
$1,000 and the like Twenty-seven mansions in
the neighborhool Mr.. Dykman proceeded, were
sold on account OF the malicious persecution OF
Martin and his associated assessors. and he would
show that Martin had threatened 10 make the rich
people in the neghborhood pay the taxes. and that
he had increased Mr.. Rockefellers assessment from
sssCrO to 10000. and reduced the assessments on
the property Of ~ Of his neghbors and on his own
property
MARKET VALUES GONE DOWN.
Mr. Hoyt then examined extensively as TO
his knowledge Of property values along the Hud-
and Long Island Sound In answer 10 ques-
tions he said that he knew the prices at which
many prominent estates had been bought and sold
Estates along the Hudson. he declared. had de-
preciated much in value In late years. due to sew
eral reasons The competition OF many watering
places had taken away from the summer-home
popularity Of the Hudson. The children Of old
proprie,ors had preferred. for social and other
reasons 10 live in the city. and had sold out their
down the market price Of land. Mr. Hoyt testified
that the crusade on the part Of the tax assessors or,
most potent cause OF a reduction in market values.
The imposition Of the increased assessments. he
nSu and there had been practcay no large
sales at normal markoi value since He could cite
of gut eef bec on Of he
assessments In the few sales that had been made
wen,s. and the greater part had not brought t,t 50
Der Of the 1 Of Bd for Re lana to say moth
Mr. Hoyt testified to the market values e OF ne
Parc1 Of ,s Snd oa Waua a ms The market
price Of a large estate he said was considerably
inr for the reason that where buyers might be
got Cor small parcels. none could he got Tor an
estate Of tho size of Mr. Rockefelcr's
RESULT OF THE ASSESSMENTS.
After recess Mr. Hoyt explained the effect OF
the increase Of assessments on property values.
The reports in me newspapers, he said. created an
inquiry among intending buyers as 20 the condi-
tons and the impression created that the
Rockefeller property had been singled out for
heavy taxation. ard thu; any man Ct wealth who
Nobody. consequently. would buy. at any, price.
Tns KGcssfe H bd g m @ M ey S"o '0'0
In your experence as buyer and 1,o seller ,,G q
he would take the taxes OF The poor and put them
on he rich ard diTe me Tos SUCKERS ont" as he
II objec, TO that question. because there Is no
So0t that SG Mr. kpGTn ard The ma
:gsaed TIE ,S was n fggg@ IN S
nsS Of ie' Mockefeer 'I prcpery 9u 5000
worth that had been purchased since 1857.
Mr. Willard began the cross examination OF Mr.;
Hoyt after the latter had given inmate technical
description Of the Rockefeller properties ne Sc,
looking after the Rockefeller property. and had
made estimates Of value at different times r. ';
Carey a photographer employed by the Standard
or COMPANY vas the nominal purchaser % a
Considerable part Of the properly Mr. Hoyt sac, ..
witness denied that he acted In Mr. Rockefeller's
interest.
WITNESS GROWS EXCITED.
How much did Mr.. Rockefeller pay for the
Wentworth propertyg' asked MIR Willard. refer
ring 20 the estate formerly owned by Magistrate
Wentworth
"Sixty-one thousand five hundred dollars. was
he reply. ,,
-hDd Mr Rncketallcr pay YOUR cOlnm!ssiOnT'