Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-23
pocKEFELLER WINS TAX FIGHT.
Contest That Lasted Two years III"
Cost 100000.
(New York Herald-22d.)

New York Heralu-Z-uJ
victory's banner was unfurled yester-
day over lockwood Hall, Tarrytown' l's
lord and master. william Rockefeller, has
vanouished the town of Mount Pleasant
in mighty combat over tax assessments.
After famous struggle, extending
through two years in which $lOoVV nau
been expended in litigation, the town mas
surrendered. ,oo1 -
Mr. Rockefeller's assessment for 1897 on
lockwood Hall and the surrounuihs 20
tate. instead of being 25OOVoV' as sum
OF the assessors, notably Michael D. MAJ
tin, would have made It, Is S5iS''o. ~
reduction is a great triumph lot MT
Rockefeller. 1t means probably, that ms
assessment for 1898 will be correspondlnSly
reduced, and 1t foretells equal success 70
John D. Rockefeller In the similar hsh'
he has long been waging l.,
The surrender was made In court IN
White Plains by Frank V. Millard. couilsei
for the town of Mount Pleasant he wltn-
drew the appeal taken by the town rom
Judge Barnards decision In favor OF tne
reduction of William Rockefellers assess
ment. Mr.. Millards course was loioeu
upon him by the Town Board.
SENT TO A REFEREE.
II will be remembered that last sum-
mer the tax fight went to w r. Hoysrau
as referee. who three months ago submit
Tod a renort 10 Judge Barnard, in Pough-
keepsie. favoring a reduction OF the as
eessment from S2.5O0OO0 to SS43,7I5. Judge
barnard upheld this decision, ana the
Town Board of Mount Pleasant, by vote
OF 3 to 3. decided to take an appeal. Ihls
appeal was promptly entered.
Howard H. Morse, counsel Tor MT;
Rockefeller, served papers on MT MallaIu
last week calling on him to show cause
wins the appeal should not be olsnIsseu.
The papers were returneple III "ieo
plains to-day, but the Town Board mean
time had concluded that 1t had enough OF
the expensive fight, and notified Mr.. NIL
lard that he would not be sustained IN
anv further proceedings. Therefore. IN
court to-day he was forced TO Withdraw
the appeal. thus closing the celebrated
case.
FOUGHT FOR TWO YEARS.
This long drawn out and bitter contest
over the Rockefeller taxes has attracted
wide attention William Rockefeller pur-
chased the old Aspinwall place IN 1881,
having $4,000 for It. The tract Comprised
ZOO acres. Mr.. Rockefeller at once SET
about identifying the estate. lie removed
two ancient stone mansions and erected
the present imposing residence. ROCK
wood Hall. He improved tile sroulos
until they became a park, ana the place
was one of the most attractive IN the
country.
When Michael J. Martin was CHOSEN al
assessor in 1896 Mr.. Rocketellers assess
ment was increased 70 NWoeo. lie al
once instituted proceedings for reduc-
tion hut in 1897 the valuation was raised
To s25OoOOO Mr.. Martin, it was said. had
made ante-election promises to take the
burden of taxation from the poor ana
Mace It on the wealthy. The &.JOOOO as
sessment on Mr.. Rockefeller represented
about one fourth of the entire valuation
of the town.
In This policy Martin was opposed by
ether assessors. They held that Mr..
Rockefeller's assessment had been In
creased. while most valuations in the
town had been reduced, and they de-
clared until Mr.. Rockefeller had been
treated with what they Onsidered equal
fairness they would not sign the tax
roll. Here was the prospect OF the TOWN
going without taxes altogether ana IL
was badly in debt.
TRICK OF THE ASSESSORS.
Then came Judge Barnards decision.
The referee had contendsd that the as
sessment should have been based on the
market value of Mr. Rockefeller's pro-
perty, which he placed at 1913. HS- Inc
town resolved 70 appeal ana WINE inns
matter was pending the assessors played
what they thought was clever ruse.
They assessed lockwood Hall for 1895
and. despite the Courts ruling for re-
duction OF the year before, placed the
valuation at the old figure, 2,5como. and
10 this sum added 81, 800 for new green
house. But to-day's retreat from the
contest is taken to indicate that Mr..
Rockefeller will have an easy matter In
disuosing Of this assessment, and that the
town will fight him no longer
John d. Rockefeller has like litsa,ions
pending over his assessments. but II is
believed that the surrender of the oppo-
sition Is complete, and that already VIC
A.. his