New-York tribune., 1899-06-14

a.. ,urdred million of dollars: do you know. nave
You any information A. dnterrupuns'
Is that question:? .t. l-., .o.rtv NJ
the standard OIL Trust? A.-No not now.
~ no vou know whether II approximates iou'
,,.od ,,,,i,on dollars7 Al couldn't say.
o-T,he property OF the Standard OIL Trust
4, "a IN the hands OF trustees In the city OF Ne"-
york. is apparently liable TO taxation! A. NM
was that question:
Mr.. GRELf SEEMS MIXED.
o-rhe personal property Of the standSreN ia Nevl W.
Trust in the hands OF trustees IN Ine os snt II?
NTbaf is a question, because It may be III the
Of the trust ,S as to 2ern tnSr OF Se Corporation
+be individual corporation? A.-When you asker p.el
ne before for oSgsns ThihsT that he held
ala not refer to arS rsts s r. tSe a' case Of an es
real estate stat, ma,ers n Executor appointed or trustee
for n minor; that il what referred 10 "heh ""-
s~erea e there not executors of personal prop
erty? A-Yes, sir. . W..
STR mean personal property ana reai esta'e p'oP-
erty both o,, ara nr,v,ro NJ Mr.
cru AWLet me tell you again. For instance
You have an estate in your charge az lawyer as
az o.@Yes. A.-You go and swear to how much
personal property you have for the estate ahS ,ne
then, II YOU have trustee, the Identical way II
a minor child is there, the trustee Is responsible;
,n9Dosng 1mMe Hf dont make any affidav; IL you
find out the facts you can tax me- can can cyra yuu
A.-You have to make an aihdavit 10 '"e "u'''
o.-supposing don't; supposng have neglected !,
my duty entirely and made no affidavit ana ~ II
Comes @ to your knowledge that am the executor TSr
Of an estate; you could tax K the es'a'e' A.
poPET6at isn't the question but can't you tax the
property? Al can tax the real PTopesry Wo soSt know
what the personally consists Of why. we hold
YOU as executor. responsible. .,,
n vootIr hnt
OF my sfidavit--r have made no affidavit, but you
that sae % 1T The nsp hr2osae yqg w
naturally compel you to make return: no
one messy ese! Al know. but there Is where we get in
Q.-I understand that; that all trustees all per.
to pay a tax on 1T, are they. not? A-That is as
stated C, ,,ss Gr yes s I aea an executor and
another trustee Is simply difference In names
A.-Yes sir.
HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER.
Q.-Now / ask you again. after all this conversa-
tion what have you people done In the Tax De-
partment. representing the personal and corpora
ton side OF the Tax Department, what have you
done TO find out whether the great trusts represent
ed In the city OF NewYork and supposedly In the
hands of trustees. or are not paying their
proper proportion Of the taxes OF the city? What
have you done? A.-Your returns VIII show, Mr..
Moss, what have done.
trust and tobacco trust and the oil trust? A
Ought to.
Q-Have you any? Al don't remember just the
instance OF the three corporations; don't remem-
Der to that
Q-I am not talking about corporations; am
talking about trusts? A-Well-yes.
Q.-You have already said that possibly property
held by the might have already been taxed
in the corporations; that is possible? A.-Well not
the trustees that refer TO. Mr.. Moss; you have
misunderstood me.
Ono, you misunderstood me again. Al refer
10 trustees as representing property of some de-
ceased person, and you mean the trustees of the
trust.
Owe were talking about the trustees Of trusts,
and asked you whether you were taxing them.
and you said that perhaps their property has al
ready been taxed in the corporations that have gone
into the trusts haid, perhaps that is So Now,
then, you have the right to put assessment
against these men trustees, and then they would
have the right to come before you and show
that the property had already paid its tax wouldn't
they? A.-Their returns ought TO show as to what
they have done. II had In our office
Q-Well, have you any returns In your Office from
the sugar, the tobacco the oil trust. or any
other of these large trusts? II you have be kind
enough to bring them with you tomorrow? A
Yes, sir will do that.
Q.-Yes. and then we will have them? Ayes, I
will do that.
Q.-And I will hand you now (handlng witness
slip OF paper the names OF the trustees OF the
Standard Oil Trust which is the only that l
was able to lay hands on at short notice. would
like to have the others well, but will hand
you these trustees. so that you may be guided In
your hunt for the papers. These the assess
ments that imposed upon these gentlemen per-
sonally, but you will look and II they have
been required to appear trustees Of the trust
well? A.-Yes, SIR
Recess until 2 o'clock