New-York tribune., 1899-06-14

-. -wbatever instructions were given
was left to the president to give 10 d" INV
and clerks o,,rg Mr. Grell
Well innstrnotions ns given? Al believe So !b,s
Q.-And each deputy knew aoyu % that $500 900?
%~Yes, SIR of course, don't kp0" 10 attending that
Q-Was that your intention aaa,herations, M that
Tin rss% nd OK 6aP P's meeting shSus IS
know about what he ss 0Usnt in 10 Mr.. Moss. when
say that power was transferred u
c9m%sse c%Wss the Real Estate Commttee-n0w that Is
a Statement OF fact? A:.fes, accept that an
swsr Was that Real Estate Committee about
to tell each deputy IN incTease his assessment? A.
Of oSw conTse nauTa they Were They 5s wEpf to- be de-
powers in all matters, whetner wa"
creased or increased, Mr. MOSS
IGNORANT OF THE INSTRUCTIONS
No, naturally: am not asking you naturally rdy
-. No., ne 6, UNDERSTOOD that the Real Estate Som M
mt,ee to let each dePug F"S~ GI couldn't say
what Instructions they gave M Msfrncions MOSS they
IL e. nnt M wasn't IL the Intention OF yourself when
You surrendered your rights on the redi 80 wasn't
IN de opner mention 10 M that the Real Estate Committee
should ntelligently represent you Hies about what
,bcv wyould have To- increase their sections WASH
that so? Al should Judge So " YES bs sf Conversation
wasn't SAqf? It? 'nat %What tt" commissioners
oIThe eonyersatiOTT Tbs Se5weshi mceiinSS you Oo"''
IN ,hay ,ba there should be Intelligent instruc
fions given. A.-The minute DOoh o"S"'
tThe rneT minute book does show all the talk?
ddSs snSTs no p sbo% tSs a se iaf Awe
shows what appears IN the mselns' e Ser'l nave our
Sc,ISS % W show all that has occurred
Q.-Then what you said mus must Oe o'' ''''
AoMAnd II It is not there the minutes are not cor
rect? A-we you viii find it there; 1t Is nbont on NJ the
any5s of he derent to the
boroughs? 7Not answered) ,o,.o ,o,, me in the
nGta
Borough OF Manhattan the rate was aoI9t ha OF 10
per cent? THAT was prior ,U wos s'g not Comnis-
9@And in the Borough of Brooklyn 1T was about
'oGAnd in the Borough of Queens 1t was aoou' iO
per cent? A.-Yes. sir
BASIS OF ASSESSMENT
o-Now. was 1t not discussed and practically
aoc,aod in the meeting that property would be as
sessed at about 10 per cent of the recorded SAFES
A-Not TO my knowledge ...
O-That is the testimony that Mr.. feithel s"'e
the other day. Al don't know that' olu H''
hear him testify TO that ,.
O-You don't recoledt anything like that'
A-No. -.
o-Was not that about the understanding that'
"a near as YOU could get It, you would cover the
entire city at ratio OF about 10 per cent OF the
recorded sales? A.-You are coming pach u '"'
old question as to that apportionns that the cum
mittee had that / don't know anything ABOUT l
O-Do you mean to tell us that you aosou'e!
surrendered all your powers all your interest ana
knowledge on the real estate side? A-Except the
important business from large estates that were
brought before the Board; yes, SIR
Q.-And when did that happen when you made
that arrangement about committeesT A'-Ihe his'
meeting we had of the Board
o-That was in January, 1898? Ayes.
OWN YOU tell me why you were selected. or
were assigned to tho corporation and personal side.
rather than the real estate side? Al don't Know
There was no intention In IT, suppose.
Odd YOU ask for It? A.-No sir
Odd Il not occur to you that man who had
lust come from a brewing company, and who
would have to pass upon the applications and
statements of all the brewing companies In New
York should have preferably taken the real estate
side? Al don't know. I did not have any such
! thoughts OF such kinds. We went In there to do
the business OF the office fairly and honestly as
we could and therefore formed ourselves In
committees.
o.-And was It entirely an accident that you took
the personal side? Alt was all agreed by the
! Commissioners.
Odd you ask for n? A.-No sir.
Q-Who appointed you? A.-The president did,
upon resolution believe.
Q-Who proposed tho resolution? A.-That 1
| could not remember.
HE HAD LITTLE TO SAY.
Q.-Ddn't you have anything 10 sdy III lhe siiap-
ing OF the resolution, and in discussing who should
be Of these two committees? Al might have
| had something to say; yes. sir.
Q-It was your desire to be on the corporation
and personal side, wasn't 1t? A.-No. sir; no, sir.
Q.-You had nothing to say about that, but took
Just what came? A.-Well. we talked IL over, as a
! matter Of fact There was our president. as well
| as Commissioner Patterson. of Brooklyn. an old
| real estate man, and Mr.. Sheehy was real estate
man. that, If remember right would probably be
! the practical men on the Real Estate Committee
Q-Mr. Grell, did you do anything as q Tax Com
missioner to secure equality between the different
A.-Excepting what came before the Board
,QWhat did you do to secure equality & between we
dd thf Sou Sluede9' do? RaPeTsonay? aarI5 Gs aY wy
s 6ng yfS snsf
came before the Board otherwise otherwise the committee
| Q-What resolution or proposition of any kind
came before the Board for the purpose OF securing
you took an actionY A~oh, presume there were
a number OF them; can't recall a single case
Q1Was there anything? Ayes. we had meet
n5s ypSn @ n6t about individual cases.
am talking about the varying rate of increase be.
tween the different boroughs Now what did a you you
valuation OF real estate between the different bor-
0qs6f %hy G3 Mr. Nose %a not on
Q;-You did nothing. then? A.-virtually speak
uties the Chief Deputy on real estate matters.
siOner~what, il any action did you take as Com
missioner to secure equality between the dnerent
sections and the different boroughs of Manhattan
| and The Bronx? A-That was agreed upon. as 10
/ the resolution passed by that committee.
Q.-Then that all went to that committee? A
Yes sir
Q.-You had nothing to do with it7 A.-Not with
regard to real estate.
FEITNER'S STRONG INFLUENCE.
Q.-Is it not a fact that Mr. Feitner. more than
one else, has shaped the policy OF the Tax De-
partment In this matter of equalization between
boroughs and sections In Manhattan and The
Bronx? A.-No. sir; IT has been before the full
Board.
Q.-But you haven't taken any part in II? A-Not
after the resolution passed: couldn't. Mr.. Moss.
Q:-And that was agreed on at the first meeting
in 1898? A.-Perfectly right, sir
Q-Surely? A.-Perfectly right; yes sir
Q-Who was with you on the Personal Tax Com
mttee? A.-CommissiOner Salmon