The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-03-22
TEST CASE Is READY.
Charles J. Grady Says His Bike is Worth
But Ten Dollars and the League of
American Wheelmen Will Help
Him Prove It. Elliott De-
clares Case an Easy One.

For 81 cents fight is on which viii
stir up the bicycle riders of Worcester
and incidentally worry the board OF
assessors enough to turn their hair
srey.
In a few days a suit will be entered
against the city of Worcester by
Charles J. Grady of 5S5 Southbridge
street for assessing him 81 cents on a
bicycle which the assessors valued at
$50, The fight isn't between Mr. Grady
and the city Of Worcester. 1t is be-
tween the League of American Wheel
men and the city. Mr.. Grady Is the
representative Of the league simply.
Sterling Elliott of the state division,
former president OF the L. A. w, was
in Worcester yesterday, and he IN
formed Spy man that the suit Of Mr..
Grady against the city of Worcester for
false taxation will be entered in q few
days. The suit will be entered by c
Worcester lawyer, but It will be
fought entirely by the legal adviser OF
the leagle, Lafayette G. Blair of the
fremont building, Boston. who Is al
ready engaged preparing the case.
Mr.. Grady has paid the 81 cents tax
under protest, acting under the in
structions of the leagues legal adviser.
The protest is now On file in the office
Of the collector of taxes. Fred w.
White, and reads as follows:
To the collector of taxes OF the city
Of Worcester:
Sir-I object to the tax OF 81 cents
which has been assessed upon my bicy-
Gle by the assessors of said city be-
cause said tax is unequal unjust, arbi-
trary and oppressive, and is not based
upon the actual and fair value of said
machine, and l therefore object to the
payment of said tax, and hereby pay
the some under protest, and without
waving any right I may have to re-
cover back said tax.
Yours respectfully,
Charles J. Grady.
If the suit is decided against the city
of Worcester, and Mr. Elliott says
there is no doubt about it whatever it
Will upset matters in city hall to such
an extent that the expense of straight
ening out the trouble will be greater
than the hiring of a commission to
settle the Kettle brook cases.
The men and women who have paid
taxes on bicycles will, of course be en-
titled to get their money back and I'M
der existing conditions the straighten-
ing out of the affairs Of the bicycle
taxes will entail tremendous labor. For
the taxes on bicycles assessed and paid
last year were included in the assess
ments of all personal property and if
the l.. A. w. wins its suit every per-
som who paid a tax on a bicycle viii
probably apply to get it back, and
here will be a bad snarl before the
taxes on bicycles can be separated
from those of other personal property.
Chairman Amos M. Parker, of the
board of assessors, when asked yester-
DAY by The Spy man concerning the
number of bicycles taxed last year,
said he could not give an estimate and
doubted if the number could ever be
accurately obtained, inasmuch &" the
bicycles were included in the valuation
of all personal property.
The year previous bicycles We're
taxed separately. There were $500 as
sessed al the beginning of the year.
That does not represent the exact
number on which a tax was paid, as
many taxes were abated, not being
properly levied However the NUMBER
Of bicycles taxed last year will probab-
" reach the neighborhood of 5000.
The worcester assessors placed on all
bicycles a fiat tax of 81 cents, estimat-
ing the value of each wheel at $5O. The
assessors of Worcester do no, carry on
heir books anything Of less value than
$40 there being an ordinan TO tnat
effect. There is hardly any question
that many bicycles which they have
taved at $50 value are not worth that