New-York tribune., 1899-06-14

he made 1t and why he made % H. ,,a, showed It 10
s psPsS sSa Sh% Ibd, hSa Ss !. /. asl s hsnas ~ &
o-what else is thsreI ANTns asi6 books Hso Ayes
Bn, we eais hSV. eason can you see for the same
deputy who assessed IN lsSS e fo 81 per cent and
ons on & fse cofneT on Broadway untouehedI Can
you i see any for that? AseSy fnSS msn Il ont " this
iear mace and a assessed ii for higher r9te'
MISTAKES OF DEPUTIES.
ore. rs see II we can get some OF those ,rans mis-
takes 2 RnSaGSsyt nsst to S the corner
Let us take up par NO but t one to the corneNos "a
ana OK Broadway assessed last year at ~ "a M
assessed II this is Seqr per az cent and fraction
The Chairman-What is the to'"' o' -'' -
',fro Mr. Moss-ss25OoO. or prooauovq
The Chairman-And on No. 2S5 broadway
mr. z5 Broadway Is increased from $1,000 TO
$4,000 an Increase o Sf prSagway' stoV n increased from
a Coo cs~t to - $4,000 difference OF 500 at TaIe
cent Of ScScssed IS Sls TIE ffom neft sS9f dr.
ference Of N0oOO and rate OF only s ~ iI have ga
Nom on 6i .h%s 10 per oSnt per cent
cent IS per cent II per cea s stI eid book ought to
s,syu show wbv the increases there .,or.3 A.
o-But there IS no reason stated rish' '"'-'
Not HHeomancoud you tell by looking at ths
Geld book or could you explain why n.y. 1hese '"'D'
"ooocouid II be explained by looking at 'he ne'0
hook? Al suppose so. , 4, .oro Please
Mr. MGSsd and fD8pUse UdE s ins IT. S Covering block
ia TO i2I While we are waiting iGr tasC pscs '' w
give You sUe n ed book Is S the we Sepwty p
Is dead and you haven't suppuhaeo nm"
seNq Mr.. tMoss-we would like to have all the ne'o
og4rS %r Feitner-We will bring them.
Nv Moss-No Park Place was Increased iroi''
.9 600 10 $4,000. difference OF slS"" anu ,ao
~ a. per cent The adjoining building NO. a, az n
place was sed from S2A,"O 10 sOo'vov' ~
ference OF sl4 900 and a rate OF bS per cent AHe
one was A. The adjoining building NO l. " a. 40
Same rate S. and the next buildings Nus.
- :, park Place dropped 10 52 per cent. Inc
nox, building. No. 1S Park Place Is increased
from xao OoO 10 $1,000 a rate Of 7S per cent Now
,sn.t II a fact. Mr.. Grell. that In figuring up '"o
differences between the different borouehs' "a'
concluded that 1t was necessary to raise tne 'ai'-
alton on New-York City by about SSVVV'''V"V' "a
That is about 1t. guess
AIMED AT $500, 100000.
o.-And ssOO.CoOoO had TO be divided up among
the sections? A-Betwee1 New-York and Inc
Bronx. a
o.-The deputies did their best to bring IN hg.
nres as nearly as they could to get that increase!
A-Done their best 10 equalize all through
ODD their best to reach that necessary fig
ure for equalization? Ayes
A-And 1t happened sometimes that oepu'ies
brought In too mucn ana II nav W ~
A-That don't know.
n rhero was q deputy here the other day. Mr..
rnp,ehard who testified that he brought In on
his original figures about 100000 OF increase east
q Third-ave and that on consultation with the
other deputies that 81 100000 was struck out! A
That don't know.
O-But IL that was It. It was because 1t was not
necessary and Just that much burden could be re-
ueyed2 That would be the reason for It, wouldn
~ Al don't want TO say, because don't know
what his reason was for raising 1t In the first
place or OF reducing IT,
Ole stated he raised them on his judgment,
but when ne brought the figures In, on consuta-
ton with the other deputies. 1t was too much. anu
so about 100000 was struck off. You know no
reason why his statements were not correct uo
you? Al do not
Q.-And If a deputy brought in more than was
necessary to raise the additional amount that had
TO be raised in New-York, Of course In justice 10
the taxpayers 1t was struck off? A.-Some property
was raised outside of New-Yorl1 and The Bronx,
OIL understand that But am talking about
cases that happened in New-York, where the dep
uty brought in more than was necessary. You
didn't hold more than was necessary, did your A.
That don't know. The chief deputy ought to
answer those questions, because he has charge OF
the books.
Q.-It was not your intention to hold more than
was Necessary? Alt was rot.
BIG LOAD ON MANHATTAN.
Q-You realized that the necessities of the cas'
threw a pretty heavy load on Manhattan anyhow
A.-True.
Q-And you did not mean that that burden should
be any greater than was absolutely necessary, di
you? A-That may be true-there was no necesslt
for It.
Q-Yes, and So when too much Of an increas
would be brought in, 1t was proper thing TO shaV
1t down? A-That don't know Mr.. Moss.
TNaaf don't Al
cause did not handle those books.
Q-I know. but am asking you because cause thin mn,
you ought to know Al told You you prior i 70 yVS
corporations and personal taxation therefore
could not answer, you your questions as intelli
o. appreciate ali that and I simply want 4
get what you do know. that is all l want to get
and of course 1 assume that, as one OF the head
OF the Department, you must be familiar with th
general principles upon which the office was run
Q-I am only asking you now about those genera
principles. Among them were the necessity Of rails
Ing a large additional sum, greater in Newly
because it had been assessed lower in the past ant
ment than absolutely necessary. You don
want any larger assessment than was really neces
told you before a minute ago here, that from tn
second Monday Of January until the first day o
aela book have been busy from O'clock in tn
Gn ouse ofd Of heso IN books sS evening with
.Q--That is all right. l am not finding fault witt
that not bit but you are not a clerk. Mr. Grell
OF that kind IN my head; the record will show.
Q.-You are not a clerk In the Department. A
That is so.
Q.-You are one OF the heads IN the Department
helping 20 create the policy upon which the DE
partment is TO be run, and then for your own pur
pose and convenience In the Board each ma
agrees 10 look particularly after a certain thing
A.-Well. the real estate was working there and
had my work with the others. as have told you.
DOES NOT WANT TO SEEM A PUPPET.
Dwell, now, Mr. Grell you don't mean to b
put in the very dubious position Of Tax Commis
81 "A a W
have charge Of all tax matters. You don't wan
TO have 1t go out TO the people Of the city OF New
Iork-thOse who have to look at the responsibit
Of ofiicers-and say that you have taken no part 1
the adopting of the policy OF the tax office on tn
an-important question Of the real estate? A
don't say that.
Q.-Of course you don't. A-But when you ge
me 10 single field book. 1t is impossible for me
answer the questions.
Q-The questions have asked you you have ar