New-York tribune., 1899-06-14
PROBING TAX METHODS.
COMMISSIONER GRELL BEFORE THE
MAzET COMMITTEE.
THOMAS MULRY TEsTIFIEs THAT HE WAS
TOLD HE COULD HAVE A COMMISSION
ERsHIP OF CHARITIES FOR NOOQQ

THOMAS MCLRf TESTlFIES THAT HE WAS
TOLD HE COULD HAVE A COMMISSION
ERsHIP OF CHARITIES FOR $4,000
Probing the Tax Department may be dull
work for many compelled to attend the sessions
~ the Mazet committee. but Frank Moss is de-
,ermined to sift to the very bottom the peculiar
workings Of the Department. He and the COM
mittee recognize that there is no admlnistra-
tive department in the city that should be freer
from political thraldom than this, for the reason
that 1t most nearly concerns the pocket Of the
citizen. Sufficient has already been brought
cut to warrant the necessity for legislation with
respect TO the taxation system now in vogue
II has been shown that valuations are made
mon the personal Judgment OF deputies who
do not possess even rudimentary qualifications
for assessing the worth Of real estate. In con-
sequence, property owners have been treated
with much inequality and unfairness In fact
MI Moss has already conclusvely proved that
there has been no effort whatever TO conform
with the spirit OF that clause Of the charter
which holds for the equality of the taxing Of
the individual in the enlarged city.
ADMISSIONS OF A WITNESS.
Tax Commissioner William Gren was the most
important witness called to the stand yesterday
and his examination took up the greater part Of
the day He by means a satisfactory
witness either for himself the committee
Whether his want Of knowledge of matters that
ought TO be al the very finger tips OF Com
missioner Of Taxes was simulated or not was
hard 10 say but II is certain that Mr. Grell
had no very wide acquaintance with the re-
ouirements Of his office with It's workings
He practically admitted indeed, that he knew
nothing Of the general principles upon which
the Departments work carried on. finding
refuge in the excuse that his attention was de-
voted TO supervising the personal and corpora
ton taxes Consequently he was unaware as
to what policy the Board followed in equalzing
the values OF real estate for assessment pur-
poses nor did he contradict Mr.. Moss when
counsel suggested that he had done nothing
whatever TO secure uniformity in the valuation
OF real estate between the borOughs. He had
acted in conjunction with his colleagues. but
had never exerted any independent influence to
remedy existing evils. Mr Moss pointed out TO
him instance after instance of unequal taxa
ton of neighboring and even adjoining prop
critics: but the witness was unable 10 explain
the discrepancies at all Mr.. Moss sought to
show by the witness that the Board had decided
10 increase the assessment for the Borough OF
Manhattan $3cO.O0O.O0O, and had so instructed
the deputies. but that those officials had ex-
ceeded the amount Of ircreas planned, and
that in order 10 keep within the aggregate ad-
dtion the Board had reduced assessments as in
discriminatory they had been increased. Mr..
Gren. however. would not assent to this. nor
would ne go on record saying that President
Feitner is the ruling spirit in the Tax Depart
ment. or that he shaped the whole policy OF the
Board
AT one time Mr. Gre was In the brewing
business. and for that reason Mr.. Moss en-
why the brewers had been dealt with so tender
ly. while the gas and other industrial corpora
tons had fallen victims 10 the ruthless ''tudg-
ment" of the deputies. Mr.. Grell replied that
TIE brewerles had been let alone because they
were poor. a result Of the additional bur
dens imposed upon them by the Raines law.
Asked to amplify this statement. the witness
declared that the brewers had lost hundreds Of
customers since the Raines measure
acted and that they now had to give bigger
discounts.
MIR. Moss then turned TO Mr.. Grelrs specially
on the Board the taxing of corporations AS 1t
transpired. Mr. Grell knew about much Of
this phase Of the Departments work as he did
Of the real estate end.
REFERRED TO THE RECORDS
When pressed for Information as 10 the sys-
TEN Of taxing trusts Mr.. Grel referred the