New-York tribune., 1901-12-24
A REAL ESTATE DEAL QUESTIONED.
DEPUTY TAX APPRAISER FOR RICHMOND GOT
COMMISSION on IT.

DEPUTY TAX APPRAISER FOR RICHMOND GOT
COMMISSION ON IT.
Staten Island real estate dealers are greatly
interested IN the recent sale of large estate In
New-Brighton through the agency OF the Dep
uty Tax Appraiser for Richmond. c. J. Ram
sey. This property, which is known as the
Wiener estate is situated at Wiener Place and
CentraI-ave New-Brighton. 1t owned by
the Washington Life Insurance Company, Of
No. 141 Broadway. 1t was purchased by the
BurIee Dry Dock Company. of Port Richmond,
Staten Island. the price being S12.JOO- A res1-
lar commission of $500 was paid for this sale
Mr.. Ramsey admits that he brought about the
sale and received a commission but declares
that the ertire transaction carried out
side of business hours and not in the tax office
Mrs NJ NJ. Adams who is a prominent Staten
Island real estate dealer. said to a Tribune re-
porter:
This property was put books for sale.
We went to the expense Of hiring carriages to
show it, and then it was sold through officer
in the Tax Collectors office Now. If that is
proper, with all the facilities they have for
doing business there. might as wen close
up"
C. J. Ramsey. the official who brought about
the sale. said:
Il was concerned in that transaction. did
bring about the sale. but it was a perfectly
legitimate transaction done out OF my Office and
out of my regular Office hours. 1t took place at
No. 141 Broadway, in the office Of the Wash
fngton Life Insurance Company. had done
business with the Washington Life before. hav-
ing been in the real estate business for ten
years prior to entering the tax office man
came to me and asked me If knew who owned
the property. I said that did Then he made
an offer, which gave Cyrus Mum. the secre-
tba chi unrf0 M
pany This offer was rejected Then letter
was written arranging a meeting at No. al
Broadway. 1 present and introduced the
parties. 1 went away before the negotiations
were completed, but when came round to the
office some time after that, they said the papers
had been signed and gave regular commits
sion. There was never any question OF politics
or use of my office in it
Mr.. Ramsey said that he had been appointed
through the Civil Service Board, was an inde-
pendent Democrat. and not a member or any
political organization and added that he had
been assigned to Staten Island at the lowest
salary possible, although he had been engaged
in the real estate business in this city for ten
years He said that he was director or the
West Side Savings Bank
William J. Burlee, president of the Buriee
Dry Dock Company. the purchasers OF the prop
erty made the following statement:
at having come to my hearing that certain
statements or stories are afoat regarding a
transaction covering the purchase by me or a
certain piece of property in Central-ave-, New
Rrighton from the Washington Life Insurance
Company in which it is claimed that Mr FlaIn-
sew was using the Assessors office OF FIcnInond
County as a real estate office for me. desire
10 deny this ir full. The only connecllon I tnaI
NJ par,sey had in the matter was introducing
me to party. whose introduction sougnI
through him. and that took place a1rer MI
Ramsey's office hours
Mrs Adams says that Ramsey came TO n on
SUNDAY evening and offered her the coIarnlSs1la
OF the sale $500 If she felt that sne was enLlleu
- - - ST. ren1ied she did not want the money
hut merely wanted to have the question seClles
whether an employe of the Tax Department ne-o
a right 70 engage in the real estate business.
MI Ramsey's work in his office IS h8nU
snol~an of by many property owners