The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-05-11
COMMITTEES REPORT
ON THE 4fFE.lIRS or 1IIIS TIN co.,
LECTOR'S OFhlCX.
New System Is Urgently Recommended
The Report Ia FaiE.

A Ell. Kimberly, Benjamin r. Eng
lish and Robert A. Brown, the commit
tee appointed by the mayor to investi-
gate the affairs Of the tax collector
office, have submitted the following re-
port. .p.I 4.
no Hon. c.. T. Drscoll, Mayor of the
| City OF New Haven.
| In compliance With your request dated
December !, 1900, appointing commit
| tee ito examine the affairs of the tax
collectors office and submit the re-
suits of our examination to you, we
submit the following report:
Your committee met and organized on
January 7, 1901, "A. Fl. Kimberly was
appointed chairman and Benjamin ~.
| English secretary.
Upon investigation 1t was found that
| the books Of the tax collectors Office
had not beGn audited since 1879 at the
close of the administration of William
Hillhouse, but that an expert account
ant was AT work auditing the books and
accounts of the tax collectors office, and
that report was soon expected from
him. Mr. Francis G.. Anthony, the
present taxcollector, upon being ques-
toned as to whether he could give the
amount of taxes unpaid to date, and
also how much money had been paid
into the tax collectors Office and not
credited upon the books of the office, re-
ported as follows:
From a statement rendered by Mr..
Kendrick, the expert employed to audit
the books of the tax collectors office
the amount of unpaid taxes was, on
juno |, 1900, SS00,617.00. Prior to 1894
there had been paid into the tax collec-
tors office and not credited on the books
Of the Office $153.10 During the term of
Francis G. Anthony S2,9e0.S7 had been
paid into the office and no credit APP
peared for the same on the books OF
the office. This sum of $2,3S0.s7 Is the
amount of sundry receipted tax bills
brought to the Office by taxpayers who
had paid them, but for which no credit
had heen made upon the books Of the
tax office
Your committee then asked Mr.. An
thony to produce these receipted bills
for the amount of $2,3S0S7, which Mr..
Kendrick reported had been paid into
the office and not credited upon the
books of the Office which was done, and
it was found that of the fifty eight re-
ceipts in the possession of the tax coli
lector, for taxes paid into the office
during his administration of the Office,
and not credited upon the books Of the
Office, forty eight amounting to $1,S6547, /
had been receipted by Clerk J. IT. Nc
Hugh, four amounting to $24S.46 by
Clerk f. p. Merriam, four amounting TO
1896 10 by Clerk W. III, Fulton, and two
to s71.S4 by Clerk J. III. |
Your committee have no |
means Of ascertaining whether the fore
going receipted bills constitute all that |
are now outstanding, but inasinueh as |
50 many have been already found, 1t |
would hardly be surprising IL others
should appear
Your committee IS informed that Coll
ector Anthony has since this investiga
ion personally reimbursed the city for
he amount of the foregoing discrepan-
lies, s2,380.87. 1t seems to your COM
nittee that the appearance Of so many
errors and of such a large amount Of
mortgages as the above statement shows,
5 greatly to The dlscredit Of the whole
conduct OF the office, and calls for
hange Of some kind that shall improve
he efficiency of the whole service.
Your committee also met Mr.. George
". Robinson, assistant corporation
ounsel, and inquired regarding the
resent method Of prosecuting claims
or back taxes. Mr. Robinson Informed
our committee that he had found the
ooks of the tax collectors office in such
ondition that he was unwilling to as
ume the responsibility of receiving
money for back taxes, and that In all
he instances where liens had been |
laced on property to secure taxes, he
ad directed the owner Of the property