New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-05
CYCLONE HITS BUREAU
iELLISON'S BIG SHAKE-UP.
Finds "Graft and Fraud" IN Back
Tares Department.

The most drastic shaking up that city bureau
has had in years hit the Bureau for the Col
lection OF Arrears OF Personal Taxes yesterday,
when CORPORATION Counsel Ellison transferred
James p keenan,. head of the bureau. 70 the
main ONCE and ordered that all the other en-
rloyes OF the bureau be transferred 20 other
places Some Of those who VIII have to ma
new berths are Scion Derrick. assistant Frank
y. johnson and Edward Mass. clerks; seven
sunior clerks six stenogTaphers and typeWriterS'
six typewriting copyists and two process servers
II am convinced that graft, fraud and per-
jury have demoralized that bureau said Cor
noration Counsel Ellison, "and have started
rigid investigation"
When Mr.. keenan,. who is prominent IN Iah-
many Hall. reported TO Mr.. Ellison at the main
Office. the Corporation Counsel said 10 him:
''AFr keenan,. / don't know whether you know
Il or not but various abuses have grown up
in your bureau Scores of people assessed TOT
personal taxes have had their taxes RENTED by
your bureau. Until know otherwise. assume
that you are not cupable. But some one IN
that bureau is 10 blame, and am going to hno
out who il is. I merely wanted 10 suggest 10
you that whenever a personal assessment is re-
,uitted the remission must invariably be ac-
companied by an affidavit setting forth the legal
reasons for the remission. I assume that in
each instance there will be found in your Office
an afidavit properly made out and sworn to.
covering each remission. the law directs. II
any OF your friends or acquaintance have failed
80 comply with this formality. trust that you
viii see to-day that their affidavits are on file
Mr. keenan, asked for vacation, and Mr.
ELLISON, after the warning just quoted, granted
his request.
About thirty days ago the Corporation Coun-
sci announced that there was an apparent short
age Of $500 in the accounts under the direct
eupervision OF 1. Frederick Mount. chief clerk
az the bureau. Mr.. Mount disappeared at the
time Of the discovery and has not reported for
duty since. Mr. Ellison has decided 10 turn
his case over 20 the District Attorneys Office
and he said yesterday that he should ask the
Civil Service Commission 20 make the cher
clerks place exempt, so that he can appoint 10
the vacancy a man Of his own selection
Mr. Ellison installed in place OF Mr.. keenan,
az the head OF the arrears bureau Frank B.
Pierce, ana directed him to make thorough in
vestigatlon OF the bureau
Mr. Ellison also made a request OF the Con-
troller which, Il carried out, probably will re-
suit in the retirement OF ex-senator Louis Nun
ginger. who for five years has been Mayors
Marshal in charge OF the bureau for the collec-
ton OF tax hills not paid during the tax year
The method in the tax Office is for the Receiver
Of Taxes to turn over all unpaid accounts 10
the marshal's office, which is supposed to can
on delinQuents personally. After the marsnal
has tried and failed 20 collect the personal taxes
he turns them 10 the bureau OF which Mr.
Keenan, was the head until yesterday. This IS
the bureau in which Senator Martin SAKE made
q record that attracted wide attention on ac-
count OF the large sums he collected. Since Mr..
Keenan, has been IN charge OF the Office little
has been heard about the collection OF arrears.
II fnd" said Mr.. Ellison yesterday, that the
Receiver ot Taxes has not been IN the habit
Of sending notices TO taxpayers when their taxes
q
the newspapers. Annually he has been in the
habit ot turning over a mass OF names Of per-
sonal tax celinQuents 20 the marshals Office.
1t IS a rather remarkable fact that after per-
tunctOry notice 10 delinQuents the marshals Of
ice has turned the names Of delinquents over
90 the arrears bureau I learn that there has
grown up within the last few years a large
practice among a class OF lawyers who send
notices TO taxpayers that they can get their per-
sonsl taxes rernitted These lawyers have been
"a the habit OF advising their clients that It was
useless 70 pay any attention 10 their tax bills
until Ihey landed in the arrears ONCE. and that
at that time they, the lawyers, would get Them
RENTED for q consideration
I learn that hundreds of afldayits have been
turned into The arrears bureau, some of them
without the knowledge OF the taxpayers that
tneir names were signed TO Them ana that on
the strength OF these afidavits the taxes have
been RENTED. stopped that practice TO-DAY
with the transfeTenee OF Mr.. keenan,. In each
case the affidavit flle win be brought forward
y he signed the AFFIDAVIT. II he did not sign AZ
snail enoeavor 10 discover who did and how
1nnch they got for putting the Job through and
just az that point the aid OF the District Attor-
ney win be called in
Scores o. eminently respectable citizens in
this city win be astOnished when they learn fbev
nave signed afhdavits declaring they are without
PERSONA property subject to taxation. I have
.nfseQ the Controller 20 promuIgate an order that
me Receiver OF Taxes shall send a written bilI
tS each taxpayer and that delinquent accounts
tnali tnen come 70 the Corporation Counsels office
Tsther than % the marshars Office. and then, if
mere Is anything for the marshal 70 do the sun
posed worthless accounts viii be turned over 10
salI heseafter, until further notice, when a
person makes affidavit for the remission 30 49,
t soma taEes ne VIII have 70 come personally be-
- ~ EIlsons plan Is carried out Il will rem
Ger the ONCE Of Mayors Marshal Dracticall1I oP
Ltue use The emOluments OF that office are said
eS amount 20 about $4,000 year Mr. Mum
z-,eet mas helo the place ever since he was an
pointed az the instance OF John c. Sheehan. M
Ger me Low administration.