New-York tribune., 1907-01-20
SAVES MONEY FOR ASTOR.
Purdy Refuses to accept offer to
Submit 10 $500. .OO0 Assessment.

President Purdy Of the Tax Department seems TO
nave reversed the policy OF the Office with reference
o the collection % personal assessments Counsel
for William Waldorf Astor called az the Office on
Friday 20 inquire about the assessment Of Mr..
Astor nonresident IN the OF $4,000
Counsel submitted an affidavit, which resulted in
the cancellation of all -of the personal assessment
except S5oo which represents the value OF certain
furniture the Office OF Mr. Astor IN 18th street
II learned that NJ. Astor's counsel willing
20 pay taxes personally IN the OF Mr..
Astor IN the sum OF about $4,000. but that Mr.
Turdy declined to accept payment On more than
5000
II was said yesterday that Charles A. Peabody,
president OF the Mutual Life Insurance Company.
was the vino called IN Mr.. Astors behalf but
Mr.. PuTdv, when asked last night. would neither
confirm nor deny this.
The etand taken by Nr Purdy IN refusing 10 take
money from M Astors representative under the
foregoing circumstances caused much comment
Yesterday AZ the City Han. II was regarded as a
reversal OF the policy OF the Tax Department.
which hitherto has aimed 10 collect as much as
practicable from the AstOrs, the assumption
that the lawyers for the estate would not pay
more than they really obliged to- The SAKE
law. passed last year. designed 70 facilitate
TIE collection Of personal taxes from nOn-rosi-
dents On the assumption that the law was bind
ing, the assessors placed Mr. Astor the rolls
for $4,000 personally His real estate hold
inss assessed IN the regular manner When
President Purdy yesterday he SAID:
The adjustment of personal taxation matters be
tween The city's representatives and citizens or
counsel is a private matter Only the record is
public property. ] do not 70 discuss the
Nersation had with the representative OF Mr.
Asf1r The gentleman called with reference 10 the
tentative assessment OF S75O000. He submitted an
affidavit making Il clear that the city could not
hoiG him FOR that sum. He Eaid that Mr.. AstOr
would consent 20 pay on q sum considerably less
than the tentative sum- When ] inquired about
the character of the securities on which Mr.. Asor
was willing 70 pay personal taxes saw at once
that he was not liable, ana told counsel so. do
not know that this is a reversal OF the old policy
Of this department. il is the Law. Very many
fiFnss people come here who do not understand
their own rights under the law. Mr.. Astor's case
was One OF them
isn't Il a fair assumption that a competent
lawyer would not profrer payment on a personal
assessment unless he had good reason 10 belisve
that he was nable?" asked.
y don't know about that" said Mr.. Purdy. but
DO know that, according 10 the anidayit sub
United by Mr. AEtOT's counsel, his estate was not
Aahle for personal taxation. We assessed him for
200 worth OF furniture which came under the
law but cancelled nearly al of the tentative as
EeEEment''
President Purdy said that many persons were an
lnaliy fined for dilatory payment or taMes because
they thought fhsy would receive tax bills. He has
prepared notices, which are 20 be had at his Office
explaining that the Office is not required 10 send
out thess bills and that they be obtained only
bg personal application.