Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-09-17
T. F. RYAN OWES
.$1,700,000 TAXES
~
Wealthiest Citizen to Be As
sessed on s50,00O.000
Estate
CONFERENCES HELD
Eohn L. Lee Counsel for Examiners
and Congressman Hal Flood Is
Ryan's Attorney.

Thomas Fortune Ryan, commonly
reunited to he the wealthiest citizen OF
Virginia. is called upon to settle
with the State for back taxes due Oh
omitted taxable values estimated to
be in the neighborhood of $5OO,Ooo,-
900.
.rhe estimated indebtedness of Mr..
RYAN to the State on this enormous
amount, the accumulated omissions OF
ten years, is Sl,7OO,O0O.
These facts have become known
since negotiations were opened be-
tween representatives of the Ryan
estate and State officials, with view
to satisfying the requirements OF the
tax laws and at the same time safe
guarding Mr.. Ryan's interests
against any possible imposition
The State Auditor. the Attorney
General. Governor Stuart, Examiner
of Records James S. Easley, of Lynch
Dure, and r. H. rummond, OF Am
herst. all of whom have intimate
knowledge of the matter under con-
,ideration. have preserved the utmost
;ecrecv with reference to the case to
this time. Attroney John l.. Lee, of
I.ynchburg, who has been employed
10 push the collection of the tax claims
20 a final conclusion, likewise de-
clines to discuss any phase Of the r'?at-
ter.
When Mr. T.cc c@yre TO E!ehmHnc
last Tuesday and conferred with Gov
.rnor Suart and Auditor Moore, it was
reported that he was representing the
RYAN interests. Later he admitted
-ha- his services had been engaged by
the examiners and taxing officers.
Inquiry in Richmond last night elic-
tied from Lynchburg the Information
that "Mr. Lee will make no state
nent until after a conference in the
near future has been had.
State Auditor Moore said yesterday
that Mr.. Lee had called on him last
Tuesday and that they had "a quiet
little business talk" the LynchburG
lawyer merely asking to be advised on
conferred with Acknowledgement Pol
ing of the Ryan estate. Mr.. Lee ais"
amount of back taxes due. Mr.. Pol
lard replied That the Attorney-Gener-
he might expect from him in the OIL
ort 70 compel payment Of the large
amount O fback taxes due. Mr.. Pol
lard replied that the Attroney-Gener-
al's Office would lend every assistance
in its power to collect tayes due the
Commonwealth from any source. mat
ters of that kind being in line with
the duties and functions Of the office.
Out of the numerous secret confer
ences held in the last two weeks, the
information, apparently authentic
comes that the estimate of the amount
of omitted taxes due by the Ryan es'
tate. 81. 100000. is based upon an estl-
mate fixing the toal wealth of Mr..
RYAN at S50.OO0.OOo. The popular be-
lief is. however, that the Ryan fortune
is nearer S100,000.000.
Figures available in the taxhooks II
the State Auditors Office show that
The total amount assessed in. 1913 wa!
S24.O95,76.
The taxable values of the Ryan es
tate were listed in 1914 as follows,
lands and buildings, 1921 ,S79.S4; per
sonal property, tangihles, 100000; in
tangihles. S1.5O0,000; income, $500,
900. 1t was or this statement Of hi:
taxable values that Mr.. Ryan paic
the total Of his taxes in Virginia. $24,
O95.76.
The books show, too, the amount o
the Nelson County levies or tangibl
and intangible property. It amounte'
to only s13,5OO.