New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-05
$1,000 LEFT CITY
AFTER S2,591,000
IS SWORN AWAY
Personal Tax ThaW Be
gins as 60 "MilliOnaires"
Prove Charge False.
MAYOR SAYS LAW
MUST BE ENFORCED
Expects Better Provisions for
Next Year-COmmissioners
Still Hopeful.

Two million five hundred and ninety
one thousand dollars of that S3,SOO,-
100000 personal assessment announced
By the Tax Department Friday was
sworn off yesterday. About one-third
of per cent Of the assessments exam
ined yesterday were held. President
Purdy says, however, it would be un-
fair to use that figure as basis for
predicting the amount that will finally
be held, as those who come early usual
ly are sure they are exempt.
In all, sixty-fve persons appeared be-
fore the tax commissioners to rid them
selves of the personal tax burden i'm
posed on them. OF that number sixty
were able to show they were wrong
fully assessed. The commissioners
kept Just S9,700 of the s2,600,700 rep
resenting the tentative assessments set
down against the sixty-ive men. More
than forty thousand persons are on the
personal assessment books.
Mayor Mitchell frankly acknowledged
Yesterday that ne thought the personal
tax law was bad in many features, but
declared his belief that il should he en-
forced so long as it remained on the
books. 1t is understood, however, that
he is not wholly pleased with the reck-
less way in which personal assessments
have been placed on the books just to
make tremendous total.
Next year the Mayor hopes to get
some amendments TO the law that will
make it more perfect and workable.
"Are you personally in favor of the
personal tax ?" he was asked.
II am not prepared to take a definite
stand as to thst." was the reply, be
cause nave not studied the tax side
of economics closely
Clerk Added a Cipher.
Isaac II. Weinstein, of 574 West End
Avenue, who appeared on the books for
a s5,000,000 assessment, did not visit
the commissioners. He was not worry
ing any. although he had not learned
be had been placed in the millionaire
class through a mistake OF clerk IN
the Tax Office They meant to call him
only q semi-millionaire and assess HIM
for $500, 900, but the clerk put an extra
cipher on the end.
when | find have $4,000, ,OOo," said
Nr. Weins.ein, 81 will give s4,OOO,OOO
away and keep only sl,O00,000 for my
self"
One or two of those who swore off
their entire assessment yesterday had
been put in the s5O0,000 class. Paul
Rainey, the explorer, had been set down
for half million. His agent explained
that Mr.. Rainey was in Africa just at
present and that he was a resident Of
Mississippi, and not New York. IL
seems that the estate of Mr.. Rainey's
father, which is in Pennsylvania, and
thus escapes taxation here, has an Of
flee in this city. This is the way the
assessors happened to put Mr.. Ralney's
name on their tentative list.
There were no applications yesterday
for reductions of assessments on the
personal property of corporations. In
such cases they are made in writing
to the Corporation Bureau, the asses
sors make resurvey, and then a re-
port to the commissioners.
Corporations Lie Low.
President Purdy would not explain
yesterday just what information the
department had used as a basis for the
tremendous increase in the assessments
on personal property of corporations
between August and October l.
"The methods of assessing corpora
tions," he said, have been changed
from time TO time, always with the in
tent to obtain from them applications
l., l., ,eh f,tr p,ab
accurate basis for future assessments.
Some years ago the tentative assess
ments Of domestic corporations in Man.
haitian was over $2,000,000, 900"
An anonymous writer asked Presi-
dent Purdy yesterday: "lf you assess
certain individuals personally, why not
all of them"
THAT would mean assessing the en-
tire city directory and more" the Com
missioner explained. I'VE haven't the
staff for that and such a practice would
be condemned as swelling the uncol-
lectible list"
.. second question in the letter was:
"Why not assess non-residents OF New
York who have plenty of personal prop
erty in the neighborhood Of Fifty
eighth Street, from Fifth Avenue TO
Park Avenue? know several who
should be paying and live there"
Commissioner Purdy said he knew
the territory and did not think it very
profitable, so far as non-residents went.
"Non-residents are assessable only
on the capital they have invested in
this city and on whatever furniture
they may have here" he added. The
courts draw fine line, and large part
OF the assessments in past years haze
gone into the uncollectible books.
Dodgers .mes Asked.
"In 1906 only i per cent OF the tax
levied on non-residents was eolIectel.
After that we tried 10 make more in
Continued on page 4. column