New-York tribune., 1918-10-24
Lots Bought ON
TaxLiens Will Go
Back to Owners
Army Private Promises to
Make Over Titles He
Bought for a Song

Private Eugene r. Hurley. now under
investigation for buying up tax titles.
which he sold back at enormous prof
U.s. appeared yesterday before the
Mayors Committee on Taxation and
agreed to return at little more than
cost thousand such titles still in his
possession. The soldier, who came i'm
from Camp Upton accompanied by q
sergeapt, is the son of Frank E. Hurley.
manager Of the Jamaica branch of the
little Guarantee and Trust Companv
and was employed by the concern be-.
tore he entered the army.
Private Hurley expressed his entire
Willingness to right whatever wrong had
peen done to poor people through his
transactlons. even though he said. it
would probably entail a loss of 81, 500
20 him. 'YO'
Upon what basis do you wish to re-
'urn these properties 10 their former
owners? 2" Hurley was asked by Samuel
AT cost" Hurley replied "By that
mean the amount | paid the county.
Plus subsequent taxes, plus a reason
able rate of interest, say per cent"
Hurley declared he should be reim
bursed for other expenses incurred il
purchasing TIE tax titles but finally
agreed to add no other charges TO the
cost on which the original owners will
be able to redeem their property.
Some of the men who bid in titles
for him, at SIS or SO day, Hurley ad
mitted, were former employees of the
Title Guarantee and Trust Company.
but when he was asked whether any of
them were connected with the County
Treasurer's office he refused to an
swer. on the ground that it might in
criminate him.
Hurley told the committee that be
had between four hundred and five hun
dred lots which are redeemable, at the
cost OF the tax only, up to December,
and he agreed TO turn over his lists to
The committee, so that the owners will
be notified
Nathan hirsch. chairman of the
Mayors Committee, said last night:
we are now prepared to get back
about 5000 lots in all, and more arc
coming in every day. We have just
started in putting the tax lien shark
out of business, but reports have al
eady come in that these men, who
before asked as much as 500 and $3.50
10 return the lots they grabbed, have
now come down in price to $40 and
SIS"
- Magistrate Appleton yesterday held
Gustav Johanssen, agent for the Ja-
.itsNiS1 @'ieIiicA wv NSioPiiStt WI JOIdtiON,
in $1,000 pail for the grand jury, on Il
charge of larceny preferred by Mrs.
Mary A. Burns. Of So. Rose Street. Mrs.
Burns said Johanssen approached her
two years ago, while she was out walk
ing with her three children. and said
Madam. your children look pale and
in need of fresh air. Wouldn't you
like to have home in the country,
where they could grow strong and
healthy?"
Johanssen then told her, she said, he
would sell her two lots he owned at
Jamaica Manor, l.. l.. for 5000, and
build her a house on it, within a few
months. all on the instalment plan.
Mrs. Burns paid him $3.50, receiving in
exchange, not a deed, but contract
from the Jamaica Manor Company
Johanssen later told Mrs. Burns she
testified, that the house was almost fn-
ished, but when she took trip out to
inspect it she found the plots had cab
bages growing on them. She $50 was
amazed to discover that the lots were
not owned by Johanssen, but by the
company, of which Isadore KuIchaer
was secretary. and that there we're two
mortgages on them.
Johanssen was arrested three weeks