The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-01
COCKS SUBPGNAED
IN TAX SALE INQUIRY
Tells Magistrate Appleton
How He Acquired 800 Nassau
Lots for a Song.
WILLING TO GIVE THEM UP
Asserts Purchases Were Not
Made for Purpose Of Extor-
ton, but to Enlarge Estate.

A subpoena was handed to w. w.
Cocks of westbury. L. l., formerly
Representative In Congress and manager
Of Gov. whitman's pre-primary cam
paign when he went to the Municipai
Building yesterday TO explain to the
Mayors Committee on Taxation the cir
cumsta noes under which he bought 300
lots near his home last year at Nassau
county tax sale. file was then ushered
into Magistrate Appleton's court room to
testify in the investigation Of tax sales
which the committee and District Attor-
ney Swami started some time ago.
The testimony of Mr.. Cocks. who Is
Quaker and a friend of Col. Roosevelt,
was, desired because Mrs. Lena Stein
berg OF 205 De Kalb avenue, Brooklyn,
obtained September Q. upon payment or
s5462 back taxes to William E. Luyster,
Nassau County Treasurer. redemption
certificate for two lots of land which
had been owned by her father, Max
Knopf. but which because the taxes
were unpaid were sold by the county
last year. the buyer being Mr.. COCKS
and the price SS.17.
The most interesting fact set fortn
by Mr.. Cocks was that he did not
until yesterday morning.
County Treasurer Subp9naed.
In the opinion OF Assistant District
Attorney Waugh, who examined the wit
ness, this Indicated a curious lapse on
the part OF some one among the mas
eau county officials. for Mr. Waugh
| said the the county had turned the lots
back to Mrs Steinbr'nk three weeks
before 1t had any legal right to dc
| 70. subpenas have been issued for
Mr. Luyster and his deputy, Charles
Steinsieck. and 1t is expected that they
| will be asked to solve the puzzle before
! Magistrate Appleton to-day.
Mr.. Cocks said be was In no sense
land sale shark" as he bought the
| 800 lots, not to extort money from tine
original owners by resale to them. ne
some professional loan and tax sale buy
ers do. but TO enlarge the property ne
already owns near nis home ana &c
give his tenants garden space lie
said the tax arrears ran back eighteen
or twenty years, and all the property
had been advertised at previous tai
sales and had not found a purchaser.
IF you can md the names OF the
original owners OF any OF these lots,
he said, II will be delighted to turn
the property back to them at the price
Il cost me. II the owner proves to
be a soldier or sailor he can have II
outright"
| He asserted that he did not buy the
lots at the advertised tax sale. but
when the sale was over went to the
county officials and picked out what he
wanted from the unsold list. He sale
IL was impossible to ascertain who the
original owners were, as the records
were too old" He did not remember
lust what clerk made out the deeds
for him.
Did you try 10 look up the records
and see who originally owned and pait
for the lots?" Mr.. Waugh asked. Mr.
Cocks answered NO"
Have you sold any OF the LOTS"
Two or three-just to neighbors. FOL
about what they cost me"
Gave No Power OF Attorney.
| Mr.. Cocks said he wrote Mr.. Stein
sleek three weeks ago telling him tina
Mrs. Steinberg could redeem her IA
theirs two lots 3 far as he, Mr.. Cocks
was concerned. but did not give Mr.
Steinsieck power of attorney.
when did you give the county 0
Nassau a quit\ claim decd" Mr.. Wausl
asked.
To-day"
"Did you know that Mr.. Steinsiecl
gave Mr. Knopf deed to this propert:
before that time
mo"
, at wouldn't be possible for a count,
official to give a deed until your dee
was in the possession OF the county
would it,"
, II should think not"
We'll. Mr.. Steinsieck gave this deed.
"I don't know how he came to do It.
. Mr.. Cocks said he paid an average o
50 apiece for the 800 lots.
, How did it happen" Mr.. Waugh in
. ouired, that you paid only sS.l1 70
the two Knopf lots when the back take
were $54.62"'
81 don't know. Sometimes the count
SCISSORS Ak the price less the tax.
don't think much OF the value Of ia
sale property any way. The title Is un
certain until good many years hav
passed.
I says Tax sales Are Costly.
THE present plan OF tax sales is a.
wrong. To advertise a sale costs IN
county $4,000 sometimes. The peopl
, who want these sales are the bookbind
' ers and the county newspapers. TIL
! latter would be ruined IL they didn't &c
> the advertising. think the count
, ought TO give warranty deeds, that a
, EFFORT should be made for personal ser
, vice on all owners notifying them whe
, they are in arrears. and that when III
sale is held the county ought to buy I
all the property on which taxes have ne
been paid and make a diligent scare
= for the individual who is in danger {
@ losing his property. The present systei
= never was justified
. Mr. Cocks was asked IL he would us