The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-06-17
TO nail
hewitt
estate
U. S. and Olympia
Officials Say
Family Must
Pay in Full


'Thc state Of Washington =
going to collect every cent Of ti,s
inheritance tax due it from the
estate ef Henry Hewi1. jr, q
Tacoma.
"Not . penny Of the vast torfune
in mining property. timber landg r
and other holdings decided qver
70 the Hewitt Land Co. fev
days before the Taooms csyltsl-
kt's death will escspa assoas-
ment q
The staee b simply waitine
until litigation over tho estate
now being carried on In The
courts Is settled"
These were the emphatic asser.
tons made Friday to The Star By
John M. Thatcher. state supervisor
of Inheritance tax.
While Thatcher declined to commit
himself in the matter of the amount
OF state inheritance tax due on the
Hewitt estate. it has been estimated
by some officials at approximately
81 ,000, 900,
Collection of this amount would
mean a reduction Of mill on an
property In the state for a year.
Henry Hewitt, jr.. died in Tacoma,
May 2. 1918. When his heirs went
to court to probate the estate. it was
disclosed that the rich old man had
left ostensibly but a paltry s23 .3ss.42.
For years the name of Henry
Hewitt. jr., had been synonymous
the Northwest with gold,
with wealth, with moncy-power.
From a. small beginning in the
pioneer days he had built up BUSH
nesses. acquired mines and timber.
and had amassed fortune variously
estimated at from SIC. 200. 900 to $780,.
100000. Those who knew Of Hewitt's
commercial holdings
were astounded at the court report.
And then they learned the facts.
On April IL. 1918. Henry Hewitt.
Jr., feeling the approach Of death.
called in his lawyers and signed =
pile OF legal papers. With a few
strokes Of his pen he gave away all
but pittance Of his vast fortune
decided it over to the Hewitt Land
Co.. owned by his heirs-to.be.
Fifteen days later Henry Hewitt,
Jr., died.
That Is why, when Hewitt's
UiII uyaS rpnhutn<y s.&
2S, 1918, the appraisers found
but S23,S96.4e.
All the rich mining property.
all the valuable timber lands
scattered thruout Washington.
Oregon and California, had been
signed over to the Hewitt Land
Co.
In one transaction alone. HEWITT
parted with 22,5o0 acres Of timber.
farm lands, and a large number Of
city lots and houses for the sum
Of 81.
Seemingly the millionaire Tacoman
thought that the state and the fed.
eral government would be unable to
collect a cent of the Inheritance tax
due them because of his maneuver.
And to date not one cent has been
collected!
Henry Hewitt. Jr., left six heirs.
They are: Roscena l.. Hewitt, the
widow; j. j. Hewitt, Henry Hewitt
and w. III. Hewitt. sons. and Clara
Hewitt Lea and Mary Hewitt Sut-
ton. daughters.
No attempt has been made on the
part OF these heirs to pay to state
or government any part of the in.
heritance taxes prescribed by law.
David J. Williams. u. S. collector
Of internal revenue for this district,
declares that the government is 60
ing to collect every cent OF the in.
heritance tax due Uncle Sam.
The federal law states very plain
ly that transfer of any material part
Of ones property within two years
before death without value received
will be deemed made in contempla.
ton of death. and shall not escape
the inheritance tax. The state law
is similar.
The federal inheritance tar on
estate will be. II is esti.
mated by some at moro than $4,000
600.