Pubdate: Thu, 27 May 2004
Source: Watertown Daily Times (NY)
Copyright: 2004 Watertown Daily Times
Contact:  http://www.wdt.net
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/792
Author: James R. Donnelly

CANTON MAN GOT MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR WITH AUCTIONED-OFF CAR

CANTON - Buying at a St. Lawrence county auction an aging luxury car
that had once been used to carry drugs turned out to be less of a
bargain than expected, according to a disgruntled town of Fine man.

"They are dealing me dirt, "Stanley D. Stewart said after the state
Department of Motor Vehicles in Albany refused to honor the title to a
1994 Infinity he purchased at a county auction last fall.

"I bought it fair and square and then to have to go through all this
turmoil. It sounds like corruption," Mr. Stewart said.

Originally worth more than $60,000, the aging luxury car had more than
100,000 miles on its odometer when it was seized during a drug arrest.
Mr. Stewart, who offered $1,301 for the car, was the high bidder at
the county's annual surplus equipment auction. The car's title was
signed over to him and he was able to register the car. The problems
began, Mr. Stewart said, when he tried to sell it.

"I was told by the DMV that I didn't own it," Mr. Stewart said. " All
this has cost me a couple of hundred dollars in gas money driving to
Canton."

St. Lawrence County Clerk Patricia A. Ritchie said she personally
intervened with DMV officials in Albany last week to get Mr. Stewart
the clear title he was seeking.

"I had a meeting in Troy and I personally took the title over to the
title bureau in Albany," Mrs. Ritchie said. " They issued the title
the next day. He should receive it in the mail any day."

Mr. Stewart's problem was caused by a state request for documentation
about the car's legal history that the St. Lawrence County District Attorney
Jerome J. Richards said he was not prepared to provide.

"Albany said we had to file documents, we said we didn't," Mr.
Richards said. "It has all been straightened out.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin