The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1869-08-14
Internal Revenue Officers i'm 81.
Landry.

Aal. l.. ~. <A4iASSAi N~FSy Va
U. s. Internal Revenue, at this place, is
creating q sensation in ST. Landry. Almost
daily he is causing notices to be served on
persons 10 come forward and pay their
licences and taxes for 1857 and 1868, who
have in their possession receipts for the
taxes and licences Of said years, signed by
yno. c. Costley, late Deputy Collector at
tits place.
Messrs. Bloch & Dupre, Of this place,
have in their possession receipts amounting
to over $500, for taxes for those years,
which now figure as due and unpaid on the
Collectors list.
One day last week Nj. Hypolite Meche
was served with notice to come forward and
pay his taxes and licences for 1867 and
1853, amounting to $40 He came in a
few days ago. and exhibited his receipt.
He informs US that more than a half dozen
Of his neighbors, who have their receipts,
were notified on the same day.
Mr.. Charles Francois, Of Bots Mallet,
however, was not so fortunate. He paid
all his taxes and licences as they fell due :;
but his receipts were destroyed with his
house, which vas burned one night last
Spring, with everything it contained. He
produced his receipts for 1869 to 1870
obtained since the burning of his house.
He offered to make oath to the fact that his
receipts for 1867 and 1868 were burned,
and to produce evidence to corroborate it.
He was informed that his only remedy was
to pay the amount-over sixty dollars
and then present q claim for the amount to
the proper officer of the Department, who
would refund the same. This he refused
to do, and filed a solemn protest, under
oath, against paying his taxes a second
time. "a ! -...'*. 80 '.~
Messrs. Rice and Allison, in explanation
Of their course, say, that when these taxes
were paid, no credit was given the party
paying them; that they stand as due and
unpaid on the list transmitted them for
collection by the District Collector; and
that they are compelled to proceed thus in
order to make their settlements, as required
by law. "S''' H.
Jean Baptiste Durousseau, a free mar of
color, keeps a small country store in Prairie
Pl~aisance. He is a man of but little educa-
ton, and having paid his State taxes and
obtained his licences. thought he had com
piled with the law. Some time afterwards
Jno. c. Tucker, Internal Revenue Assessor,
learned that Durousseau had not paid his
internal revenue tax and ~licence. He pro-
ceeded to Durousseau's, and ordered him
forthwith to pay him $l75. Durousseau
came to town and got Achille Dupre, of the
firm Of Bloch & Dupre, to stand as his Sc
curity for payment of the amount the next
day. This done, Tucker proceeded the
same day to Durousseau's store, accompa-
MED by a file Of soldiers, shut up his store,
arrested his son, who was in charge, and SO
imposed on Durousseau's fears, that, to
settle the matter, he paid Tucker 1915, to
which the former demand Of $175 had been
increased Some time afterwards 800 of
this amount was returned to Durousseau
by the Collector. "a ~'>1 "
But this is not all. Darousseau was not
credited with, the amount thus extorted,
which, now stands as due and unpaid on
the list transmitted to Maj. Allison for col
lection. Messrss Bloch G Duprs, however,
hold the, receipt. sghs;H r1E@ I'd :ssH #'#"f
Wethave always been under the impress
sion that tsxi collectors were required to
keep their books IN such a manner, that
their successors in Office could tell from an
inspection Of them, who had, and who had
not, paid taxes and that whenever a mar
paid q tax or a ~licence, he was credited for
it.. But such, it seems has not been the
case in the Internal Revenue Department,
as far as our Parish Is concerned. 1l.'. 49,.
tits rather hard On ap impoverished peo-
pie. to be compelled to pay taxes and licen-
ces two OF three times over, After what
we have seen Of internal revenue officers in
this Parish, we do not wonder at the pub
lie debt increasing rather than diminishing.
gffts 7~~-~~~--@@A~~~-~l as 'va
Prospects OF Sc. Landry. ~s.