St. Landry democrat., 1886-07-31
Letter from State Auditor 10
Sheriff DnSOM.
STATE OF LOUISIANA, }
AUDITOR'S OFFICE, ;

STATE OF LOU lSIANA, 7
AUDITORS OFFICE.
BATON ROUGE, La, July gath, 1867
Mr. &. c. Duson. Sheriff and Tax Collector,
Parish of st. Landry, City Hotel. New Or
leans, La:
Dear Sir AFTER the close OF the late
session of the General Assembly, Sena-
tor Lewis, at bis request, was shown
your account as Tax Collector and a
statement of same for the years 1854
and 1885, (being the only years not IL
nally closely was made and handed to
him.
In the conversation had with Senator
Lewis, who spoke OF you i'll the klndest
terms, I fully explained the defective
character of the assessment rolls tor
1884 1885 the roll for the latter year
1885, as you know, was rejected, ana
not till it was too late to have proper
rolls made, free from the numerous. err
rors contained in those of the previous
year, was it accepted by this office, but,
with the understanding that the Asses
sor would be required to refund TO the
State, commissions paid him on all
erroneous and double assessments and
assessments which, for want OF descrlp-
zion, would prevent the collector from
making forced collections OF taxes on
property so assessed.
fully explained to him that, prior to
the loss of your records, you had sub
mitteG your deduction lists on claims
for errors ON rolls. Taxes Oh property
sold to the State and bills for publish
ing tax sales for the purpose OF making
final settlement for the taxes OF 1884,
and that, pending this settlement, these
statements, which had been returned to
You from this Office for correction, were
reported lost in the burning OF your
Court House, thereby delaying the set
Element and preventing your account
from receiving the credits to which it
was entitled, as shown by these state
ments.
My books show that prior to and
since my induction into office, you have
promptly accounted for collections
made by you as Tax Collector, and as to
4h taxes OF 1885, the statement could
only show collections made since De-
cember and prior to March 31st last as
collections made since April 1st and
prior to LIST OF the present month, are
not required to be accounted for until
during the present month and could not
have been included in the statement
and that no final settlement for taxes of
this year could have been made, at that
time, and not until after sales of prop
erty for unpaid taxes had been made.
The settlements made by your prede-
cessor show that the credits for error
received by him varied from 1875 to
S7506 for each year, while your credits
have been as follows: for 1880 S1175,
1881 1885,, 1882 S3123. and 1888 $40.
A statement of each collectors ac-
count was published in the Times
Democrat OH March Sd, last and the
statement handed your Senator cores
ponds with the one published, there was
also published in the official journal of
the State a statement of all collections
made by tax collectors and accounted
for in the first quarter of the present
year.
| do not see why written memoran-
dun, which corresponds with state
ments published, in the newspapers
months ago, should occasion at this
time, any unmerited comment, and es-
pecially when all the facts connected
with the matter, were made known at
the time the statement was given, and
| feel assured your Senator will do you
the justice to give to those of your peo-
pie, who do not understand this matter,
the explanation given him by me at the
time [ furnished the information asked
for. Yours truly,
0. B. STEELE, Auditor.