Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1892-06-30
VOLUME XLIII.-NO. 90.
An Explanation.
WALHALLA, S. c., June u, 1892.

allow me space IN your ValuaDle COL
umns to give some explanation in
regard to some double entries for tax
for the last year. And now in the
outset don't want the people of
Oconee county to think that l have
the least idea of impeaching any
county officer or any individual of
this error, although some of my ene-
mics are laying the whole blame on
me in order to make capital of it in
the ensuing election. It's true there
are some executions against some
people that have paid their ta,, and
l am the man that has charged them
up on the tax duplicate twice. Well,
how is that? | don't make returns
for any man. enter them as they
are made to me. Monroe Scott made
a return for Henry Williams in Keo-
wee township and Henry Williams
made his own return in Whitewater
township, and he paid one and there
is an execution for one. Thomas
Smith returned for G. @. Smith
twenty-three acres OF land at two
hundred dollars, but never SAID from
whom or when the land was bought,
and Joseph NJ. Kelly had on the tax
book twenty acres at one hundred
and one building at fifty dollars,
! total one hundred and fifty dollars,
and never reported to me the trans
fer, although it was the same land,
and the law directs me to not let any
land drop off the tax books, bat to
continue to transmit it from year to
year. SO, you see, could not leave
Kelly off, not knowing he had sold
it. Thus, you see, personal and real
property are accounted for, and am
to blame:
Now, in regard to errors OF polls,
. let us consider the cause of that. In
the first place, the law says that the
school trustees shall furnish the Aud
itor list OF all taxable polls in their
respective school districts, and |
believe they who have sent me lists
have sent me as correct list as they
could, but not knowing the boundary
exactly, and some of the school dis
tricts embrace a part of three town.
ships, and | see the same name
reported in one township, and per-
haps he has made his return in ano-
ther township, and how often is it
the case that there are two and some
times three or four men OF the same
name, and | cannot afford to leave 2
return off that the school trustees
send me upon the supposition that
this is the same one. Jasper Crooks
had on the tax duplicate $50 acres
of land valued at $1,000, and one
building valued at 800, making
$1,000. This was in the year 1899,
and in lS90-that is, for last years
tax-William J Crooks returned his
personal property and 400 acres OF
land at 1890 and one building at
$50, making $3.50, that turned out
that it was the same land and the
same m.n. He had the acres changed
little. VIM. A. Hays made his
return and paid his tax. Abram a.
Hays and Buck Butchers names had
been returned to me for poll and
there are executions against the two
and the Sheriff went in search and
when he found VIM. a. Hays he
answered all the names, but only paid
one time.
The above illustrations are few
of the leading causes. As for myself,
| return no property only my cwn,
and have made some returns for
others by their request. have Illus
trated few causes of the double
entries and the school trustees have
sent me some who are not liable, but
they have returned about two huR-
dred that have evidently been dodg-
ing poll tax.
Now, I ask the question, Can any
clear-min' d, thoughtful or consider
ate man Diane me, as county officer
: in discharge of my daty: l leave it
for them 10 say. Or can they b!aae
the school trustees, whom the law
directs to MAKE out those lists to the
best of their knowledge? And If
they have .nade little mistake in
} locating man or gave me few
names that are exempt by reason OF
disability, over or under age, they
only have to report to me they are
not liable and that ends. it. The
school trustees get no pay, and, there
fore, they cannot well afford to inves
tigate the liabilities of every man in
their district, and the result their
reports have made, as said above,
about two hundred polls, and there
are few OF the trustees that have
not sent in their reports yet, but |
hope they will not get discouraged,
but send in their reports, and viii
enter the names on the tax duplicate
for poll that have not made their
return.
Now, in my conclusion, will say
that if any one desires information in
regard to any particular case, would