The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-12-13
TAXES As SURE As DEATH
The City Council Cannot Soc the
Way Clear TO Extend the
Time 10 Pay. ...
Marshal McCann Exonerated OF
the Charges Made by Ex-
Jailor Per6ell.
A Prospect That City Employees VIII Get
Their Salaries II Cash Hereafter In
stead Of Warrants.

A Prospect 5hnt City Employees VIII Get
Their Salaries Il. Cash Hereafter In
stead Of Warrants.
The matter Of defsrring tho enforcement
of the penalty for non-paymsnt Of taxes
was disposed Of at last nights meeting Of
the city council. Aldermen Mo. ris, Liss.
nsr and Cox. the judiciary committee, and
City Attorney MoIntire. to whom were re-
ferrsd the legality and ACCESSIBILITY OF de.
ferrina the date OF payment and delin-
quency Of city tsxss. made the following
report;
III this change we're to be made. your
COMMITTEES are OF the opinion that an sntirs
change and amendment OF existing ordi-
nauess regulating the levy aud collection
of taxes would DO necessary. In order that
by such departure ths city would not lose
any OF its rights Of assessing penalties or
selling property for taxes unpaid. and taking
into consideration tho care necessary
in making such a%mendmsnts. at this late
day We deem il impossible to make such
change applicable TO tho collection Of this
years rsvenue.
'Bu when 70 come TO consider the nd
visibility of this measure Strong and IN
favorable arguments move IA to advise
aReinxt the change. On Jan. l. 1894, the
semi-annua interest upon the cit7's bonded
indebtedness, amounting to about $11.675
falls due. and 1t is needless TO say that tho
payment of this interest whom duo 10 i'm
perativ.. Your committee are informed by
the city treasurer that there 10 a balanos OF
about $3, 600 in the interest and sinking
fund at the present. time. So that between
now and Jan. /. some 8 $1,000 must be raised
to ray the interest. Unless this money Il
derived from tho collection Of taxes your
from; for thsra IL no other money IN the
city treasury available for this purpose.
again, at this writing some 807 tnxpay-
ets have paid their taxes to the city under
the imp, ession that they would be delin-
Quent If not paid before Jan. ], 1894. rs pro-
a . about % pc: cent in nuinbe OF tho en-
tire taxable population OF the city, and
have paid about SIS. 600, showing that they
are the class of smaller taxpayers. At this
Int date to change the time OF delinquency
would unquestionably be construed by
those who have alrendy paid thoir tnxes a.
IN unjust discrimination and as legislation
in favor Of tho vealthier and aCninst the
poorer of our citizens. Even a suspicion of
such a thing it ia best to avoid. Again.
there are some $780, 600 Of registered wars
rants outstanding on the fire depart
repeatedly made by the city officials that
these warrants would be paid in cnsh OH
January l. 1894. With that assurance and
past experience thase hie fund warrants
have bten bought by outside parties at
prices ns high Ne oa11 cents, much to the
advantage of the oity's securities. You!
committee are of the opinion that the good
faith Of the city Is pledged for tho promised
redemption of these warrants On dan. l
next. How else onn this be done but by
the collection of the taxes as at present
provided by tho ordinances?
7 suggestion above made 10 outside
OF the consideration of the question of in
terest. City warrants bear az ven per cent
interest per annum. There are some $3.50,
900 of outstanding register ed. warrants on
general fund and $4,000 on the
fro department fund. The burden
e of interest T. ID tS Slo Sst, d i tbs som o. s'hinf
BY paying off the warrant indebtedness as
far ~ possible. to relieve the city of this
growing incubus OF interest. and help the
city's oredis by SO doing. Other difficulties
in the way of the proposed departure might
be instanced. but your committee submit
the above reasons for ecom msndinR that
tho taxes be collected, for this yoar al least.
in the manner provided by tho present Or
dinancos."
The report was adopted without diseus-
sion. subsequently, several petitions wsra
read, asking that one-half tho taxes be
collected by Jan. l, md the collection OF
the other half be Celarod for thrse months.
They we're placed on file.
Aldermen Collins and Walker, of the
committee on police. submitted the follow
ing report on the charge made by Ex-Jailol
Thomas Percell that he was discharged
without cause, and that the real reason was
that he interfered to prevent the consun-
nation of n job whereby an innocent man
might have been sent to tho lenitcntinry:
First-As as a demand was made that wit
nessss be sworn, We. present the substance
OF the evidence hereto attached. which may
lie read by tho ole k. II desired.
Second-We find that Mr.. PerselI'a
charges are utterly without foundation in
fact and not borno out By the evidence az
adduced.
On the contrary we believe his discharge
has been rendered necessary by reason Of
his own actions.
Third-We recommend that il legally
possible the council frame and pass ar
ordinance clothing the chairmen OF various
committees with power TO sdminlster ia
witnesses IN oath which shall be legally
binding. whenever such course may become
necessary. You committee Is informed
that an oath administered by a polict
magistrate or notary public to witnesses
before a committee, as in the prsIent case,
is not legal, that 10 to say that a witness
testifying falsely in such case cannot be
convicted of perjury, hence our course in
having statements made and subscribed tc
before a notary public.
Foursh-The book known as the Prop
erty Book' of the police station should BE-
used only for the purpose of keeping q
record of money, valuables. or other att.
clos taken from prisoners, showing the
date, time of day, the amount. or items oil
value taken from prisoners. specified In the
proper column. by whom. and in the pres
ence of at lenst one witness, and these fQ-
u es not subject to erasure, or alteration,
for the pu pose Of spending money for the
prisoner or otherwise. If such expenditure
bscomca necessary. such amount or amount
shall be entered under the original amount,
and whom tho money il returned to the
prisoner, the amounts used on his account
shall be deducted from the original amour,
and his receipt shall be placed in the entry.
accompanied by tho name or initials of the
money or valunb!es. All entries shall be
made with ink.
Al erman buraard. who agreed to the 70.
port. was absent when II was handed in to
the council. The report was adopted and
the suggestions about the property book
referred to tho city marshal for his guild
ancs. The information regarding the oaths
taken before tho committee, IL was pointed
out. wHB incorrect.
The matter of resuminn payment OF oity
employees came up in the shape OF two reso-
lutions. one by Alderman Hsnlcy and the
other by Alderman Morris. Tho formor