Evening star., 1895-04-16
INCOME TAX RETURNS
Deputies and Clerks Were Kept Busy Up to
Midnight.
But Few Delinqucnts Expected to BE
Found In This City-A Crafty
ing Showing.

Last night at midnight the Office of the
deputy collector of internal revenue in
this city was closed. and the time for the
rendition of returns of incomes by citizens
enjoying an annual revenue of $500 Gr
upward terminated. By that hour the pro-
cession Of eager taxpayers had ceased. The
last day. however, had been sufficiently
busy for the deputies and clerks to prevent
them from growing i'll from ennui. Re-
turns were made during the Gay, begin
ming at s o'clock, by upward of 500 peo-
pie. making total of those who volun-
tarily confessed to their incomes of about
1,5OO or 1,6OO r-
When Star reporter called at the Office
this morning the place was deserted, in
strange contrast to the scenes that were
enacted there during all of yesterday. Two
their most arduous tasks had been COM
pleted. and one of them was having his
shoes blacked. while the other gazed
thoughtfully out of the window and tried
TO think of what good time he could have
If he had all the aggregate wealth that
those 1,6OO people possessed.
Sent to baltimore.
All the returns had been sent to Balti-
more to be forwarded by the collector
there to the Treasury Department in this
city. There they will be gone through, di-
gestcd. scheduled. itemized, scrutinized, re-
itemized. entered in other books filed,
drawn out again, and verified, AMI some
day there will 60 forth from the Treasury
Department to the collector at Bal
timore some Instructions about the
way to deal with those people who have
failed to make their returns. These in
stractions will. in the course of time, come
back here again from the collectors office
and they will be acted upon by the depu-
ties in this city. The law provides that 50
per cent shall be added to the tax of de-
linquent individuals when finally collected
and fine of 1000 shall be imposed upon
corporations in arrears.
Few Delinquents Here.
The opinion was given at the Office this
morning that there would be few delin-
Quents found in this city. 1t was estimated
that the returns received up to midnight
last night include about all those who are
subject to the tax. Indeed, said the depu-
ty. the showing was very gratifying, more
SO than had been anticipated.
Some people may have neglected to make
that the decision of the Supreme Court de-
clar1ng those investments beyond the scope
Of the law excused them from doing so.
This opinion, he added. Is wrong. as the
taxpayers must make the returns from
landed Investments just as from any other
sources. and the department will take tha
fact Of exemption into consideration ia
making out it's final tax roll
For a time the work of the deputies at
the Washington office will be about normal
but when the time comes for them to find
out the people who have failed to make re-
turns and who are subject to the law there
will be lively season in prospect for all
the talent the collector can put in the field.
Reports From Collectors.
Commissioner Miller of the internal reve-
nue. bureau Is kept busy today receiving
and tabulating telegraphic reports from
collectors Of customs on income tax re-
turns AS was expected, however, these
preliminary reports contain little that Is of
value from the fact that the collectors
themselves as yet have received only the
most meager returns from their deputies
especially those in the country and outly-
ing city districts. Even in the large cities
only the most general estimates can be
made, as the rush yesterday prevented the
officials from even opening their mail. In
New York there is said to be at least LOCO
returns received by mail yet unopened, and
about the same condition exists at Chi
cago and, in less degree, in other large
cities.
Up to noon about one-half of the sixty
three collectors had sent in their prelimi-
nary reports, and speaking generally the
commissioner is we'll satisfied with the
showing made. The rent exemptions, as
was expected. undoubtedly has caused a
loss of at least 80 per cent in the receipts.