Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-16
SOLD FOR T Ak E S
Method by Which the District Has Been
Defrauded.
Accommodations of Back Dues Wiped
Out by One Pnyment-TO
Be Remedied.

A scheme by which the District has been
defrauded Of thousands of dollars in taxes
was brought to light today.
According to the law governing the col
lecticn Of taxes, 1t Is provided that where
taxes are In arrears the property upon
which they are assessed may be sold by
the District to satisfy the same. These
tax sales take place each year In the office
of the collector of taxes. In the event that
no on, comes forward to bid in the prop
erty and pay the arrearage, the District Is
empowered by law to purchase the same
at a price equal to the delinquent taxes.
Under these circumstances the property Is
never again advertised for these taxes. but
each succeeding year that the taxes be-
come due and are not paid the tax for that
year forms the basis of a tax sale.
1t appears now to have been the policy
of number of taxpayers to allow their
taxes to go in arrears. When the first tax
sale took place. they were on hand to see
that nc one bought the property in. The
District thereupon. as has been the custom,
be came the possessor by default. The next
succeeding year the taxes on this prop
eIty would not be paid and the property
would again be advertised and sold to the
District. The owner would allow this to go
on for some years until the taxes upon the
property aggregated considerable
amCLnt.
Then he would send representative
to the last tax sale and have his property
bid in for that years taxes. The new
owner would thereupon apply to the Com
| missioners, after two years had elapsed
time pray for a cane cellation of all out
standing claims in the way Of taxes
against the property. The Commissioners
| would grant both requests. Upon the COM
n fror ton th1 -lrriv,
owner would receive a quit claim deed tc
| the property from the tax-sale purchaser
and again become the owner of his prop,
| erty In fee. escaping thereby the taxes
which had accumulated.
How long this practice has been going OF
| and how much the District has lost by /
| Is not known; but 1t is believed that 1t ha
! been soing on for some years, and that tn,
District has lost very large sum of none,
| thereby.
The case was brought to light through
the bad judgment of a prominent F stree
| broker. 1t seems he had heard of the wa!
| things We're worked to get rid of the pay
Hent of taxes. and concluded to try it him
| self. So he let his taxes run for a loni
time and then attempted to effect a can
| collation. of them in the manner above re
| cited. But he failed in one essential poin
| to make his case good
When he finally concluded to close tn.
| matter he appeared at the last tax sal,
and bought in his property for the amoun
i
| tificate he applied to the Commissioned!
! for deed to the same and was referred
| to the attorney for the District. As soor
| as Attorney Thomas heard the case h,
| decided that 1t was impossible for the
| District to issue a deed for piece of prop
| erty to the owner thereof, and so told thi
gentleman. Whereupon. 1t is understood
| the broker got very red and said tha
| the thing had been done before by othel
| men.
a cursory examination brought to ligh
| several other cases and now the Commits
| sioners are getting ready to nip this prac
tice In the bud. They will appeal to Con
| gress at its next session for an amend
ment to the law governing the sale O
property for unpaid taxes by the addition
of a proviso that a deed to such propert!
! can only be given after all outstandin.
| taxes against the same have been satisfied
| While it is believed that this law will ma
| terially reduce the amount of money re
| ceived from the tax sales, it Is though
| that the proposed law will more than com
peLsate for the loss.