The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-07-19
hunting BACK Taxes.

hunting BACK Taxes.
There has been crowding, confusion
and some "cussing" about the court
house the past week. All the trouble
has been caused by the "tax ferrets. ;"
At its April session the Board of Super
visitors entered into contract with
Ben Mccoy, the we'll known Oskaloosa
lawyer, for the collection of taxes upon
personally property which may have
escaped assessment in any way. Iowa
laws for years haye permitted the APP.
pointment of tax collectors, and the
work which the Mccoy people are do
ing is especially authorized by an act of
the last general assembly,. But col.
lectors have never been employed in
Jefferson county, although they have
worked in most of the counties of Iowa.
Last week after Mr.. Hull, who has
charge of the work here, had sent out a
hundred or more notices to alleged
delinquents he began to receive some
hot responses. Treasurer Hopkirk's
name was stamped on the papers and
he had to bear the first onslaught. No
taxes had been returned to him, how.
ever, and he repudiated the whole bust.
ness, even going 80 far as to refuse to
further permit the use of his facsimile
signature to the notifications. Then the
indignant people devoted their entire
attention to Mr.. Hull and made life
such a burden to him that he sent for
his principal, Mr.. Mccoy. and asked
that meeting of the board be called to
further consider the matter.
The board of supervisors needs no
justification in its effort to collect back
taxes due the county. Such action is
not only authorized by the statute, but
is duty of the board, and is especially
to be commended if it will uncover "tax
dodgers" who escape their share of
public burdens by failure 20 return per-
sonal property for assessment. But the
method employed by the Mccoy pc ople
is VIGOROUSLY unfair and unjust and
will certainly be productive of righteous
Indignation and perhaps fur ther trouble.
They have devoted their entire atten-
ton 80 far to running the mortgage
records, and they afford very slight
clue to unreturned property but abund-
ant opportunity to make wholesale
errors. Those who haye watched the
procession file into the room say that
three fourths Of the people cited to APP
pear are able to explain away the charge
against them, and the others are yet to
be heard from. There are dozen ways
in which apparent errors may arise from
such a method. A has 81 500 which he
loans to B for five years, with optional
payments; B pays $1,000 on his note,
and it is loaned to C on like condition;
G pays $500 on his obligation in the
course of time and it is loaned to d.
Mortgages are taken and placed on
record in each case, and the tax ferret
turns up $500 monies and credits
against A, who never has had more than
81, 500 loaned. Uncancelled mortgages,
mortgages given to indemnify sueties
on note, mortgages taken by an at.
torney to simplify the settlement of an
estate, mortgages which have been more
than offset with the assessor by indebt-
edness, all are "nuts" in the paws of
the "ferret," and he uses them to best
advantage. More than that the period
covered by his operations runs back five
years. and it takes very careful and
methodical business man to be able to
tell just what he was worth at any day
in that time. Some "tax dodgers" may
be uncovered by this work, but scores
Of innocent people who have given in
an honest and just assessment are going
to be harrassed and distressed, and
some of them wronged, because they
cannot make satisfactory explanation.
The board of supervisors met in spec
ial session Monday, had consultation
with Messrs. Mccoy and Hull, and list
ened to the arguments of individuals
and attorneys for cessation of the
work. 1t decided that the collectors
should continue their labors. There is
talk that injunctions are to be resorted
to, as in Keokuk county, and other
litigation is threatened. There are
some things very certain-one is that
the "ferrets' have stirred up lot of
trouble, and another that it is not yet
ended.-Falrfield Ledger.
Does Coffee Agree With You
II not, drink Gram o made from pure grains.
A lady writes: 1.-THE first time made Grain-O
did not like it but after using 1t for one week
nothing, would induce me to go back to Coffee
The children can drink it freely with great
benefit. Get package to-day from your gro
Ger. follow the directions and YOU will have o