Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-18
New Circular Issued by the Treas
ury Department.
PEOPLE DO NOT SEEM TO LIKE IT
It'll Said That 1t VIII Result in Hum
dreds of Wen Turning Detective for
the Gain There is I'm 1t, as IL
Done In BootleggIng Cases

The United States government is
now prepared to pay rewards to in
formers who give information leading
to the arrest and conviction of violat-
ors of the internal revenue law. People
generally do not, seem to be in favor
of the method taken by the govern
ment to put stop to violations of the
law. They say that it smacks of the
obnoxious system which federal court
harpies take in securing evidence
against bootleggers and other petty
offenders who violate the law in those
cases. 1t is also said that private de-
tecsives will spring up all over the
country by the hundreds and the old
trouble with bootleggers will not be-
gin to compare with that which will be
caused by the new order.
The Order.
The text of the circular received by
Deputy Collector S. L. Vest, of this
city, is as follows:
Treasury Department, Office of Com
missioner of Internal Revenue, Wash
ingtoh;s d. G.
Under and by virtue of the provis-
ions of section 1853 of the Revised Stat
utes of the United States, which au-
thorize 1.-The commissioner of internal
revenue, with the approval of the sec
rotary OF the treasury, to pay such
sums as he may deem necessary, not
exceeding in the aggregate the sum APP
propriated therefor, for detecting and
bringing to trial and punishment per-
sons guilty of violating the internal
revenue laws, or conniving at viola
tons of the same, in cases where such
expenses are not otherwise provided for
by law, | do hereby, with the approv-
al of the secretary of treasury, offer
for information given by persons other
than officers of internal revenue, or
persons appointed or employed in, or
acting in connection with, the internal
revenue service, that shall lead to the
detection and punishment of persons
guilty of violating the internal reve-
nue. service, or conniving at the same,
whether such punishment be by fine or
other pecuniary mulct or penalty,or by
forfeiture of property, such reward as
the commissioner of internal revenue
may deem suitable, but in no case ex-
ceeding 10 per cent of the net amount
of the fines, penalties, forfeitures, and
taxes, which by reason of said infor-
| nation, shall be recovered by suit or
otherwise and actually paid to the
United States, or of any sum which
shall be accepted @in compromise by
the commissioner of internal revenue
and received by the United States:
| Provided, That nothing herein contain
! ed is intended, or shall be held. to refer
| to information concerning special tax
es, nor taxes on legacies, unless under
| special arrangement authorized by the
commissioner of internal revenue: And
provided further, That nothing herein
contained is intended, or shall be held,
to relate to information concerning
Illicit distillation of spirits tn the
states of North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mis-
sissippi, Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee,
Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Virgins
ia and West Virginia, other and more
| effective methods for the suppression
of illicit Installations in those localities
being now in operation there.
The reward hereby offered will be
paid in cases which are settled in
court, upon the duly authenticated
certificate of the United States district
attorney having charge OF the case or
cases, that the person claiming is the
person who furnished the information
which led to the detection and pun
| lSAIlSuL VI tlC NISl<t@loiiS VI AelN flOA
which the recovery was had, and upon
such other and additional proofs as the
commissioner may require.
In cases in which property seized,
being of the appraised value of $500 or
less, is disposed of by the collector I'M
der the provisions of section 3460 of
the Revised Statutes, the certificate of
the collector to that fact will be receiv-
ed, and also to the fact that the person
claiming the reward is the person who
furnished the information leading to
such forfeiture.
The rewards hereby offered must be
understood to be limited in their ag-
gregate to the sum appropriated there
for.
Claims for reward under the provi-
sions of this circular should be made
on form No. ell, which will be fur
nished by collectors of internal reve-
nue. on request therefor.
G.. w. Wilson, Com.
Approved:
+. j. Gage, Sec. of the Treas.
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