Sunday morning globe., 1901-09-08
COLLECTING Taxes.
How They Turn the Trick in Ciyi.
liZed Bohemia.
SHOOTS THE Delinquent
Through Both Foet-Takes His Oxen and
Rouse8 tho Whole Village 10 Desperation
What European Peasants Have 10 Endure
Under a MOnarChIa Form Of Govern.
ment

A most dramatic tragedy over the
collection of taxes was recently enact
ed at Skalic, a small town in Bohemia.
Austria, and Josef Kubu is the victim
Of an unsual resistance offered to a
government tax collector. He is a man
OF AZ, and had been employed on the
railroads for 10 years as a switchman
and guard.
AT the death Of his father he came
into possession Of a small tavern at
Skalic, which the former had kept all
his life. The revenue which the bust
ness yielded was meager, and when
hubu failed to pay mis- realty tax of
SlI or SIS per year, the government
levied on a pair Of fine oxen which
he had raised and which he needed
in the cultivation of a few acres Of
land surrounding his home.
Kubu was officially notified that eX-
ecution would be made, and the oxen
sold to satisfy his debt. One day Dep.
uty Sheriff Nowotny, accompanied by
two husky policemen, presented him.
self at kubu's door to take away the
oxen. Kubu. who saw them coming,
quickly locked the stable door and fat
ly refused to allow them to lay hands
on his quadruped stock. He told them
that he had paid his taxes faithfully
for eight years. This year he was un.
able to do so on account of the total
failure Of crops on his small land hold
ings, but he offered to give the officers
a mortgage on his house and lands, to
be taken up as soon as he could raise
the money to pay the tax.
81 am a dead man without my
cattle was the closing wall Of his ar.
gument.
His wife, a hard-worlying, rosy-cheek-
ed woman Of 80, added to her husbands
plea the promise that she would try to
borrQW the money the next day, if
they would refrain from the execution
that day. With uplifted hands hus-
band and wife pleaded for time. Neigh.
bors gathered and joined in prayer for
Kubu and his oxen. The scene became
intensely dramatic according to eye
witnesses. The sheriff was inexorable
"The money or the oxen" he shout.
ed, now and on the spot"
The poor farmer-tavern keeper grew
desperate. "I'll not give you my oxen, ."
he protested, with hand upraised, as
If to affirm his words with an oath.
"Ill die now, rather than starve to
death with my family
BY this time the entire village had
heard of Kubus dilemma and his
neighbors came running from all di-
rections Their attitude toward the
sheriff and the officers who accompa.
MED him was so threatening that an
other pair Of guardians of the peace
was sent for BY the time they arriv-
ed upon the scene of action the posse
was five men strong
Poor Kubu realized his awful plight
with this overwhelming force against
him. With arms outstretched he post
ed himself before his stable door to
protect the cattle within. The two
burly policemen tried to handcuff him,
but failed One of the officers drew
his saber and swung it above Kubu's
head.
Don't strike him!" shrieked Mrs.
Kubu and threw herself between the
murderous weapon and her husband.
AS the blow descended it struck her
hand completely severing a finger.
rhe same blow, in its misguided aim,
also injured the hand of one Of the 20.
licemen.
Two Of the men took position at
distance of two yards from Kubu and
threatened to shoot him unless he
made immediate surrender. His wife's
bleeding hand maddened Kubu to
frenzy. He bounded into the stable
and out again, brandishing a hay fork
above his head
"You can take these oxen only over
my dead body" he shrieked.
Mrs. Kubu snatched the fork the
sharp tines Of which were dangerously
near the body of the officer, and again
placed herself i'm front of her husband
to protect him from the bullets or die
with him,
"If you kill him, you'll have to kill
me- tool" was the wretched woman's
deperate wall.
The officer dragged her away by
main force. AS soon as she was out
of the way the order for fire was
given, and Kubu sank to the ground
with a bullet I'm each foot.
A physician was called for, but be-
fore he arrived the sheriff had united
the oxen and driven them away under
police escort.
A doctor examined Kubu and found
his wounds dangerous. A Mannlicher
rifle bullet had pierced each foot Mrs.
nubus distress was heartrending.
With her injured hand I'm a sling she
walked to the nearest town the next
day and borrowed the money to pay
the tax which had caused such bloody
calamities. A day later the oxen were
drizen home again, but Kubu asserted
that they we're not his oxen, but a
much worse pair than his own.