Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-07-18
A word From MIR. Davis.

& Live Stock Co. in the tax matter. Al
though in my former letter gave plain
straight statement of the matter, every
allegation of which I am ready to verify,
and which, to any unbiased mind, was a
complete answer to all of his insinua-
tions; still, desire to add few words.
So far as any benefit to the taxpayers is
concerned, there Is no poiat to his arti-
cles. We have already tried to secure
either settlement, or an opportunity to
have the matter tested.
If Citizen Is honest in his pretentions
for the good of the taxpayers and the
public, why does he disguise his name?
Surely it would be an honorable distinc-
ton to be the champion of the people in
such a case as he would have them be
lieve this is, and most men would be
proud to be known as such.
However, l think it will he proven
| that there is a motive behind all this,
bnt will leave the public to guess it for
the time, or gather it from his last COM
munication.
| conceded in my last letter that Citi-
zen was better posted On the history OF
the land transactions, prior to my be-
coming interested in them, than was
myself. 1 now also concede, that owing
to his long experience in such matters,
as well as by his legal training, he is
probably as well posted in tax matters as
any man in Benton county.
I think also, if my memory serves me
right, that Citizen was the first one to
advise me that those taxes were not a
valid lien against the lands. This, how
ever, was after had purchased my house
in Corvallis at the tax sale in December,
1897.
1t will be noted that these delinquent
taxes commence with the year 1895. To
collect delinquent taxes assessed against
all of the Geo. S. Coe. trustee, property
for that gyear, the sheriff in 1896 levied
upon, and sold the 2o-acre tract on
College Hill, known as the Col. Hoge
Z property, and this was bid in by j. Ii
Z Wilson for the amount of taxes and &C
/ crued costs.
Mr.. Wilson did not pay for his pur-
. chase at the time, bnt allowed it to / uI
, ON until about six months after the mex
tax sale had taken place, when he wrote
a letter to the sheriff, the following ex
tract from which will explain the matter
Corvallis, Or. June 20, 1898.
D p. Rick ard, Esq, Sheriff Benton Co.
( Oregon,
, Dear Sir :-Referring to bid l madt
S on the 20 acres west of Corvallis for take!
: for the year 1895, have had the recort
examined, with reference to the correct
ness of the proceedings on which the salt
> is based, and I am advised that ia,
, deed to that property for that year woul(
= be null and void.
therefore, state this to you as N.
reason for not completing the purchase
so you may make your return to th'
t Court on the matter. (Signed)
, Yours truly, J. Ell. Wilson,"
+ Citizen refuses to allow his name t.
- be divulged, but 1 know that Mr.. Wilson
is very good authority on tax matters
= and as all the assessments of the sue
ceeding years are practically the same a
, for that year, it will readily be seen tina
;. we have some good authority for gu
t contentious.
u Taxpayer" takes hand and asks
- why has the property not been sold TO
n taxes? The probable answer would be
- that Sheriff Rickard did attempt to sci
d for the years 1895 and 1896, with the re
- suit as above, and he was then notifies
# that the property was in the hands Q
>el But even without that knowledge, it j
hardly probable that, after the forme
experience, he would have done so with
II out an express order of the Count
Court.
After my company purchased tn
II lands, notified Judge Woodward per
d sonally OF the purchase; also that W
s had been advised that the taxes agains
v Geo. S. Coe, trustee, and A. Masten
i receiver, were not valid claim agaius
4 our lands, and that We would not pa
them except we were compelled to b
law. Again, before the tax sale of las
year, saw him and suggested that tn
remedy was in an order of sale. This
/ simply plain business transaction. Th
e taxes are not ours, and il void VIII
d should We pay them?
y We have been ready at any time t
d test the matter, but it was not our busl
d ness to point out the Irregularities unit
n the proper time. 1t will be noted tina
;c Mr.. Wilson, who is an attorney, did no
= point them out in his letter to the sherii
= quoted above.
Il Our company, while a corporation, i
q composed of parties who are all indi
y vidnal taxpayers in from one to all thre
le of the counties of Linn, Benton an
h Lincoln, and who pay their taxes a
fpromDtlv and ga raeularIy ar aOy on,