Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-10-28
DOUBLE ENTRY ANNoYANcES.

If somebody could invent way to
get rid Of so many double entries as
appear on the tax books, the auditor
and treasurer Of York county would be
under lasting obligations, and the
probability is that every other auditor
and treasurer in the state would be
equally grateful.
The double entry nuisance Is the
plague of the lives Of those charged
with the duties Of the tax collecting
department, from the auditor on
through to the sheriff's deputies, and
all have a dose Of the trouble each
year with but little, if any improve
ment.
When the sheriff goes out in the late
spring to levy tax executions, he gets
kicks from three out of four or the
people against whom the executions
are directed, and in nine cases out OF
ten the kickers are found to be able to
sustain their ground.
For instance the sheriff has an exc
cution against George Wilson In Be-
thesda township. He does not know
George Wilson personally; but upon in
ouiry finds that there is a George Will
son on Mr.. ]. J. Williamss place, and
is also assured that there is no other
George Wilson in the county. Having
found George, therefore, he demands
the amount of the delinquent tax, con-
sisting of 81 for a poll, so cents for
dog, 30 cents on personally, with pen
alties and cost added. George prompt
ly declares that he has already paid
his tax and Mr.. Williams has the re-
ceipt. Mr.. Williams is appealed to, and
promptly produces a receipt that the
treasurer gave him for S. G. Wilson,
covering taxes to the amount of $l.SO
the poll, the dog and the personally.
1t is evident that S. G.. Wilson and
George Wilson are the same man, De-
cause the amounts assessed tally to
cent. Or maybe the amount charged
against George Wilson is only 81 for
the poll and so cents for his dog. The
deputy is just as well satisfied as be-
fore. because he sees it Is a double en-
try and understands how it came
about. S. G. Wilson is left alone, the
sheriff reports to the treasurer and the
treasurer makes the proper entry.
Mr.. ]. j. Williams, however has a
kick, and so has S. G. Wilson, because
both knowing as they do that the tax
had been paid long ago, they cannot
understand why they should be both
cred again, unless somebody has been
making an unnecessary bungle of their
business.
Later on, Mr.. Williams might take
it upon himself to go and have round
out of the auditor about the matter
as he has a perfect right to do, and he
will go about it something like this:
See here, l made my return to you
last February a year ago, and at the
same time l made return for s. G.
Wilson on my place l paid my taxes
and also Wilson's in December and
here the other day the sheriff came
trying to collect Wilson's taxes again.
What does this mean?"
The auditor, who sees through the
whole trouble at once, explains that
while he remembers very well that ).
G.. Wilson's return was made at the
proper time, and the books so show.
there afterward came one OF the trus-
tees of the school district In which s.
G. Wilson lives and with a bunch Of
other people, who he said were liable
to polls gave the name of George Will
SON" If it was not the school trustee,
who gave in the name. then maybe it
was the township supervisor, who was
making sure of his road tax. Il knew
I had a S. G.. Wilson on the book in
that school district" explains the au
ditOr; but | had no way of knowing
that s. G.. Wilson and George Wilson
were one and the same man. The