The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-11-23
23,000 LIABLE
 TO TAX ARREST
Personal Assessment, Due on March 1, Paid by Just 2,O83 Persons in New Haven

New Haven, Nov. 23JTax Collector William H. Hackett Is having his trouble these days. Since last Janu- to collect g each as a personal tax from 25,266 persons whose names are registered in the big books in the col ector'S office. The money was due and payable On March 1 and thus far he has collected the g from exact ly 2,082. The law says that If people don't pay the tax collector must cause their errest. Mr. Hac- kett has given all those liable notice that unless they pay by December he must make complaint to the city attorney. By last nights calculation there are about 23,000 people in the city who are liable to arrest.
 But-and here's where the tax col lector's troubles begin-it appears that there are about 2,50O names in that big book of persons who are not li- able to this personal tax and whose names should not there appear The big book was prepared under the di- rection of the general registrars and contains the names of all male resi- dents in the city between the ages of 2l and 60 years. All such persons are liable to the personal tax of g unless they are students, members of the fire department or of the militia or unless they have served in the army Or navy or the militia since 1865.
 This personal tax takes the place Of the old poll and military tax. The collector recently sent out notices to each man whose name appears in the book and he is just beginning to hear from them. Some of them are pay ing up and some of those who re- spond are not paying up.
 Many of the latter are sending their reasons by mail and some of them are bringing their reasons into cause they didn't dare trust them to the mail. When the day was done yesterday the tax collector looked re- prOachfully at about 200 reasons which had come through the mail.
 I'm student at Yale,' wrote one; other one declared; 'I am only. Is years old,'' T am S3 years old, ''s T am a member of the GranA Army etc., etc, till MT. Hackett wonders where he is at. There was nothing in the book to show these exemptions.
 The mail. however, is not the worst of it. Perhaps 50 citizens walked in- to the collectors office yesterday, try ing to appear cool and nonchalant.
 With dignity each made his way to the wire cage and looking coldly at the clerk, said:
 ''I would like to ask, said the c1t- izen, .'why 1t Is that I am served with notice'-his voice rising all the time -"that I am to be arrested unless I pay a personal tax of g when l have already paid my tax bill-paid it six months ago, and paid a poll tax then, and, sir, have my tax bill with me to prove it."
 Mr. Hackett patiently pointed out that the poll tax was not put upon the tax list this year and that the personal tax which he now seeks to collect takes the place of the poll and military tax.
 When the citizen was finally con- vinced he paid up,. but after while Mr. Hackett let his clerks do the ex- blaming. a
 The tax collector said last night that citizens didn't seem to under stand his position. "The mayor has given me his warrant and the law says must collect Or turn the matter over to the city attorney. Before the arresting process was optional, but now I have no choice If people do not pay, I must make complaint"
 And over 10000 New Haveners are liable to arrest, under the law.