The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-01-01
LOOK ouT FOR THESE FELLOWS
The Government After s~Indlers
Working Among the Farmers.


Washington, d. C., Dec 1.-The fol
lowing statement Is issued by the
Bureau Of Internal Revenue:
The action Of the Grand Jury at
Toledo, Ohio, in bringing indictments
against John W. Compton and Chester
G. Compton of Findlay, Ohio, doing
business as the United States Audit
Bureau. Washington. d. c." and as
the Income Tax Record Bureau,
Washington d. c." and various Of its
agents, is a warning TO all private
concerns advertising in way to lead
to the impression that they are Gov
ernment agencies.
For several months agents Of the
Bureau Of Internal Revenue and post
Office inspectors have had under inves-
tigation the methods of the so-called
United States Audit Bureau" and
Income Tax Record Bureau" pri-
vate concern which has no Washing
ton office or place of business. The in
vesigation developed that many of its
agents represented themselves to be
officers or employees of the Govern
mnt, and by reasons of such pretended
official character, effected sale of books
to farmers. Not only the book itself,
but the literature and letters Of in
struction furnished by the Compton
brothers TO their agents appear to
have been carefully prepared with the
deliberate intent to create in the
minds of the prospective purchaser
false impression that the book was is
sued by or under the authority Of the
Treasury Department; that the law
requires the use of the book; and that
the agents are officers or employees Of
the Government (although in the
printed instruction furnished them
they are warned not to so represent
themselves).
One of the most obnoxious features
of the selling plan was the so-called
"letter of authority with which each
agent was supplied, which was type
written or printed on the letterhead Of
the "lncome Tax Record Bureau,
Washington, d. Co." bearing an im-
pressive gold seal Of the concern, and
which read:
This is to certify that the bearer
of this letter, whose signature appears
below, is duly appointed and
authorized representative of the In
come Tax Record Bureau Of Washing
ton, d. C.. He is instructed TO install
and explain this system to every farm
er in his district.
Trusting that he will be treated
with due respect, we are
"Very truly yours,
Income Tax Bureau Record"
On the advice Of the Assistant
United States Attorney of Toledo,
John w. Compton and Chester G..
Compton were arrested on charge Of
conspiring with certain of their agents
TO commit an offense against the
United States, such offense being that
the agents falsely assumed to be Of
ficers or employees Of the Govern
ment. They were granted a hearing
before United States Commissioner
Crane Of Toledo, Ohio, and placed
under bonds in the sum Of $500 each.
Many agents have been arrested,
among them being one in Tennessee,
who was indicted, pleaded guilty, and
sentenced to serve a term Of eight
in Jail; it is the intention to
proceed in the prosecution Of other
agents as rapidly as possible
In addition to the Compton brothers,
indictments have been returned
against Charles II. Sidener Of Cincin-
natl, Ohio; Lee X. Marvin Of Ander {
son, Ind; Frank A. Shafbeau Of St.
Paul, Minnesota: W. J. Russell OF
Minnesota; w. c. Fuqua
1f Stonewall Tennessee; John W.
Kenyon, late Of Vermont; {. Joseph
Jonsdorf, Jacob Lonsdorf and W. y.
Tarr Of Scranton, Pa; Bruce Quick Of
Dewitt, Iowa; La Bert r. Sohr Of
Bennett, Iowa; Ward Z. Elleman Of
West Milton, Ohio; Ross J. ShafFer J
and J. Wesley Borton Of Wausson, Q.
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