The Washington times., 1927-06-17
MRS. VAN WINKLE SAYS.
SHE WON'T PAY Us. TAX
WOULD RATHER
co To JAIL

Mrs. Nina Van Wrinkle IL in the
midst of a fight with the income tax
bureau of the Treasury Department,
has been threatened with warrant
Of distraint for non-payment Of
taxes, and. it was learned today. is
about to be sued in the civil courts
for more than $500.
The tax bill, most Of which she
fatty refuses to pay and a very
small part of which she has offered
to compromise, has been in dispute
for the past four or five years.
The controversy has progressed
to the point where income tax
authorities recently have written
the District Commissioners abou,
1t, trying to have Mrs. Van Win
kle, who is lieutenant In charge
of policewomen,. brought before
the Police Trial Board.
d. G. Heads Refuse To Act.
The Commissioners, however,
have indicated that they have no
intention of bringing this pressure
to bear on Mrs. Van Wrinkle.
A large part of the tax exemption
claimed by Mrs. Van Wrinkle is for
expenditures made by her, out of
her own funds, in the early days
following establishment of the Won
ems Bureau of the Police Depart.
ment.
She bought a $500 automobile
for the bureau with her own
money, she says. She also bought
furniture for the House of Deten.
ton. She paid a chauffeur to
drive the automobile, and bought
gasoline for it.
Couldn't Sell Car For 81
When she tried to sell the car
to the District for 81. to get main.
tenance for it, the Commissioners
refused to buy it.
Another item on which exemp.
ton was claimed was $50 for a
tombstone for the late Major Ray
Pullman, superintendent of Police,
who appointed Mrs. Van Wrinkle.
Still another was $500 gift to
the DR.. Anna Howard Shaw Me-
mortal to the Women's College. OF
Philadelphia.
There are number of other
items the nature of which have not
been disclosed. Mrs. Van Wrinkle.
1t was learned, paid a lawyer $50
for drawing up her income tax
statement.
The Governments claim against
Mrs. Van Wrinkle, 1t was learned.
was turned over to the Comptroller
| General to see il it was possible to
have him hold up part of her
salary until the tax bill was paid.
McCarl Urges Civil Suit
The Comptroller General. how
ever. recommended that the Treas
| ury Department file civil suit to
collect. This recommendation is
now under consideration.
Before this was done, it was
learned, the tax collector for this
district sent a warrant of distraint
from Baltimore, the object being to
attach the personal property of
Mrs. Van Wrinkle here. in Wash
ington.
BY an amusing coincidence. Mrs
Van Wrinkle was in the office of
Internal Revenue Commissioner
Blair when the officer with his
warrant called ait her office in the
House of Detention. One Of the
policewomen there called Mrs. Van
Wrinkle on the telephone and told
her a Treasury agent was waiting
for her with a warrant.
Blair Gets into Case
Commissioner Blair took the tele-
phone, called for the agent, and told
him to keep his hands off Mrs. Van
Wrinkle and her property.
Shortly thereafter the bureau
reduced its claim from the original
81 800 odd dollars to a little more
than $3.50. Mrs. Van Wrinkle, how
ever. appealed from this. and made
an offer in compromise. This has
not been accepted.
Mrs. Van Wrinkle said today that
she will never pay the amount the
Government is asking.
Il will go to Jail first" she
declared.