Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1930-03-06
SOME MORE TAX FIGURES

SOME MORE TAX FIGURES
Chapter 1902 of the 1928 Session laws of the
state Of Montana makes il mandatory upon the Coun-
~ Treasurer and the County Sheriff to collect all per-
sonal nroperty tax not secured by liens on real estate,
&c oon as such assessment is entered upon the books
by the County Assessor and certified to the Treasurer.
Tho Sheriff. as soon MS such list of personal property
owners is turned over to him, must, while acting as a
Deputy County Treasurer. Immediately proceed to
seize and sell all or as much of the property as Is
necessary to pay the current personal property taxes
assessed against same.
The Sheriff must send out notices to all such de-
linouent parties who have not come to the Treasurer
and paid up, and unless he does this, We have reason
TO believe that the Sheriff and the County Treasurer
can be compelled to pay such taxes by going after
their bondsmen.
Of course there are instances where they are
unable to make the collections and in such cases they
are not to blame when it is shown to the satisfaction
of those interested, that the collection could not be
made by attachment and sale of chattels.
Now, let us see what happened in the case of
the assessment made against the mercantile stock
owned by Ole A. Moe in the spring of 1928. Ole, by
the way, used to be business manager of the Producers
News; later on becoming Deputy County Treasurer un-
der Dan Olson, and then entered the mercantile game.
He knew the law pertaining to personal property taxes
pSllci tHoh tHc 'SieS NieiHSih AS oiSo " q q Ntis
good friend of Eng. Torstenson who was our County
Treasurer in 1928 and who is now the business man.
ager for the Producers News. Ole was also a very
good friend of Rodney Salisbury, who was our Sher-
riff in 1923. They were cronies, and all foregathered
at the Producers News office or down at the Court
house again and again.
In the spring of 1923 the personal property tax lists
were turned over to Sheriff Salisbury for collection
after the Treasurer had used his efforts to collect. No
doubt. amongst this list was the one against the $4,000.
stock of goceries and merchandise which Ole A. Moe
had reported to the assessor and on which he had not
paid.
During the summer of 1923 Mr.. Moe decided to
sell his stock and move away from Plentywood, as
business was not good with him any more. He adver-
tised in the Producers News with many full page ad-
vertisements. He said in language that could not be
misunderstood that he was selling everything. He
also had huge handbills printed and distributed all
over Plentywood. and also had large signs painted on
his store front which blazoned to the public that he
was selling out everything.
In spite of this the personal property taxes for
that year amounting to S129.65 were not collected. No
seizure of his stock was made by either the County
Treasurer or the Sheriff. The taxes were allowed to
go by default and thereby Sheridan County was de-
frauded out Of S129.05 by the connivance of the officers
with Mr.. Moe, or else through pure neglect on their
part.
These officers who were lauded to the skies by
the Producers News as such wonderful servants, have
not been called to an accounting for this $129.65. There
are numerous other instances of fragrant abuse of the
official duties Of these officers in failing to collect
taxes; many of which will be exposed as time goes by,
but whenever some Of you farmers groan under your
tax burden, look back at some of the causes for these
heavy taxes which you are compelled to pay on account
of the misconduct of the elected officials who swore to
enforce the laws devolving upon them.
The matter of over $4,000 which the Produ-
GERS News failed to pay upon their personal property
is one instance which has already been called to the
public's attention. This is now in the hands Of the
Attorney General of Montana and we expect that he
will soon render a decision on this, and we trust that
before many weeks we will be able to tell you the re-
suits.
The matter Of the Ole P. Moe personal property
taxes on his groceries and merchandise is merely an
other item.
This matter is called to the attention of the
authorities, with the suggestion that a thorough in
vestigation be made and the former County Treasurer
and County Sheriff be compelled to pay these taxes
either in person or by going after their bondsmen, as
Ole A. Moe not only sold all of his stock of merchan-
disc but also his home and household goods, and moved
away from here without paying these taxes.
LIVE AND LEI LIVE