Evening star., 1952-11-08

maryland JdIlS Two,
Imposes Fines, in
Income Tax Drive
A wave of filters swept nearby
Maryland areas today in the wake
of State breakdown on income
tax evaders who work in WASH
ington but live in Maryland.
State revenue authorities, at
the outset of a drive to snare tax
dodgers. scored yesterday in the
Circuit Courts of Prince Georges
and Anne Arundel Counties in
convictions which included en-
Iployes of the Treasury Depart
Iment and the General Accounting
Office here. The latter was jailed
for so days.
S52 Fine Assessed.
Joseph S. Haight, go, of the 600
block of Ethan Allen avenue, Ia
koma Park, Md, an employe of
the Treasury Department, was
fined $50. He pleaded guilty to a
charge of failing to file State in
come tax returns for 1949-5O-51
when he appeared before Chief
Judge John B. Gray, jr., in Prince
Georges.
His counsel. Oscar r. Duley of
Upper Marlboro, told the court
Mr.. Haight had paid the $129 due
for the three-year period and had
otherwise put his tax affairs in
shape.
Judge Gray asked whether the
defendant had paid up before he
was indicted a few weeks ago.
When informed that settlement
was made after the true bill was
returned, the court remarked that
Mr.. Haight's filing failures were
apparently deliberate but that
there was no aspect of fraud.
Fines Up to $500.
Pointing out that the law pro-
vides for fines up to $500 or con-
flnement for not more than six
months for each offense, Judge
Gray ordered Haight to pay a $50
fine for the 1949 offense and 81
for each of the two succeeding
years.
In a plea for clemency, Mr..
Duley said his client acted in the
same fashion as some others who
work in Washington and live in
nearby Maryland.
Somehow, Mr.. Duley declared,
many of these people believed, as
did Mr.. Haight, that they were
not required to pay State income
taxes.
He added that Maryland tax
officials have informed him of
their plans to prosecute a num-
ber of Prince Georges and
Montgomery County residents
on charges similar to those lodged
against Mr.. Haight.
GAO Employe Jailed.
Arthur P. Erb, an accountant
for the General Accounting Office,
was fined $500 and sentenced to
so days in the county Jail when
he appeared in Anne Arundel
County Circuit Court. He pleaded
guilty to failure to file returns
for 1949 and 1850.
Judge Benjamin Michaelson also
imposed the same sentence on an
other Anne Arundel County resi-
dent. Elmer j. Schultz, a former
employe of the Baltimore office
|of the General Electric Supply
Corp. Mr.. Schultz drew a fine
of $500.
Benjamin F. Marsh. head of the
State Income Tax Division, said
the charges against both men in
volved only the years of 1949 and
1850 because the statute of limita-
Iticns had run out of earlier alleged
oftenSeS In all. he said, about
$500 was involved from l945 to
1850 in the Erb case and about
$500 from 1916 to 1850 in the
Schultz case. He did not break
down the figures.
Mr.. Marsh said the convictions
were the first this year.
1.-Two have already been indicted
in Prince Georges County," Mr..
Marsh said, land 10 or IL more
indictments are pending in Mont.
gomery County"
MIR. Marsh said he is deter.
mined to prosecute all tax de-
linquents and promised, :.'this is
only the beginning" TT
Even when they are notified
land given a chance to make resti-
tuition, Mr.. Mars hsaid, many, OF
these people think were fooling
and refuse to Cooperate"
II