Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 July 1901 — The Tax Ferrets. [ARTICLE]

The Tax Ferrets.

The tax ferrets are still at work collecting evidence of omitted taxes and mailing notices to those supposed to be owing the county for omitted taxes. They will be here until the middle of September and perhaps longer. The following is a partial summary of their work up to date; No. of notices mailed , 66 No. of notices returned 2 No. of notices not heard from 14 No. of cases adjusted. .. 20 No. of cases dismissed 19 No. of cases continued . n Amount adjusted '....52503 58 Amount collected 553 27 The dismissals were in cases where up'<Sn examination of the evidence introduced the debts and listing equalled or exceeded the credits: The cases were continued that parties might produce a certified copy or statement showing the amount of money on deposit in bank, on time or call,and also to bring written evidence of debts owing for the years so claimed. Up to date the notices have mostly been served on small tax payers, many of whom are able to explain away their apparent indebtedness to the county by showing that they owed money to some of the more wealthy tax payers. Such evidence is being used against the latter, and when all such is in they will be proceeded against. The tax ferrets get one half of all the money recovered, but get no compensation at all until the money is paid into the treasury. It is understood that the city and state will stand their share of the cost of collection. It is also rumored that further steps will be taken in the courts by those interested, to have the examination stopped, but on what grounds is not known.