Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 October 1902 — Some Omitted Taxes. [ARTICLE]

Some Omitted Taxes.

J. B. Workman, the tax ferrit, came up here yesterday, on his way to lowa, and stopped off, to meet by appointment County Assessor Phillips, in regard to having certain omitted property placed on the duplicate. The principal item of these is against Judge S. P. Thompson. Mr. Workman spent several weeks some time ago, this year, investigating the Judge's oase, hearing being in the presence of the Judge and Jhefore Tax Assessor Phillips. Mr. Workman makes the following state ment: “The total amount of taxes omitted by him on mortgages alone as shown by the evidence and record was $1,685.50. Allowing him the per cent, off, as allowed by, Township Assessor, (illegal) left am’t remaining due against him, and agreed to, $17850.86. The report was handed to the, County Assessor to be placed upon the tax duplicate, which he failed to do —finding that the reports were not placed upon duplicate and recognizing the difficulty at that time in getting the proper orders of the Court, I ceased work until after the election. I have . m, , ... t n. i' other cases similar which are pend-< ing, that amount to near SBO3O in taxes. I will be here about Nov, 15th to finish the work.*’ Mr. Workman states further than in one year alone, 1897, Mr. Thompson omitted $16,000 of his property. He had a photograph made of the Judge’s tax assessment sheet for that year, with the Judge’s sworn statement of its correctness at the bottom, and the photograph is now in the office of Deputy Prosecutor Parkison, and may be s£en by any one who wishes. The above facts seem to us very pertinent to the fight the Judge is now making on several candidates on the Republican ticket, particularly Halleck and Hanley. If his men for Commissioners and Judge could be elected no doubt the contract with the tax ferrits would be cancelled. Probably, also, theefforts to collect what is legally due the county on costs advanced on ditches would also'be abandoned, much to the Judge’s financial advantage. But also, at the same time, much to the general taxpayers’ disadvantage. (It is proper to add here that Assessor Phillips was here today, and states his intention to plabe the above mentioned delinquent taxes cn the duplicate, and which was doue before he went home.)