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AMERICAN FIGURES CAUSE TROUBLE. Government of Austro-Hungary Tries to Tax Jockeys on Newspaper Statements. Daring the month of January there was published in several daily papers in this country a list of the American jockeys who had made en gageinents to ride abroad this year and extravagant sums were earned as the salaries they would receive. This list fell into the hands of the income tax collectors for the dual government of Austria and Hungary and recently they made an effort to tax the American jockeys and trainers employed there on those outlandish ggnraa. This. coming as a climax to the harrassing tactics of Ihese government agents during the previous three years, stirred up a mud. lie which Mr. Balta/.zi. the head of the aJStfTO Hungary Jockey Club, is now trying to straighten out. It may l e that the aid of the government of the Catted States will be a-ked before a final settlement la made. Fred Cowman, who raeat the years of I.MU, 5 and I*; in the saddle in Auslro Hungary, but who is now employed by a New fork dry ;.oods firm, says Fred Taral was asked to pay 10,o00 kronen, the equivalent of ,000, as a tax on his alleged earnings last year. In telling of the methods used by the collectors to enforce payments. Cowman said that three years ago the officials of the tax bureau took possession of the stewaids loom at the Vienna race course one day and BVOCeeded to search the different jockeys and trainers as they made their appearance in the weighing inclosure. taking their money and valuables, and in return giving them a receipt as part payment for their arrears in their taxes, some of the native riders and trainers having never paid up their taxes for years. But after two or three had been pat through the mill, the tip went around and in a jiffy the jockeys and trainers tinned over tlieir m y and valuables to tlieir valets and frlends-the valets becoming virtually walking safety deposit vaults. Finding out they were beat at this, game, they next secured duplicate keys and lay in wait for the trainers at their stable anartarn, Jim Oyer, who then trained for Herr Blascoviros and Herr Lnccnhsehcr, was-con aled in Ibis manner and held prisoner for over two hours. Mr. Balt-BSSj coming to the rescue by promising to arrange matters. A few days afterward, at a meeting of the Stewards and representatives of the government, the Jockey Club airrccd to hold out five per c nt. of the gross earnings of the jockeys and trainers, and has since done so. Mr. ZeUiiigt-r. the clerk of the scales, acting on the part of the jockeys and trainers. But from all accounts, at present there isnt a man in Auslro Hungary that knows just what tax he must and should pay. RvCIf lent of money earned by a jockey or trainer is collected through the Jockey Club, so that it is an easy matter to tell just bop much each one earns.
