§40-7-43. Duties of assessor when he has reason to believe property may be removed or otherwise escape taxation.

When the tax assessor has reason to believe that any person whose property has been or is due to be assessed for taxation, either for the current tax year or any preceding year, has removed or is about to remove from the county, or that such person is closing out or going out of business by selling or disposing of substantially all of his personal property on which taxes would be due on the next following October 1, or where insolvency is impending, or where goods, wares, or merchandise are advertised for sale at auction, bankrupt, insolvent, assignment, or fire sale, or where goods, wares, or merchandise are to be sold or advertised to be sold for the satisfying of creditors, he shall at once notify the tax collector in writing, if the property has been assessed; and, if the property has not been assessed, the assessor shall at once make an assessment against the same and deliver the assessment so made to the tax collector, and on his failure to do so, he shall be liable for the full amount of the tax due on or to become due on such assessment. Advertisements in the newspapers or otherwise of a sale of any property as a closing out sale, bankrupt sale, fire sale, or any sale of like character shall be prima facie evidence that the collection of taxes due or to become due on the next following October 1 on such property is endangered within the meaning of this section.

(Acts 1935, No. 194, p. 256; Code 1940, T. 51, §72.)