If any person shall refuse or neglect to make out and deliver to the auditor a statement of personal property, as provided in this chapter, or shall refuse or neglect to make and subscribe an oath as to the truth of such statement, or any part thereof, or in case of sickness or absence of such person the auditor shall proceed to ascertain, as near as may be, and make up and return a statement of the personal property, and the value thereof, with which such person shall be charged for taxation, according to the provisions of this chapter. To enable such auditor to make up such statement, he may examine any person under oath and ascertain, from general reputation and his own knowledge of facts, the character and value of the personal property of the person thus absent or sick or refusing or neglecting to list or swear. The auditor may return the lists so made up by him endorsed "Refused to List", "Refused to Swear", "Absent", or "Sick", as the case may be, and in his return, in tabular form, may write such words opposite the names of each of the persons so refusing or neglecting to list or swear or absent or sick.