Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-05-13
COUNTY TAX-COLLECTOR.
Answer from "Bill Mclean" TO the
Report Of the Grand Jury OF
Shelby County.
A Document with Figures -The
Grand Jury in simply MIS-
taken--Thnt IL all.
Mrnruls. Trnn. May Il. lsT2.


Grand Juries serve many excellen
purposes. They bring to light man.
hidden things which the public are deepl.
and vitality interested in knowing the.
expose fraud and corruption they shoV
up extravaganza in appropriations, ant
errors and inaccuracies thick as leaves
AT Valambrosa," and inform the public
of the most culpable, if not criminal
negligence" in public officials, from
which mo plea of the accused can re
leiye him, or can be adduced IN extenn
alton" These are few of the things
which Grand Juries do, or attempt TO do
They sit in secret and get information
from all sorts Of sources, and it some
times happens that they obtain informa'
ton about an individual or a public
officer, and publish it to the world as a
disclosure, of which the individual OF
officer knew nothing himself; and things
which. if the Grand Jury had not pub.
lished over their signature as facts, he
would have pronounced falsehoods. l
did not know, until the Grand Jury In
formed me of the fact, that was indebt-
ed to the State OF Tennessee in any sum
or in any manner; much less did | know
or even
| SUSPECT, THAT WAS DELINQUENT
TO the State to the amount Of one hun
bred and thirty-seven thousand dollars,
as their report states. A most astound-
ing development A most wonderful
discovery A most fearful disclosurell
This Grand Jury has opened the
eyes and the ears of the public, and as
the people see and read the report the
wonderful news spreads, and everybody
hears that Billy Mclean is detaulter
to the State over one hundred and thirty
thousand dollars-the Grand Jury says
so. And then the Grand Jury solemnly
asks, If this be true in regard to the
State what might be the facts with re-
gard to the county revenue
am also very modestly informed
that this item demands most held
explanation at my hands; in other
words / am called upon to rise and ex'
plain.
On reading the report / at once came
to the conclusion that the most charita-
BILE Judgment could pass on the Grand
Jury in this connection was, that it did
not know what it was doing, and before
attempting a reply, information was
sought for from one Of its members.
This question was put, did you as
member of the late Grand Jury believe
that Mclean had collected one hundred
and twenty-six thousand dollars State
tax for the year 1872, and had failed to
pay it over2 After several indirect an
swers, he finally acknowledged that he
did so believe. l then kneU that the
members of this
GRAND JURY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THEY
WERE DOING
Now ask this question: Why did
not this Grand Jury call upon me, or
some one in my office, for information,
or for an explanation, before making
such a report? They could have called
upon me for the lucid explanation "
which they say they want just as well
before their adjournment, as to make
the charges through a published report
and demand it through the press. i am
informed that this Grand Jury was in
session between three and four months,
and never, during that time, visited my
office-never examined my books-never
sought information touching the matter
from me or those in my employ.
A very brief explanation in regard to
this $l26,57l SO il. this: As soon as
James Reilly, Cletk of the County
Court, had completed the tax books
for 1871, by extending the taxes, ETC.,
etc., he certified to the State Comptroller
that the State tax levied for that year
was 1927, 2s9 81 for Shelby county. The
Comptroller then charged me with that
amount on his books. / obtained the
books on tie ninth day of November,
1871, and if | am now delinquent $780,
600, then, by the same reasoning, on the
same day / obtained the books, aud be-
fore | had collected one dollar of the
taxes, was delinquent to the State
1927, 2S9 81.
HOW STANDS THE MATTER NOW?
am required to settle with the State
once in three months-Noyember, De
cember and January passes. My collec-
tons for those three months amounted
to $l0l ,S22 %. Deducting my commits
sions RENTED the balance. For this
amount got credit on the books Of the
Comptroller. Gentlemen of the jury,
the $4,000 you have paraded before
the public, the $4,000 you have I'M
earthed, the Sl26,O0O you say | am de-
linquent for, were the uncollected taxes
for February !, 1872, being the balance
OF 1927 900 placed in my hands for col
lection in November last, SOL 900 hav-
ing been collected and accounted for.
Three months more have passed-Feb-
ruary, March and April. On the first
day Of May / ascertained that | had col
lected additional State taxes $26, 975 OF;
deductng commissions II always deduct
commissions forwarded the balance.
On the first day of May, 1872, the exact
amount Of uncollected State taxes for
1871 was $98,4S2 81. This information
would have been given to the Grand
Jury had been called upon; but yet
find on the eighth day OF May the Grand
Jury, by published report, creates the
impression in the mind OF the public that
/ have collected and still owe the State
for 1871 $l26,000.
NOW, GENTLEMEN OF THE GRAND JURY,
there are three of your members Il viii
not call names) who, if they ever paid
any State and county taxes in my office,
| do not know it. Four of you have paid
your county taxes for 1871, and the re-
naming six are delinquent for State and
county taxes for 1871. Their combined
State taxes on their own and on property
they represent, and which is still un-
paid, amounts to Sl208 30. In other
words, they haxe charged me with being
delinquent to the State Sl2g,OOO, OF
which amount $l209 60 is their own de-