New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-09-15
TO THE PUBLIC.
Statement OF Mr.. o. Delah0ussaye, SS''
Tax Collector of Sts Martin Parish


Tax Collector of Sts Martin Parish
Although have never sought public notor'e'S'
OF newspaper controversy, Iowe it to my friends
and my fellow citizens regardless OF poh'ieai 81
flations. who are not biased BY prejudice 10 re-
flute the false and malicious charges brought
| asains. me br a COMMITTEES appointed by moo OF
I the paris!, OF St. Martin. and which CONN
I was composed Of Eugene a. Duchamp, AuSus1e
Maraist. z. 7. Eovyae:. g. 4. Eouynet AMI H. q
Gourmet .,
Having beea compelled 20 retire from my parish
by the force o: arms. have delayed answer'ns
the charges Of tina: distinguished committee oi
patriots because was not able to procure the
official documents. 70 shsw that the charges al
| legged agains. me were gfoundless and malicious;
and also to procure certain documents to mpEcate
some of the very same patriots composing siia'
committee: aud II any one had to be removed IRON
the parish. they ouah: 10 begin at home and re-
move SONS of their leaders. such men as Eugene
A. Duchamp and Angus: Maraist. for mateasance
in office az members OF the police jury Of the par
ish OF St. Martin for the years 1870 and 1871.
lie: the public and the other members OF that
BODY per,ise the annexed certificate OF the pro.
ceedings of the police ;ur: and they vii! find out
tina: the robbers OF this money Of the parish o.
ST. Martin yet aMonss: them. and ii there were
any respect for the laws OF the !a1d. they should
have been removed long ago from the parish
vii! now proceed 20 make . statement OF the
proceedings which have taken place up to the time
o! my leaving the parish. and refute seriatim
the malicious and groUui'ess charges brought
against me Dy tina. celebrated committee appoint
ed b. She socalled taxpayers OF the parish OF st.
Martini and challenge shat committee to prove the
contrary. And for further information. let it be
known :ha. the subsequent committee appointed
sr.t:ny tot AZ a
time that i: not for nafeasance on my part il
Office, bu: merely because they would never suffer
any office: appointed By Governor Kellogg to
remain in office in the parish.
On or abou. the third day Of August last Mr..
Alexander Deciouet came TO my office accompanied
by about two hundred men. mostly armed with
revolvers. and representing himself as the chair
man of COMMITTEES appointed by the citizens OF
the parish Of st. Martin, asked to examine my
books ss collector OF taxes for the said parish. l
replied 20 him tina. there was no necessity to
present himself at my office at the head of mob:
that had always been ready and willing to ex.
;ibi: my books 20 an; OF the taxpayers. and
would be glad that they should examine them.
because was satisfied tina. they would find that
had discharged my duty honestly. even offered
him to examine my books forthwith. Blu: he an.
swered that she committee was not ready. but
with Mr.. Dec,ouet. the following day a committee
composed OF Mr.. Eugene A. Ducha mp. Aususte
Marast. z. T. Fournet, g. a. FOurnet and H. P.
Fournet came to my office. and after thorough
examination Of nv books and papers Messrs.
Eugene A. Duchamp and Auguste Maraist both
expressed themselves to me that my accounts
were correct. and that they would publish state.
:nent TO show the people OF the parish that had
performed my duties faithfully and honestly; and
it they have any feelings OF Sentlem en- about
them challenge them to deny my assertions. But
instead of complying with their savings and dOngs
:,iey haze published malicious charge against me
in the New Orleans Bee and New OrIea Ms Bulletin.
which they have not dared to sign. because they
knew full! well that they were false and aiicious.
their object bers. suppose. TO excite the citizens
against me. vii. now proceed TO refute the
imaginary charges OF that wise and patriotic com.
mttee.
In snswe: 20 the frs. charge will state that IN
the performance OF my duties have acted strictly
according to the law. and that have claimed
from the State AUdto. the amount Of taxes due TO
the parish on property adjudcated to the State.
and that re declined to pay the same on the ground
that the State not compelled to pay.
70 the second charge. tia; had collects ed more
pol az from tie waite taxpayers taan Che c0,ored.
vii. sta1e tina. by references to the books OF the
Auditor. have collected and pad into the treas.
u-y $1l3 20, pol. tax :or the yea- 1873. which is a
srea: dea. more than my predecessors.
The assertion that have collected poll tax from
the white voters, and neglected to collect the
same from colored voters is also false and
malicious. I: is We. known that there are but
few cC!orei property holders in the parish, and
that in all where white OK colored voters
taxed 70, poll tax Only i: is and it has always been
difficult IN anv pa.ish 20 Coii.c: ;ha: item. THAI
u:.ttse knows this fact vel as M; self. Yet
i: the committee would refer 20 my books which.
:l.ev lave forcibiy taken possession Ot-they would
find :ila: have collected: much poll tax from
the oolored as from the white voters.
To the third charge. "tha: the tax collector. for
preparing the assessment rol. tor the parish has
received $500. said work ben. worth only from
5 20 to $780,, the herein annexed certificate speaks
for itself:
State Of Louisiana. Pa.!s, Of st. Mar.in.-We
The undersigned, do hereby certify that the mem.
beers OF the POilce jury OF the parish o: St. Martin
made tender OF the sum OF $500 to Nj. y. Della.
houssaye. ST.. tax collector. Tor the assessment
and iableau of parish taxes of the parsh of st.
/ Martin; which amount was refused by him as be.
ing too large. at the same time specifying that he
would accept $500. with this condition. that
should tina: amour: be more than what
usually allowed to tax collectors he bound himsei;
to refund the surplus. and it. on the contrary, the
manned satisfied with the above stated Of $500.
This occurred at the session OF the Police jury
winch took place On the fourth OF November 1873.
CHARLES COUDLEY,
Member of the Police jury;
GUSTAVE BAKER.
Clerk pro tenn:
TAYLOR DASPfT.
Ex-Pres dent.
the taxpayers OF ST. Martin that the foregoing
CIs- 70 ia na,ieinus and false and that have re-.