Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-04-11

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officials and others. The plot
originated and was put into exc
cutioh by Mr.. Henry Wilen and
Mr. George w. Hoke, both ofthem
sober-sides, and the last men we
should have suspected of being
practical "jokists.
The plot opened with address
ing the following letter to Sheriff
Thomas:
MARTINsBURG, April l, IA.
Sheriff Thomas:
In passing through your town
this m rnjng and not having
time to call to see you, you will
be kind enough to let me know.
what the amount of my taxes are
on my brick house and lot In Mar
tinsburg for 1872 and 1873. / am
living in Frederick City, Md. If
you will leave the amount with
Mr.. Rutledge at the Everett
House, / will pay it on my return
home the latter part of this week
Very truly yours,
MRS. SALLIE LIPSCOTT.
Sheriff Thomas, VIII. is always
on the lookout for taxes, "bit" at
the above letter like hungry
bass at a disabled minnow. He
at once set about looking up the
back taxes on that "brick house
and lot in Martinsburg." His
search for the property proved
fruitless, of course. AS a dernier
resort the sheriff took his letter to
the popular proprietor of the Ev-
erett House, Mr.. Rutledge, as the
lady had requested that the bill
be left with him. Mr.. Rutledge
knew nothing about the lady.
But on going to the post Office he
received postal card from Mrs.
Lipscott informing him that she
would be at his house on Friday.
He had room especially fitted up
for her, and called on Sheriff
Thomas to inform him that Mrs.
Lipscott would be at his house on
Friday, when he could find out
all about that brick house and lot
on which there was two years
back taxes. The sheriff having
discovered the "sell,o determined
to get as many into it as possible,
and started the Assessor, Mr.. G.
Hill, TO look up the brick house
and lot which could not be found
on the books. The Assessor
couldn't see how he happened to
miss the property, but ne would
look it up and assess it back for
the two years. He is probably
hunting yet.
The next victim was our lively
young friend, Charles j. Faulkner,
Jr. He was absent at Charles
town, attending court. The fol-
lowing postal card was at once
sent to him:
MARTINsBUG, April LIST. IA.
c. J. Faulkner, T::
DEAR SIR Il called to see you
to-day and learned through your
brother that you had gone to
Charlestown; will you be so kind
while there to call at the clerks
Office and examine the record for a
trust deed executed by Simon Gill
man to Drury Lipscott, some
where about the year 1859. AsU Is
important your special attention will
not only lay me under social, but
also pecuniary obligations.
Yours truly,
S. J. LIPsCOTT.
1t is useless to say that Charley
looked for that "Trust deed" He
repaired to the Clerks Office inn
mediately on receipt Of the postal
card, and searched the records
over and over again for several
weary hours, He had to leave for
home and turned it over to anoth-
er attorney, who doubtless is
searching the records yet in quest
of it. When he arrived at
homr he received the fol-
lowing, which had also been sent
to the other implicated parties. 1t
opened their eyes to the fact that
they had been badly scotland
that it was April lst:
The tax bills of Mrs. S. J. Lipscott
Has proved to be an April plot,