New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-19
THE ASSESSMENT MATTER.



was ful! attendance Of the assessors, MI
D. Urban included, who had not availe,
himself Of his leave Of absence, but va
prevented by eerious illness from attending
the previous examination. Tho Witnesse
promised by the 2Ynes were also in attend
ahce.
Judge Dibble stated that this exanina
tion would not have the force of . judicia
one, as he had no authority to hold an ex
animation which would have such force
Under section l34 of the Revised Statute
he was authorized to cause all parties hav
ing any knowledge of . crime to appear
before some Judge or justice Of tho peac,
and have tAeir dispositions taken, and b,
would. if Nr. Wahl, or any Of those presen n
having an interest in the case desired, sent
for justice of the peace to receive tn,
testimony; but if they were willing h,
would proceed with the examination alone
All the parties present having agreed t.
dispense with justice Of the peace, th'
proceedings we're opened by calling tn.
pressman OF the Times. Mr.. NJ. Wahl, to tn,
stand.
Mr.. Wahl did not prove to be such an in
tellgent man as the Times said he vae:
Questien-How much il your property
assessed for.
Answer-One thousand dollars!
Qnestion-H0w long has it been assessed
for $1,000
Answer-Just this year.
Qaesti0n-Has not Q reduction been made
in that assessment?
Answer-There has been since seen it.
Question-How much is it nows
Answer-Four hundred dollars.
Question-Did you pay anybody to get
that assessment reduced
Answcr-No, cir, I did not.
Q0estion-What caused it to be reduced,
what influence secured the reduction!
Answer-Well, sir; como round here on
Thursday morning, and l met Nathan Nor
ris, and he asked me where was going;
I told him; he asked me what l was a.
sessed for: I told him said it was too
much; it was $500 moro than was assesse d
for last year; l said was going to file a
petition, and he said that fling : petition
was no use, might just a. we'll put the
paper in the waste basket; he said he would
introduce me to . gentleman who would fix
it all right, and nobody else could; and then
Mr.. Pearoe came along, and he told Mr..
Pearce my circumstances. and Mr., Pearce
took down my street, and tho number OF
the square, and what il was assessed for,
and said It would be fixed On Friday; left
then, and went to tho Office Times office).
and returned with friend on Friday. to
see about his property in Jefferson.
QuestiOn-Who was y0ur friend!
Answer-A gentleman who keeps = lum-
Der yard on Louisiana avenue, I don't re-
nNl0 b nf t1n
SCISSORS office and met Morris, and he told
me my reduction had been made from
$1,000 to $500. He wanted me to 90 back
and look at it. I said II hav'nt time,
Nathan; have to go to the Office" as it
was getting near four o'clock. Mr.. Pearce
came and told me the thing was all fixed,
and that it would be $13 so, as he would
have to share with the men in tho Office. l
told him had no money vita me, but if he
would wait till Saturday would pay him.
Tho agreement was made that Mr.. Pearce
como to the office to me on Saturday and get
paid. After ley work come back with Mr..
O'Brien to 60 to the assessors Office, and l
met Morris again on the corner; ho told me
that Mr.. Pearce had gone to the bank to get
check cashed, and told O'Brien to como
over and see what l am assessed for, and
Morris said: ''NO, one OF you will do; go
by yourself" I went in asked about my
property in square No. So st. Thomas street;
the gentleman opened tho book and showed
me that it was $40O; put my finger on it;
he said that there had been . gentleman
there before about that property, and said
it might be my brother; 1 come ont and
met Mr.. Pesrce and Mr. O'Brien. and con-
versatiOn commenced about Mr.. O'Brien's .
assessment, and Pearce put down in his
poke: book tho number of Mr.. O'Brien .
square and tho amount Of his assessment,
and he said he would fix it on Monday, bein g
as he was going away on Friday evening.
That's my statement, siH.
The witness was then cross examined by
Mr.. Urban, and said that his property had
been assessed for $500 in 1872, 1873 and
1874; that no person in the assessors Office
had offered to reduce his assessment for Q
or otherwise. When asked
who was the gentleman who showed him
his assessment on the books, the witness
insisted that it was Mr.. J. l.. Herwig or
some one who looked like him; but after
some reflection he fixed upon Mr.. George
Autz, clerk to tho assessor of the Fourth
District, as the man. In reply to the inter-
rogatories "Can you read and #rite! :" "Do
you know what figures are used to express
q thous and 2" Mr.. Wahl answered negative
ly, and affirmed that he could not spell his
name but let other people DO that for him.
Tho next witness, Mr.. O'Brien. gave tes-
timony party corroborstive of Wahls. and
to the effect that he did not think it would
be right to give Mr.. Pearce one-half of the
amount; he might save him on . reduced
assessment. but that his scruples would
not prevent him giving thai gentleman
small reward for his services If successful.
Then followed > Mr.. Charles Jacques,
who gave tho burden Of . oonversati0n had
between himself and his neighbor, Mr..
Nathan Morris, on the subject Of tho
article in the Times last Saturday. In
reply to Judge DIbble, this witness said
Nathan Morris told him that ho worked in
Judge Dibble's Office.
This tho Judge denied, and said he know
no such man. Subsequently tho Judge
learned from his clerk and auctioneef that
the man Morris, during the time Judge
steele was Assistant Attorney Geueral, had
been employed 70 attend at
tax collectors sales, and that when his
services wero needed the suctioneeT still
employed him.
Mr.. Pea1ce, tho broker. was next called,
and said that he did not seek Wahl; on the
contrary, Wahl had sought him. He, Mr..
Pearce, was not in the habit Of having IS
reduced. He had not done 20
before, and had never said to Wshl that he
would have to divide tho el3 50 with some
,ne il tho Office. What he did say was, that
ls would have 20 divide with Morris, who
brought him the case. He, Mr. Pearce, re-