The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-01-04

3 august elecuon tWo COlOEeu men Wett
elected School Visitors; there was no op
; position to their taking seats. ~
THB TAX PAYRRs' LEAGUE
had at one time numbered six. hundred
was no politics in 4; eolOred men could
Join It; tax-payers had been appointed on
q committee by the League 70 examine
the books OF Chancery Clerk Davenport
about year and a half since; when the
committee entered the Office and told
Davenport what they had come for he
said no Taxpayer League Committee
should examine his books; we showed
him tax receipts and asked 10 be allowed
to compare them with the books he again
refused, saying " don't represent you or
any Of your crowd; know who l was
elected BY, and they will suAtain me- y
Chancellor Hill was present. but did not
inteFpose, and We left, The whites pay
ninety.nine per cent. Of the taxes, Be-
'I tween three and four hundred colored
childred attend The public schools. In
the Tax,payers' League the only question
In regard TO holding office was, Ia he COM
petent and bplesR
To Mr.. CopgeF-Knew colored family
named Montgomery; they were not the
second largest taxpayer; our experience
with Republican officials Is that they are
neither capable nor ct to hold office; don't
know what the color line ia; have several
times voted for negroes for high Offices,
with some capacity and honesty; would
support one d wen as . white man.
10 Mr., speer-0ur bank makes no
discrimination on account Of color; since
the Freedmens Bank burst we keep ac-
counts Of great many negroes. DaVen-
port is now under several indictments for
malfeasanee In Office; all books showing
taxes, warrants and allowances are In
his custody, some Of which are reported
missing,
Butts then exhibited the tax receipts Of
the estate for which the bank was agent
the taxes on which, in 1869, were $50 90
on a valuation Of $500, and the tax re-
ceiptS on the same for 1873 In which the
taxes were $lS6 80 on valuation Of
$7,A0O, He thought the increase Of taxes
was caused by the reckless extravaganee
Of the county officials. The Tay.payerg
League grew out Of this state Of affairs.
During the time mentioned taxes had
been mainly levied by blacks and paid by
whites.
To Mr.. COngsr A portion Of The
difference In The tax receipts shown was
caused by taxes not levied In 1867.
He was then examined In detail In re-
gard 10 specific items In the tax receipts, |
and reiterated they were the result Of
reckless extrayagance. ".t .N
To Mr.. Speer-The League knew one |
instance where Crosby, while Treasurer,
had funded one warrant twice, and other
similar charges we're made, and this was
The reason The League objected to his |
handling the Iaxes without good bond. |
The Poor.house cost $1,000; Is probably !
worth $1,000.
To Mr.. Conger-Woodrnffsis pro.
nohnced Republican, though not an ac.
tive politician. Davenport, In speaking |
Of the party he represented, meant the
Republican party. Davenport seemed 10 |
think The books OF the Office were his |
own property.
ToMr. o 0'Bfien-Think the intention Of |
the negroes on the day Of the fight was TO |
reinstate Crosby and plnnder ut will.
To Mr.. Williams-lf my family had |
been In the country, would have left |
them there, and come In and joined the |
whites here, "a the best means Of deiend-
Ing them. a'3'
Eraatus Darwin Richardson sworn-l
Resided here since 1858; was put In |
charge Of the court house by Col. Baird,
when Crosby resigned; was on duty there
the night before the fight, and gave the
alarm by ringing the bell; during The next |
day was In lhe cupola, on the look out,
with field glasses, during the day. Wit
ness then detailed at great length what he |
saw from his lookout during the day, the |
only points Of interest Of this portion
being that ho had heard Captain Butts |
say he was
NOT IN FAVOR OF TAKING PRISONERS,
That ColonelMille strongly opposed any |
violence to prisoners, and thought the Or.
Ing on Grove street road was 6rSt begun |
by body oi mounted citizens, among
whom was General Furlomg, now State
Senator, Cllas. Wheeler, Pat, Malloy,
Randall YATES, and Morris Norris. Dur.
Ing the day he heard Of Furman being
killed on Cherry street, and another color
ed Imam on Clay street .t
CrOss-examination by Mr.. Speer--
Have been baker and gla&ier; am now
on the police force; have always been a
Republican until last Auguattthe party
got up such O bad ticket wouldn't stand
II, and voted The Democratic ticket; was
Coroner for three years; the Republican
candidates for Aldermen In the August
election were oil black but one, and he
couldn't read nor write, and was not cii-
zen Of the United States; there was no in
timidatiOn oiblackS on the day Of the elec-
tion; the negroes who marched onthe city
December I must have left home The |
night before In order to reach here when
they did.
In answer 10 Mf. Conger, witness detail.
ed the aigt Of Davenport Chancery Clerk,
and Wilson, Coroner, when The League
called upon them 10 resign; saw squads Of
men pursuing them IA far out "A North 1
Cemetery; saw no arms; the League want
ed Davenport 10 resign because scrip had
been forged, and other rascality ptaeticed
three indictments had been found against
him. and he had given bond for his up.
peafhnce q lew days before the League
called on him; had heard when he and
Wilson fed they went into the swamp and
got separated that night, but got together
next day; thought their lives had been In
danger at lhe time II they had been
caught about fifty or sixty armed men
from Monroe, Louisiana, arrived here
Tuesday morning after the fight and left
next day. I don't know who asked them
TO come, They were not regularly organ.
lied. Captain Reed, from the country,
came In also With forty or fifty men. Capt.
Bacheiet, with forty or hfty from the same
neighbothood, also arrived. Capt Hogan
came from shydef's Bluff with about
forty; he came into town Monday, after
the fight, and remained till next day.
During The Two days about one hundred
and fifty to Two hundred whites came in
10 assist the citizens. None brought their
ssamilies with them.
I ITO Nj. O'Dfien-While here these betl
were all orderly except Hogah's who
we're excited about the Killing 81 Brown,
and but for ihe citizens would have hurt
the prisoners. Heard that men we're
ready 10 come from Cairo, Memphis, and
several Other points. Khfghts Templat
4. ..,,A NnsIk tSko faNdasI kANa thAI daN