The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-10-14


tee, and after being sworn the whole truth
to tell, refused for = considerable time to
answer any of the questions propounded
: to him by the committees attorney. The
beginning of his examination was so
amusing that We give specimen of it, as
follows:
Question. Where is the book containing
the supplementary assessments?
Answer. ! have nothing to say, Mr..
Hubbard. haven't anything to say.
q. Is thA; book in the Office now?
A. haven't anything to say at all
q. What do you mean by thSt? Do
YOU mean 10 say you don't propose to
A, haven't anything to say on any
subject.
A. Because haven't anything to say.
.. Because you don't know an:thing or
won't say anything?
4. BeCauSe don't know anything
q. Do you mean to say you don't know
anything about this book?
A. haven't anything TO say At all.
q You told ne you hadn't anything to
say because you don't know anything.
Now ask you, under oath, whether you
don't know anything about tha; book!
A. / haven't anything to say.
In another r.part of the witness's exami-
nation, his mulish propensides returned
to him, and his answers to questions for
about quarter of an hour were 81 de-
cline to answer"
This answer OF the Collectors deputy
reminds one OF the monotonous snsver
given by Majoechi, the famous Italian
who figured conspicuously in the trial Of
Queen Caroline, the wife of George the
". OF England, for adultery alleged to
have been committed in Italy. This wit
ness testified in Italian, the questions be-
ing propounded in English and repeated
by the interpreter to the witness His
constant response was mon mi Ticorio"
II do not remember"), which response.
in view of his opportunities to be well
informed. and in view Of previous dis
closures, excited general commentthrOugh-
out England, and made the phrase mon
mi ricordo" an ever memorable expires
sion in subsequent trials 1t comes in
now very appropriately in connection
with the above monotonous answer Of
Mr.. Blacks deputy. 1t Is another case of
mon mi ricordo.-
1t seems from the testimony OF the differ
e,t DEPUTIES examined that they all enter
ell their collections upon the cash book
and part book" above referred to, and
tha, IL was the only book containing col
lections made Consequently it was aPub-
lie record and not private book OF the
Collector as claimed by him The e1Ami-
nation of the deputies also diseioses the
fact that Mr.. Black for considerable time
had been defraudins the tax payers OF this
city by charging interest on personal taxes
over due, for which charge there Is no law
or ordinance, and also that Nr. Black in
charging interest on taxes on real property
computed from the lst day OF October, in
stead of the lst day of December as pro-
vided by law, thereby putting two months
( interest in his own pocket
7 ltseems also that Mr.. Black instructed
his deputies to collect interest on personal
taxes overdue when there was real estate
taxes on the same bill In answer TO
question propounded as to what course he
vas TO pursue If tax payer refused or OBJ
jcc;ed topaying intereton personal taxes,
one OF the deputies testified Is follows: Il
asked Mr.. Black that question, and he told
me If they said anything about it to tell
them ii was mistake, or words to that
eject. He would say, you know how to
speak
4 There is no way Of ascertainins the
amount of interest Mr.. Black collected in
this WAY without an inspection Of his Cash
and "part book" books which .he has con
eealed iron the committee and refused tf
produce.
Another method OF Mr.. Blacks for de
franding taxpayers with which, however,
the committee had nothing to dol vas The
collection Of interest on overdue schoo
taxes. The amount so collected has no
been ascerained, but it will Probabl!
!. smoun, to considerable sum. The School
Board should, and no doubt will, take som'
action looking TO an investigation OF TIT
; Collectors transactions in handling the
school money.
Another method Of Mr.. Blacks for put
ting money in his own pocket, was III,
: keeping OF the city's moneys in the FL
. change Rank, deposited there to his on
credit. on which he received interes
: amounting in the time he occupied his Oi
6oe to over $500, while the city durini
{ par, of that time was paying the hank in
E terest at the rate of S per cent on over
5 drawn checks This expense would hav'
been saved to the city had the Collecto
: paid over to the Receiver his collection
1 as required BY the Law and ordinance.
: For the year 1915 Mr.. Black vas charge
!, with the assessment of that year, amount
+ ing in all to about SoG0nl His settl'
4 meat with the City Receiver shows th'
= he paid in for collections and delinquent
Il of tha. year 81, 600, leaving deficit
: abou. 5000 wholly unexplained and NJ
Il an-ounteNI for In any manner Whatevei
/. His calculations and assessments IN u