Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-10-30
BOGUS TAN RECEIPTS.

n fold Attempt to vilit~tc tho Ballot.
Within few days past it has come t.
light that young man named j. Witm' j
Weaver, clerk in Bair's dry goods store,
a resident 0: the First ward but whose
name is not upon tic registry Of voters, IL
the happy pOsscssOr Of two tax receipts.
boil, Of which were fraudulcntly issued
| In tE uu.uatdcd moment Weaver show ai
his two receipts to Mr.. John Schaum, a
Democrat whom Lc supposed to bc a Re
publican, and MIR. Schaum at once pro
cecded to investigate the fraud. Ile ascer-
taiEcd that one Of the receipts was for 80
cents county tax for 1882, and sigued by
IL. Il. VOnCcrsmith tax collector for the
western part Of tho city, including the First,
Fourth, Fifth, Seventh and Ninth wards.
Knowing that Weaver's name was not
upon tho register, nc called upon Won
dcrs'nith, in company with Weaver, and
asked him by what authority he had
issued Weaver a receipt. Mr.. Wonder
smith denied that he had issued the re-
ccipt, though llo admitted the genuineness
Of the signature, and accounted for it by
saying that q package Of from Gfty to one
hu"d'ed receipts signed by linn III blank
A"d bee" stolen from Ills desk
aboM tile 7M of September. and
thai tho receipt held by Weaver was no
doubt one Of them. Mr.. Vondcrsmith
said be thought the body Of the receipt
was in the hand writing Of either Al.
i:anch or A. F. Shenck, chairman of the
Hepublican committee. Mr.. Vondorsmitll
further stated that both Skcnck and Al.
Wcic;,us, assessor Of the First ward, lad
requested him to issue 4. receipt to
Weaver before that individual had either
of tho receipts he now holds. and hc
refused 10 do so because his name was not
'n the registry. IL is understood that
scvcra! other Of the receipts alleged to have
been stolen from his desk havo been
traced to the possession of persons not
registered and not entitled to vote. There
is no doubt that thu intention WAS tO dis
tribute all these bogus receipts among
non residents aud Others not entitled to
vote, with Il Wow Of illegally swelling the
Republican vote Of this city. IT, tho tax
receipts wero really stolen from Mr.. Won
dcrsmith's desk as seems probable, it
ought to be n comparatively easy task to
hunt down the thief, us Mr.. Vondcrxmith
remarked to Representative OF the INTEL
L'GENcER this morning that very few per
SONS had access to his desk. On being
asked why he had so many receipts signed
in bank, he said it was for his own con
venie,Icc and the convenience Of persons
VINO called to pay their taxes. lie said he
had made no effort since the theft to re-
cover tho stolen receipts.
e.. Wesver's Other Receipt.
Wcavcr's other receipt was issued by
Deputy County Treasurer Harry Strohm,
1T the request Of Al. Shenck, chairman of
the Republican county committee. It is
what is known as an exoncratiOn receipt
that is of II person who having failed to
pay his county tax and been cxonerated
by the county commissioners, afterwards
pays his tax and has Ills name stricken
from the list Of generations Mr.. Strohm
said TO i representative Of the INTELII-
GENCER that Shenck called upon him at
the county trcasurer's Office, threw down
half i dollar and told him he wanted an
receipt for J. Wilmer Weaver.
everything to be right Mr..
Strohm issued the receipt. Not long
another person called for Il re-
ceipt for J. Wilmer Weaver. This cx-
cited Mr.. Strohm's suspicion, 50 nc
took the money, bu: did not is
sue Tho receipt, saying he would |
do $" il l,e found everything to be right. |!
He then went to the county commissioner; i
Office, carefully examined the list of exon
erations and ascertaincd that Weaver's |
name was not on tho list. He then called |
upon Mr.. Shenck, returned him the so |
cents and demanded the return of Weav- |
cr's receipt rs it was illegally issued. |
Shcnck told him him he had given it to |
Weaver. StrOhm insisted that he should |!
get it and return it to him, and as SheDck |
failed to do SO, M. Strohm himself called |
upon MIR. Weavcr and demanded the re- !
ccipt. Weaver gave it up, having in the !
been furnished with Oue Of tho |
bogus Vont;ersmith receipts 10y a. Z.
Wslc'laus assessor Of the First ward.
1t would appear that Mr.. StlOhm was |
guilty OF no greater Offsnso than careless.
ness in issuing the exoncration receipt |
without examining tho list Of exonerations.
1t is also possible that Mr.. Vondsrsmith
may have had the package of signed re-
;eipts stolen from his desk, rs he says was
;he case. II SO he, too, was guilty of
gross carelcssness, and it is ut least re-
narkablc that Lc has made 10 effort to re-
cover tho Stolen receipts. But, however
innocent these gentlemen may he. there
seems to DO 10 doubt that A. +. Shenck,
chairman Of tine Republican county COM
nittce, and A. G. Welchans, who holds
tlo double position OF assessor of tho
First ward aud secretary OF the Republi- |
;an county committee, have been engaged
IN issuing illegal tax receipts, knowing |
Them to be illegal and fraudulent.
Let the Democrats of every ward, es-
lseci:sily the western wards, keep . sharp |
t Okout fer these bogus receipts, and arrest !
any man who attempts to vote on one of |
thcm.