Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-04-04
WANTS LEGAL SEPARATION
JAMES q. M'0OMB TO ASK FOR "A
DIYORCE.A
The County stateD,emis-Tha Lav
Mequiring ats Annual = Pubiicu-
tion Practically .sgnOred- d-variOus
Pretcxts Given.

By an act OF the Legislature passed at
Dover, April 12th, 1888, 1t was provided:
''That it shall be the duty OF the levy court
OF each eoanty In this State, annually, In
the month of May, to cause to be printed 10
pamphlet form a detailed statement OF all
expenditures OF the funds OF said county,
and orders drawn by each levy court COM
missioner for any and all service performed
or materials furnished In their respective
hundreds, specifying In said statement the
time when and the purpose for which the
same was done; said statement shall also
contain the aggregate amount OF the
per diem allowed to each member OF the
levy court, with the number OF days OF at
tendance and miles allowed to each.
The said levy courts shall have printed
such number OF copies OF said pamphlets as
Aforesaid as said levy court may deem ad-
vlsable and necessary for their respective
counties and one-half OF the number so
printed shall be equally divided between
the justices OF the peace OF the respective
counties and the other hplf between the
members OF said levy courts respectively,
who shall keep the game for delivery upon
application to them by any voter OF their
respective hundreds"
AS far as the New Castle county levy court
Is concerned, this law ba3 been compiled
with but once, In May, 1854. At the session
OF 1886, tho law WAS amended by changing
the time OF the annual publication from
May to December, but no other statement
by the levy court OF this county was ever
issued.
Several members of..the levy court were
asked about the matter by d GAZETTE
reporter Friday morning, but they knew
nothing about 1t. All OF them, however.
excepting Mr.. Shallcross OF st. Georges
hundred, were elected after the passage oil
the law. Mr.. Shallcross said he knew
nothing about 1t. John III. Rodney, ESD,
the courts counsel, also knew nothing
| about 1t. Some OF the other members had
never heard OF the law.
An ex.member, on being asked gave the
| following reason: "Whlle the law requires
| the publication, 1t does not specifically
make 1t anybody's duty TO prepare the
statement and have 1t published, or provide
| for any compensation for this service. The
clerk declined to do the work without pay
the matter stood, while, rs result. the Law
was practically ignored"
Clerk Of the Pence Cochran gave this ex
pianation: "The levy court. after the frs
| publication, decided that the cost was toe
much. and did not issue any more annua
statements"
Levy Court Commissioner wier said th,
law was passed after the end Of his frs
term In the court, and when he was re
elected the court was paying no attention
to the law. He says that an act has beer
prepared and sent to Dover, which will, |
passed. give more publicity to the COURT
expenditures. This act requires all bill
against the county to be thoroughly item
lied and presented to the court on the frs
Tuesday in each mouth, and then and Their
publicly audited, after which they are to b
paid by orders drawn upon the count
treasurer. Mr.. Wior thinks that this bill
will be passed by the Legislature.