Daily Republican., 1889-10-22
THOSE TIA X COLLECTORS.
They Have Bacd me yioIators of Law
They Issue TIA Receipts without At
liking tho COUNTY Seal, Contrary TO
Law-They Don't Want to be Watched
by Reporters.

Ah"-hhey DON'T want To Dc watched
by Reporters.
The following s the law In regard to
he tax collectors Sflixlng the county seal
10 tax receipts which they issue;
Section y, chapter 372. volume II,
Laws Of Delaware: at shall be the duty
Of the collector pf county taxes TO give |
receipt for taxes received, and iu addi-
tion 70 his signature TO make the impress
sion OF the seal Of the hundred or collec-
ton district, for which he Is collector,
upon all receipts given by hin fer e'unty
rates. lie sha have the custody of the
seal during thoteTm he shall remain In
office, aud upon going out OF Office he
shall deliver ihb seal to the Levy Court;
and II the collie rtor shall violate any of
the provisions Of this act he shall be
guilty OF misIlemeanor, and, upon con.
viction Thereof by indictment he shall
forfeit and pay a fine OF net less than ten
nor more than twenty dollars in each
case, besides the cost OF prosecution;
and In default OF payment lie shall be
imprisoned moi less than thirty nor more
than sixty days In each case"
Both tho Wilmington collectors have
violated this law by issuing receipts
without the sehl referred to being affixed.
This they canuot deny. The proof Is ir-
ditputabie.
Ono day lfst week a tax receipt was
Issued to Burton Valentine, No. 12l Ship
ley street, for over $l4 property and poll
tax, and there was no stamp put uEon
the receipt. representative oil the RE-
PUBLICAN was In the tax Office when the
receipt was issued. The receipt was sign
ell by George w. Mckee, but Mr.. Me-
Kee was not I'm the Office when II was
issued. The receipt was fllld up and
given TO MI. Valentine by Collector
! Dougherly'b son, lad probably IL years
OF age. When Mr.. Valentine went out
eide the REPJBLICAN representative fol-
lowed him aud asked TO see his receipt
and he kindly consented. The reporter
looked 1t over and said IL was all right
but did not notice at that time that there
was no stamp imprint on 1t, not thinking
Tor an instant that the collectors would
dare issue property tax receipts without
being ttamTed as the law quires
Since that time until last night III,
REPUBLICAN representative wondered {
that receipt had been stamped. II
sstisfy himself, last night he went to Mr.
Valentines place OF business, No. ~
ahipley street, TO ask him TO let him ST.
that receipt again. Mr.. Valentine site
some hesitatlon kindly CONSENTED to shov
1t, when 20 md behold 1t had no STAN
Impress upon II. Mr.. Valentine ha'
honestly raid his taxes, but after all b
was d.sifanth'fed as a voter. HccaD nc
vote upon that receipt. Mr.. McKe
Garnet deny this. The proof is po,iliv,
Mr.. Valentine is dlsfrAnchlsed unlees b
hunts up Mckee and gets his receiI
stamped.
A representative OF this paper was lai
night shown IL poll tax receipt i;sued b
Collector John j. Dougherty to Willai
IL. jenkins, colored man in the Eieht
ward. It Had no stamp Impression ON il
Mr.. Doug herty cannot deny it. Mr.. Jer
kins has teen trying to lee Mr.. DOugt
erty since TO get his receipt stamped, bu
cannot find hin.
Collector John j. Dougherty, on I'll
Sth of October, Issued tax receipt t
John ?. Edwards, a white man a. No 72
East Eleyehth street, but the receipt hs'
no stump imprint on II. He, too, ha
since lost time in huntlBg up Mr.. Dough
erty to get his receipt stamI ed, but can
luot lind him. Tho REPUBLICAN, repre-
sentative saw this receipt last hight. Col
lector Houkherty Is dared to deny wha
is here stated. There are many more re
celpts of the same Kind issued, and ever
one who receives such receipt is dis
! franehised unless the seal is hereafte
affixed.
Mr.. DougLcry's hoy has been actin
deputy iof both collectors IN receiving
property lazes, aud II he has treated 81
property hbl1ers as lie did Mr.. Valentine
none OF tho receipts he issued have staml
Impressions, as the fine for collectc
permitting the seal to be used Is 500, AM
yet Mr.. Dougherty's boy deputy did upoi
one occasion Il Q the seal IN stamping
pail tax receipt, which Andrew Moor
brought back and demanded that the sea
be affixed. Any person not collector I
Unable t10D for using the seal.
Ii anything else were wanted NOR
than what has been given 10 show TIN
determination of the collectors to dis
franchise voters, 1t can be found In tn
following from yesterdays Every Even
ing, Democratic paper:
''Every Evening some days ago dc
terminl d 10 Investigate the complaint
made against County Tax Collector
Mckee and Dougherty concerning thei
reluctance to accept poll tax and issu
receipts tAerei,r. Both collectors hav
frequently affirmed that the charge
made against them were entirely withot
! l4leb nbth hh I
this paper went to the county tax olllC
fer the purpose Of paying bis propeetl
c and poll lax to Collector Dougherty. II
/ collector was not 10 his Office, but b
a boots were In charge OF young lad
q probably his son--who, upon being ii
/. formed oil the VISITORS mi. sion, exnressS
y a readindss to accept ard receipt for u
: realty ia x, but stated that he could nj
Y accept pbll tax.
/, THIS morning member of Ever
n Evenings local stall was detailed 10 {
q to the county tax office and TO rcma
). th,fe and report the business transaction
as they occurred. What followed
given In his own words:
At9 o'clock his morning the tax &C
lector's piiiee was not open.
Collector Mckee arrived at 10. 90. Sc
ing the reporter he asked, "Is no o.
here 1Iow's that?" lie then unlock
the door As it was opened a son OF Cl
lector DouQherty appeared, followed
Abner 7. Bailey. member CT Board
Education, who, however, did not ent
the ofliCe.
After answering some telephone
aulrics Collector Mckee turned wi h
auiring loohs at the reporter, who W
diyestilg himself of his oyercoat.
learning his mission the collector repli
-, that hshad serious objection to the r
r porter'a continued presence during !
m day in the tax Office. lie expressed MI
~ self as pLtircly indifferent to the anima
10 version made on him and Collect
Doughtr'y by the Morning News. "TG
are altd dgether untrue" lie did not thil
* 1t right that watch should be ST up
ct him in / is own Office. lie considered
ie an impertinence, and lie is very well al
III tn take care of himself.